4 Depth-of-field tactics Hyperfocal distancing
Classic landscapes show a bitingly sharp image through the entire frame from front to back. Here’s the easy way to do it
Landscape photos rely on lots of throughsharpness to maximise detail. One benefit of a wide-angle lens is that it gives you a great deal of apparent depth of field, even at wide apertures. So you’d think a wide-angle lens and a narrow aperture like f/16 would provide all the sharpness needed, right?
This is partially true, but you can really nail the amount of through-sharpness in your pic by focusing on the point that will optimise sharpness in front and behind it. This is known as the hyperfocal distance. Using f/16, the zone of focus will range from foreground to far distance. It’s better to focus at the hyperfocal distance at f/16 than to set the narrowest aperture of your wide-angle lens (usually f/22): you don’t get the best quality at minimum aperture, which negates the point. The hyperfocal distance can be precisely calculated or identified approximately using various techniques. At its most basic, the hyperfocal distance is found by focusing one third of the way into the frame.
1 Use the Depth of Field Preview button
You can check the amount of sharpness in your image by using the Depth of Field Preview Button (DoFP) – which is usually found on the front of your camera body. If you’re using a DSLR, when you press the DoFP button while looking through the optical viewfinder, the image darkens as you stop down. You can still make out the increase in depth of field, but it’s much easier if you use Live View, because you can see the effect of the smaller aperture on the photo without the image dimming. This way you can select your focus point roughly one third into the scene, then assess the amount of sharpness with DoFP engaged. On most mirrorless cameras, you can see this through both the electronic viewfinder and on the rear screen. After assessing the focus, you can choose to refocus, change the aperture, or both.
2 Take some test shots
The other practical ‘in the field’ option is to select a focus point one third into the scene, then dial in f/16 in Aperture Priority mode. Take a shot and assess the result on the rear screen. First, zoom in on the detail to see if your horizon is sharp. Then check the immediate foreground – the closest part of the scene you want to be in focus – to see if it is in focus, too. If everything is sharp, just as you want it, you’ve achieved your aim.
If it isn’t, change your focusing distance settings until your sharpness is spot-on.