Can You Create Good Landscape Photos With Shallow Depth of Field?

Shallow depth of field is a popular technique for genres like portraiture, but when it comes to landscape photography, deep depth of field with most or all of the frame in focus is the standard. That does not mean you can't shoot with a shallow depth of field, though. This neat video follows a photographer as he shows how shallow depth of field can be a powerful creative tool for landscape work. 

Coming to you from James Popsys, this great video follows him as he photographs landscapes using a shallow depth of field. Shallow depth of field is a strong creative tool, and in a genre in which you do not get control over the placement of elements in the scene, having the ability to isolate the subject is a real boon. Of course, just like with other genres, the danger of using a shallow depth of field is images that become a bit too one-dimensional; nonetheless, it is a great tool to have in your bag. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Popsys. 

And if you really want to dive into landscape photography, check out "Photographing The World 1: Landscape Photography and Post-Processing with Elia Locardi." 

Alex Cooke's picture

Alex Cooke is a Cleveland-based portrait, events, and landscape photographer. He holds an M.S. in Applied Mathematics and a doctorate in Music Composition. He is also an avid equestrian.

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3 Comments

I've seen a few great landscape photos with shallow depth of field. While not my style, it does look exceptionally good when foreground elements are used correctly. Me personally, I prefer a huge depth of field, great sunstars and corner sharpness. Shooting wide open also adds more chromatic aberration that I like to deal with, even though most can be dealt with in post processing. *On a side note, James Popsys is a cool dude. He's always so chill and relaxed when shooting and on his Youtube videos!

My "full frame" is 4"x5". I can have foreground and background in focus, and the mid-field blurry! Scheimpflug rules!

I thought this was called travel photography? I guess everyone has the option to try their version of landscape photography. My experience is most people like prints and images of landscapes that have the entire image in sharp focus. However, to each his/her own.