The 'Near - Far' effect was explored extensively by Ansel Adams using the camera movements of a large format camera to create or exaggerate the sense of depth in a scene. Adams coined the phrase 'near - far' to describe the visual result of the technique. The 'near - far' effect is created by having a prominent foreground object dominating the lower half of the image with some form of visual line leading you towards the background of the scene. This can be clearly seen in this example, the lines of sunflowers take you into the 'depth' of the scene.With 35mm cameras the 'near - far' effect is easily produced by using a wide-angle lens. Since wide-angle lenses make closer objects look bigger than distant objects, positioning yourself close to an interesting object automatically creates the 'near - far' effect. Make sure you adjust the depth of field to include the background in the area of sharpness.
The 'near - far' effect is one of the most powerful techniques for creating a sense of depth in your images so why not explore the visual possibilities of 'near - far' the next time you go out with your camera! Have Fun!
Q: How do you obtain sufficient depth of field for the 'near - far' effect?
5 comments:
Hey great post. In answer to the question, I am thinking small apertures and use of hyperfocal distance.
Then again, I am sure pro's would be thinking rear tilt to create more foreground 'looming'.
. Thanks. This is a second attempt to post a comment, the first didn't appear.
Theo
Theo, thanks for your comment and good answer! And yes, with a view camera the rear swing/tilt, in combination with front swing/tilt, would be used to create the near-far effect.
Thanks for posting!
THe only problem using hyperfocal focusing is
1. You may not necessarily get the best print quality, especially in distant objects.. it may actually be not very sharp. Ive found this with digital most of the time due the softness/lack of local contrast due to the way the senor behaves. Film, i dont have this problem.
2. The required shutter speed can be affected if stopping down for max DOF.
For me, doesnt matter how many pixels you have, you cant beat 4x5 cameras with movements!
Thanks for your comment Anonymous.
1. The softness at far distances can of course be caused by various factors, such as atmospheric haze, and I suspect this is the most likely cause in most cases. The softness you describe with digital is probably made worse because digital is virtually 'grain free' compared to film. Film grain, rather than more actual detail/definition would cause the distant objects to 'appear' sharper on film than on digital.
2. Naturally, for the same relative exposure a longer shutter time is needed at smaller apertures.
I love my 5x4 but it is about horses for courses. No one camera make or format is perfect for every situation; but I do enjoy large format photography the most since it suits my personality.
Cheers
Les
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