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DPChallenge Forums >> Current Challenge >> out of focus... is it really bad always ?
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 11/16/2005 11:57:13 PM · #1
can out of focus pictures ever be considered good ?

Message edited by author 2005-11-17 00:02:36.
 11/16/2005 11:59:49 PM · #2
That challenge is still going on. You should refrain from drawing attention to your image until the challenge is over.

Out of focus images can be considered good. Most people around here won't think so though.
 11/17/2005 12:00:20 AM · #3
To the question: I say yes, oof works when you need it to work for you.

fyi - posting or discussing individual challenge photos during voting is considered bad form. Plus your link shouldn't work for us anyway.

Edit:
I'm too slow on the uptake.

Message edited by author 2005-11-17 00:01:24.
 11/17/2005 12:04:14 AM · #4
I removed the url from my post ... based on the replies...

Message edited by author 2005-11-17 00:04:56.
 11/17/2005 12:14:28 AM · #5
Out of focus, soft focus , or small depth of field? Some people may not know the difference.
 11/17/2005 12:58:18 AM · #6
maybe



11/17/2005 01:04:33 AM · #7

11/17/2005 01:18:19 AM · #8
The bokeh (I think this is the proper term) in that Christmas light photo is amazing. What lense was that shot with?

As far as my opinion goes: Out of focus shots can be used very well, as demonstrated by the examples posted here. In my experience, most 'intentional' out-of-focus shots turn out fairly well as this is what the photographer intended and shot for. But there are also those shots where someone failed to look close enough at their viewfinder before hitting that shutter release and didn't, or couldn't, recreate the shot with sharp focus and therefore was left with a photo which needed a sharp focus but was obviously lacking it.

I think intent is the primary concern as the photographer has to know what they want and why they want it. Technical skill takes a close second as without a knowledge of DOF and such, the photographer will be unable to recreate their vision (apart from fluke).
 11/17/2005 02:20:33 AM · #9
Heres one I shot a 1.8 with an extension tube. It's flowers:



Does out of focus work for you here?
 11/17/2005 02:38:21 AM · #10
my opinion is that out of focus is almost always bad unless it was intentional and its being out of focus adds some aesthetic purpose.

a photo that was not intentionally out of focus, but accidentally, i would say 99% of the time is a lot worse than it could be. I've seen out of focus images that worked, but it was often that the photographer used this look as an integral part of the image.
 11/17/2005 04:46:39 AM · #11


I've been pondering on this recently. Your exception, petrakka, makes your statement almost meaningless - any element of any photo is bad if it doesn't add 'aesthetic purpose', surely?

The above shot is accidentally out of focus - it was a hit of the shutter release as I lifeted the camera. But the shot has been growing on me to the extent that I have it as my wallpaper. Be intrigued to know if others find anything in it
 11/17/2005 05:08:06 AM · #12


this is a great shot in many ways, however accidentally it was made. But for me, the soft focus detracts from the image and adds nothing. it makes it look as though it was shot on an old school plastic lense that knows no better.

i've been going through a soft focus phase lately, but i'm growing out of it quickly.

Message edited by author 2005-11-17 05:08:55.
 11/17/2005 05:15:12 AM · #13


The out of focus certainly adds a lot to this mage and I have seen many that look good with a certain amount of OOF.
But not in challenges here they will get jumped on, I actually have an intentional one now in a challenge..... it's at 4.2

Message edited by author 2005-11-17 05:16:17.
 11/17/2005 05:20:31 AM · #14


accidental but its growing on me
 11/17/2005 05:34:33 AM · #15
Originally posted by keegbow:

But not in challenges here they will get jumped on, I actually have an intentional one now in a challenge..... it's at 4.2


Precisely why it wasn't in the Image Grain challenge, for which it was eligible.
 11/17/2005 05:48:21 AM · #16
Originally posted by e301:
[quote=keegbow]
But not in challenges here they will get jumped on, I actually have an intentional one now in a challenge..... it's at 4.2


i also have an intentional one in at the moment and it's taking a beating. this has been my first challenge, and after reading the comments on my image and looking at the challenge archives i'm getting a sense of what the DPC voters are looking for. i don't expect to be doing extremely well here :)
 11/17/2005 05:55:58 AM · #17


i was using a crappy lense that was impossible to get sharp anyway, so i just decided one day to go over board.

Message edited by author 2005-11-17 05:57:22.
 11/17/2005 08:29:56 AM · #18
Originally posted by e301:



I'd maybe suggest going even further with the blur on this - I like it, but I can still see who the people are. A very soft focus version would one add that level of intention that we've talked about and two let me project my own story and people in to the image more and maybe get more emotionally involved.
 11/17/2005 08:30:20 AM · #19
Originally posted by ShorterThanJesus:
The bokeh (I think this is the proper term) in that Christmas light photo is amazing. What lense was that shot with?


Some cheap canon lens. I think the 24-85
 11/17/2005 08:59:14 AM · #20

I'm not sure if this was sharp if i'd like it as much.

Those lens baby lenses while claiming to allow very elective focus never look sharp to me, and I guess that's ok, or maybe only trendy.
11/17/2005 09:20:21 AM · #21
Prof- I have to disagree with you. I think this could be SOFT, but out of focus kind of makes it look too snapshottish to me. Just my taste.

I think OOF and blur can be mistaken too, but usually, they aren't the same thing either.

She sure is a cutie. Do you have other photos of her???
 11/17/2005 09:27:20 AM · #22
Mebbe...


Everyone says that shot needs to be sharper (and prolly should have been) but i like it. Of course, it's my daugter LOL. That was taken as the first shot with a new lens - remove from box in kitchen, put on camera and shoot the first thing you see.
 11/17/2005 09:28:45 AM · #23
The focus is a bit soft on this one but not completely out of focus ;)

11/17/2005 09:30:29 AM · #24

11/17/2005 10:25:06 AM · #25
I like e301's shot the way it is; the tilt adds to the lack of focus. But I wonder if it would be a better photo if the couple were in focus, or if the couple weren't there at all.

Going overboard really works for tonylees's shot. And lack of focus often works for abstracts.

Here's my humble example:


I think the bad focus works (or doesn't hurt) because of the subject.
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