Depth of Field

davidjones8418

One thing I could really do with a pointer on is depth of field. I know how to technically set up DOF, but I am far less sure when to use it.

Is DOF of something you use all the time? I like to try to tell a story with a render, but if a lot of the scene is blurred that seems like it would kind of undermine that.

Probably because I am more used to graphic novels than photography, trying to make renders look like photographs confuses me.

I guess what I am asking is..

When should I be using (an not using!) DOF?

cajhin

It's mostly a matter of taste / style. When should you use blonde hair and when red? Up to you...

I primarily use DOF when

- the center figure is all important and the rest of the scene is just some color in the background

- the background looks bad for some reason (flawed geometry or low res textures)

- my rig is overloaded, so with DOF I can get away with a simple jpg backdrop instead of heavy scenery

davidjones8418

cajhin said:

It's mostly a matter of taste / style. When should you use blonde hair and when red? Up to you...

I primarily use DOF when

- the center figure is all important and the rest of the scene is just some color in the background

- the background looks bad for some reason (flawed geometry or low res textures)

- my rig is overloaded, so with DOF I can get away with a simple jpg backdrop instead of heavy scenery

Thank you for your input. I really appreciate any help with this.

What it looks like is of course a matter of taste, but I guess where I am coming from is expectations.

Do renders look amateurish without it?

I agree with your points - if you are focusing on one part of the scene then DOF makes total sense - and it sure is quicker to render! But when there is something going on in the background that adds to the scene, but is not vital, I guess that is where I am scratching my head. To blur or not to blur.

My 3D Spin

You can use DOF with a strong blur or use it with just a touch of blur, where the background is still visable
but has somewhat blurred effect. Play around with Focal distance and F/Stop until you get it just right. And
use Focal Lenght to have the Camera further away or close up to your object. The further away the more Blur
you achive!

cajhin

davidjones8418 said:

Do renders look amateurish without it?

No.

Disclaimer: I'm an amateur.

My personal, amateurish opinion is that DOF is overrated. Like Vignettes, Lens Flare and B&W Film Grain, DOF is an 'artistic' effect that originates from a flaw of outdated recording devices (cameras). Today, like vignettes, DOF can look nice in the right context, mostly portraits.

But its primary raison d'etre, now that we can have sharp pictures out of the box with any $200 smartphone, is to hide ugly or distracting aspects of the framed photo.

I prefer to have interesting detail in the background instead of a blurry wall, but a) that's more effort and b) that's only me

Edit: since you're into comics, you're maybe aware of an established "visual comic language" that readers have learned to understand (like lightning out of the eyes = anger). In the same vein, "DOF" signals "close to the subject, intimate" since that's where the background gets blurry the most. I suspect that's a cultural thing that the generation smartphone doesn't really get.