At this point in your photographic history, it's been a while since you realized that taking a picture is much more complicated than pressing a button. And even more complicated if what you want is more than having a photo; if you want to have a good picture, the thing is really complicated Although the most normal thing to start with is that the composition hallucinates us, and that we dedicate most of our efforts to it, the truth is that the best way to ruin an image is not through it, not even through Light or theme. Yes, photography is light, but also and above all it is focus. The focus directs our gaze , tells us what is important in the image, and even in what order and in what line we should look at it. It tells us if that image is transgressive, if it meets the standards, or if that image is simply worth nothing more than to the trash because it is a big mistake. And although it seems a lie, the errors related to the approach are the most recurrent and insurmountable in terms of photographic errors .
WHAT IS THE APPROACH?
According to the RAE (Royal Spanish Academy), focusing is:"Make the image of an object produced in the focus of a lens clearly collected on a particular plane or object." Royal Spanish Academy ©Look at the following image: We say that Mario is focused , when the image he projects, passes through the lens and joins precisely on the plane of the sensor; Same as in the first image. On the contrary, we say that an image is out of focus , when the image is formed outside the plane of the sensor, either before or after, as you can see very clearly in the second image.
WHAT TYPES OF APPROACH ARE THERE?
In general, we have two types of approach, each with its particularities and its applications in specific situations. To change from one to another, you must do it through your objective, moving the M or MF (Manual) button to A or AF (Automatic) or vice versa.MANUAL FOCUS
The manual focus is one in which you must focus manually by turning the focus wheel of your target.AUTOFOCUS
It is the one in which your camera focuses automatically. The autofocus is divided into several types: AF-S, AF-C, AF-A for Nikon or One Shot, AI Servo, AI Focus for Canon. The differences between them basically lie in the movement or not of the subject or of what we are going to portray:- AF-S or One Shot: When we photograph static subjects or objects , this approach is the most suitable since it is more accurate than other automatic ones. Of course, it is also slower, so it is recommended to use it only in situations where we anticipate that what we are photographing is not going to move.
- AF-C or AI Servo: They are used to photograph moving subjects. This system will focus on what moves in front of the target and will follow up whenever we have the shutter button pressed halfway. Once we decide to take the picture, just press the shutter all the way down.
- AF-A or AI Focus: When it is anticipated that a static situation can become a moving one, the use of this mode is the best, since it is capable of moving from a static system to automatically following the moving subject.
FOCUS AREA: WHAT IS IT AND HOW IS IT USED?
The focus area is the area of ??the image in which we want to place the focus. In general, these are the options that most SLR cameras have regardless of the brand and model:SINGLE POINT
It is the most accurate, since you indicate exactly to the camera the point where you should direct your focus, limiting the focus area to a minimum, and therefore leaving no room for maneuver to the camera. This system is the most accurate, although it is not valid for all situations. It is recommended for static subjects.DYNAMIC
In this type of approach we select, as in the single point approach, a focus point. From this, the camera will select an area around it that you can expand and decrease depending on the amount of area in which you anticipate that the action can happen. This system is recommended for moving subjects or static scenes in which movement can be foreseen .AUTOMATIC
In this case, it is the camera that decides what to focus on based on certain preset parameters, such as the focus of what is closest to the target (distance), whichever is larger, or what a person looks like by tone ( contrast). It is not very precise and not always your parameters and theirs will coincide, so it has enough margin of error in situations where the center of interest is not clear or does not match the parameters of size, distance or contrast.SHOOTING PRIORITY
Even if you are a fan of the approach, there will be situations where you should give up if you want to get the picture. Just as if you are a fan of speed, you must surrender to the importance of focus on some images. This you must decide a priori through the priority of the shot:FOCUS PRIORITY
As the name already indicates, the camera understands that until the subject or object is perfectly focused , the image should not be taken. That is, until what you have indicated to be focused is not, and even if you press the shutter, it will not work.TRIGGER PRIORITY
When you have a scene where the priority is more the scene itself than the perfection of focus, you should use this option. Imagine a football match ... If you prioritized the approach you could not take almost any image. Instead, you can shoot whenever you want regardless of the "perfection" of the focus. And once we have a general idea of ??what is configurable with respect to the approach, let's see how and in what situations we can apply everything we've seen so far.MANUAL FOCUS MODE
MACRO
In macro photography the approach is extremely precise, so we will give absolute priority to the search for the perfect approach in the right place. Focus mode : Manual Focus area : Single point Shooting Priority : FocusPRODUCT: STATIC ELEMENTS IN CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT
Whenever we control the majority of variables, as usually happens in the study sessions, it is best not to risk the focus and try to control it in the most manual and exact way possible. This will reduce the margin of error of "letting our camera decide". Other examples that we could include in this category could be, for example, gastronomy, still lifes, flowers ... All that static in a "controlled" environment. Focus mode : Manual or automatic more accurate (AF-S or One Shot) Focus area : Single point Shooting Priority : FocusLANDSCAPES
They are static and sharpness and focus are essential, so it is important to choose the variables that provide us with the most accurate approach. Focus mode : Manual and if possible through "Live View" for more accurate accuracy. Focus area : Single point. Shooting priority : Focus. We choose manual because we have time to do it, and because it is the way to make sure that we focus exactly where we want to. It is easy for the camera to "get lost" in landscapes where there are few elements that stand out. We choose a single point focus area , because it is also the one that ensures us the highest precision in static objects. And finally, since the priority is focus and sharpness, we cannot let our camera take the photo if it is not perfectly clear that it is in focus.PICTURES
It will depend on whether these are static or anticipate that the subject can move, but the search for focus also prevails. Depending on whether you anticipate movement or not, you must choose between a manual or an automatic focus mode.STATIC
Focus mode : Manual or Automatic (AF-S / One Shot) Focus area : Single point Shooting Priority : FocusMOVEMENT (LIGHT)
Focus mode : Automatic AF-C / AI Servo Focus area : Single point Shooting Priority : Focus In both cases we prioritize the approach and start from the basis that the subject will not move or at least will do so little. Therefore the two options are practically the same, although one foresees a certain movement (second case) and in the first case, the portrait must be completely static-perched. Note: Remember the importance of a good focus on the eyes in portrait photography.NIGHT
Not always at night means very little light, but it is not strange. In these situations it is common for the camera not to find the focus in automatic mode, so a simple way to deal with the problem is to switch to manual focus. Focus mode : Manual Focus area : Depends on the type of photography Shooting priority : Depends on the type of photographAUTOFOCUS MODE
In general, everything that involves a movement will "force" us to use an autofocus mode, although as always, it is a matter of taste and practice, and to find out how we feel more comfortable or comfortable. However, in general, we can find this kind of moving situations.SPORTS
This situation is completely contrary to, for example, the one we can find when photographing landscapes or architecture. Here our or our subjects are constantly moving and getting a "perfect" focus is at least complicated. Focus mode : Automatic AF-C / AI Servo Focus area : Dynamic Shooting Priority : ShootingSTREET PHOTOGRAPHY
You do not usually have too much time to compose your images, rather you try to improvise to jump kills, so it is difficult to consider a manual focus mode in this case. Here we usually care more about the scene in general than a perfect focus, so a focus priority makes no sense, as it would cause us to lose most of the interesting images we could see. Focus mode : Automatic AF-C / AI Servo Focus area : Dynamic (You can enlarge it depending on the area you want to cover yourself) Shooting Priority : ShootingCONCERTS
Of course it will depend on what type of concert it is. If you are close or not with the stage, if the musicians move or do not, and so on. The most common case, however, is that you look somewhat remote and that your musicians move around the stage, so this is the scenario with which we will stay for this example. Focus mode : Auto AF-A / AI Focus: The subject may be static, but is likely to start moving at any time. Focus area : Dynamic (You can enlarge it depending on the area you want to cover yourself) Shooting Priority : Shooting