Depth of Field in Cinematography

 1) Stills from existing media that use depth of field meaningfully

a. Still image from The Godfather, 1972 showing how deep is used to convey conflict or development.

In this still from The Godfather, depth is used to show conflict. The desk contrasts with the spacious room surrounding the main character, leading to visual conflict.  There's also a contrast between gloomy inside illumination and dazzling outside lighting, representing internal conflict.  

b. Still from The Joker, 2019 showing how shallow is used to convey character or development.

In this still from The Joker, narrow focus is used to highlight the Joker on the glass while also hiding his face. It highlights his solitude and distance from the outside world, representing his inner conflict and disconnection from society. The blurring barrier shows his struggle and anticipates his transformation into the Joker.

c. Still image from The Notebook, 2004 showing how soft is used to convey character or development.

The soft technique emphasis on the boat in this still from The Notebook, along with the calmed colors, has a beautiful element that suggests nostalgia and remembrance. The peaceful river and sunset atmosphere provide an enjoyable break from the protagonists' stormy love tale. This softness highlights their emotional link and silence, as well as the approaching changes in their relationship.

2) Stills I created using depth of field to demonstrate meaning

a. A still showing how deep is used to convey conflict, character, or development.

In this still, I portrayed a story through the use of a wall and an individual with some straightforward messages about how the individual is studying psychology with various objects that tell it such as the psychology book and the computer with an open window regarding psychology universities.

b. A still showing how shallow is used to convey conflict, character, or development.

In this still, I tried portraying the emotion of the individual by highlighting their eyes which should be able to describe the lack of interest in the blurred mess behind them, hinting to the viewer they were the ones causing it. 

c. A still showing how soft is used to convey character or development.

In this still, I tried to convey a soft focus, creating a dreamy, innocent atmosphere. The photo of a child playing with toys clearly conveyed this feeling.

Reflection: 

The main challenge I faced was achieving the desired depth in my still. I aimed to create a still that created the sense of telling the story without the necessity of words. I decided on three main things for the still: the background, the computer, and the book ensuring each part drew attention as equally as the others and contributed to a well-rounded view and potential storyline. Initially, I struggled with the distance, worrying it was too close to effectively apply the concept. When capturing photos directly in front of the individual and their surroundings, the details and meaning were diminished. To address this, I placed the camera so that the corner points of the frame were wide enough to show everything. This adjustment naturally added dimension to my photo, making the depth appear ‘deeper’ and allowing for more detailed expansion within the image. For shallow the still was quite hard to come up with but I believe the eye and background played their part correctly as they were able to show how the individual was uninterested regarding the mess behind them. It also may have done its job in telling the viewer the individual was the one behind the mess. On the other still, I successfully applied techniques to achieve the desired effect. For instance, to create a soft focus shot, I experimented with various methods, including adding different types of toys. Initially, the toys would seem too messy, causing a burden or uncomfortable effect on the viewer. But then I was able to get them in an organized way so they would seem just fine to the viewer.