with Courtney Slazinik
Menu
Don’t Focus on the Obvious!
Lifestyle

Let’s do something crazy this week…don’t focus on the obvious. I think we naturally focus on the face if we are taking a picture of someone. Why not keep their face in the photo but focus on something else? The key to achieving one of these photos is changing your focal point. You will need to be shooting in manual mode in order to pick what you want the camera to focus on.

Personally, I think not always focusing on the face can tell a better story. Check out some of the photos.

**Warning: Grandparents don’t always like these types of photos** When I first started to focus on something other than their faces my dad asked me if I knew her face was out of focus :O)

The next two were taken by my friend, Trisha @ Story of the Day

When we went to Tokyo last year we visited one of the largest Budda statues. I took the typical “tourist” photos of the statue but decided I wanted to do a little something different to capture that day. I took the below photo by focusing on a tree but kept the statue in the background. This is the picture I have displayed in house to help remember that day.

Another interesting way of taking an obvious photo in a different way. I have seen so many cool iPhone photos and have been wanting to try one myself. I’m sure you will see more to come but I thought this was a fun way to show off this parade at Tokyo Disney.

19 Comments
  • April 19, 2011 at 8:38 AM

    I absolutely love this perspective of photography…especially with children. It gives you more of an insight into what their little minds see when they play. But I agree….grandparents tend to not like these photos. :)

  • April 19, 2011 at 8:38 AM

    When I do this it often looks like it was an accident. Will keep working on it :-)

  • April 19, 2011 at 9:14 AM

    I love these! What awesome shots!!

  • April 19, 2011 at 9:15 AM

    Love the grandparent comment. My parents do the same thing. My mom asked me to stop putting numbers on the photos (she right clicks and prints at Snapfish, lol). I LOVE the Buddha shot.

    And no, I did not make the cupcakes. They were really cute though!

  • April 19, 2011 at 10:43 AM

    You make it look so smooth and easy. Love it!

  • April 19, 2011 at 10:57 AM

    Great post! And photos! I have been playing around lately with focusing of something other than my kids’s faces. Here’s an example: http://venselfamilyproject365.blogspot.com/2011/04/2011-04-01.html – My son lost his first tooth, so I focused on the tooth instead of his face. Fun!

    • April 19, 2011 at 2:23 PM

      I can’t believe that you got that incredible blur with f/5.6!! What a great shot!

  • April 19, 2011 at 11:17 AM

    I always love these reminders because I think these photos are the most interesting. You’re right though…family doesn’t always understand why a face isn’t in focus or why it isn’t centered. :)

  • April 19, 2011 at 11:51 AM

    I love the feet!

  • April 19, 2011 at 11:59 AM

    Those are some of my favorite shots to take…in fact I have one in my post for tomorrow. My husband always says the same thing as your Dad:)

    Tiffany

  • April 19, 2011 at 2:27 PM

    I love the feet too, I love BABY feet, my next door neighbor has a baby. :) I might ask if I can do a photo shoot with her as the subject. I also love the Buddah picture, that would be a great foto memory for the wall! & yes you had asked at one point if I was a milspouse in Germany :) HALLO! Took me a moment to realize I never said that I was. I’m in Bayern Germany – love it here. SO much to “foto”graph. ;) Just got my f/1.8 lens yesterday!! And a 4 day weekend in front of us.

    • April 20, 2011 at 4:58 PM

      Enjoy Bayern…one of my top 3 favorite places on earth, probably!

      • April 20, 2011 at 8:21 PM

        I know … each year I find more things I love here! Embracing the joy of being able to live here, and the photo ops are incredible! What were your other two?

  • April 19, 2011 at 8:24 PM

    I haven’t done this in a while. I used to do it a lot when B was immobile. Thanks for the reminder.

    It is fun to capture your children’s favorite toys during their current season of life (in this way). Then, you never forget!

  • April 19, 2011 at 9:22 PM

    lol – so so true – how many times I show people a photo I am so proud of and they go but that part is out of focus??? duh???? Thanks for sharing this with us – sometimes I think I look for the un-obvious to much!

  • Trisha
    April 20, 2011 at 9:30 AM

    Thanks so much for putting my pics up. I feel very… um, accepted? Validated? Anyway, thanks. I really like the one w your iphone too.

  • April 21, 2011 at 10:03 AM

    I love the grandparent comment! My Dad is always annoyed with the “out of focus” issue, as well as the “not centered” issue!

  • Fantastic post! I think focusing on the Not Obvious is what makes a picture beautiful.

  • July 17, 2011 at 10:57 AM

    Beautfiul photos. My fave are any of my out of focus photos of my kiddo-s. I love this blog. Going to put you in my blog links, now. :)
    Thanks for tips!!!

Leave a Comment