here's why the DOF shot doesn't work for porn
 

i've been pretty vocal around here about the DOF shot and how it doesn't work for porn, i figured i should state why i feel this is so true-

1st- my type of porn is solo girl photography, i don't care for the hardcore stuff, never have.

when enjoying solo girl photography, there's usually only a handful of pics out of a pic set that do it, based on position, angle, etc. imagination fills in the fantasy.

if that one shot is primarily out of focus or has an important part of the shot out of focus, the mind drifts to the fact that part is out of focus. it doesn't help with the fantasy.
moreover, the DOF shot isn't how the human eye works, when you are looking at something it is ALL in focus. if you change your focus to another subject (i.e. from punani to face, it is then in focus)

while i do appreciate the technical aspects of a DOF shot, i think it is much harder to get the entire subject in focus.



:)

why do you think that? Simply raise your aperture do remove the DOF... easy enough.

So are you saying if I hold a pen in front of my face, focus on that with your eyes, than the background will be just as in focus? Nope... The human eye works exactly like DOF shot, it just happens so fast you don't even notice it. Though it isn't as apparent as some large aperture photos the eye works very similar.

The idea of a shallow DOF is to make any distractions out of focus, but the amount of dof is up to the photographer. I think most photographers, especially in porn, don't know how to use shallow DOF correctly and simply do it because they think that is the key to the best photo. If a shallow DOF is done correctly, you shouldn't even notice it.

So instead of hating on DOF, hate on shitty photographers :2 cents:

you missed the point entirely.

we as pornographers provide a framework to our customers for whacking off. the DOF shot does NOT work like the human eye because it does not adjust focus- it's static. fantasy crash. there is simply no reason to have any of the potential focal points out of focus, if i'm whacking off to a cool shot of a chickie, and i'm looking at her punani and i want to see her face, but it's out of focus- fantasy crash

relax with the hate comments.

moreover, you'd be hard-pressed to claim dean, bm, etc. et al are shitty photogs. in fact, they are fantastic photogs.

I understand what you are getting at.

http://gridskipper.com/assets/resour...2eylau4678.jpg

http://www.shoppillrx.com/blog/uploa...480-770227.jpg

Everything in photography is not black and white... :winkwink:

ADG

photography is one thing, pornography is another.

I couldn't agree more. It's self indulgence, which doesn't have any place in porn. Reminds me of the camera man that loves to talk during the scene.. 'Damn, you're sexy'.. detracts way more than it adds.

I think you missed my point entirely.... lol

I agree with you that if there are points of interest, ie.. punani and face, they should remain in focus, while the lamp in the background should not be. If points of interest are on different focal planes than the aperture should be smaller.

I was saying there are a lot of photographers in porn that do not understand this, they just open up the lens and start shooting.

I never said anything about Dean or the other guys as Dean is extremely talented and way above the majority of porn photographers.

thx for clarifying. :thumbsup

re: the topic, i am referring to the DOF shot by design, such that only one part of the girl is in focus and the rest of her is intentionally out of focus.

its all about illusion, hardcore, softcore, sologirls

http://26.media.tumblr.com/Z6OcuYW4b...lWX2o1_500.jpg

I was thinking of some of the porn work shot using DOF by Andrew Blake, Red Ezra, and the late David Aaron Clark, among others.

Anyway, it's all subjective... :)

ADG

why wouldn't this shot be better if it were all in focus?

I think this ass looks very good. It is attractive to fuck in the asshole or pussy.

I find most DOF shots in porn tend to have a body part in focus ie breasts or pussy and whatever else is in frame is blurry ie face :2 cents:

Is that a photo or screen cap from a video?

I don't care for the use of it when I look at porn, but I appreciate how it can make something look. I just don't like to beat off with something out of focus.

I see your point. But at the same time you have to be careful when you start deciding exactly what your customer want, especially if you've been in the business for a long time.

I know that based on member emails, what my paying customers want is sometimes not what I would have guessed. It's pretty common for a girl we think is hot to get a pretty mild reaction and then have a pretty average girl get constant requests from members to return for another shoot. Same with galleries. Our best converting galleries and clips are not the ones most webmasters would choose.

I guess what I'm saying is use judgment, but always be open to what customers may want, even if it seems stupid to you.

this.

if we think more like the consumer, we'd find this to be the truth. out of focus subject matter is a boner killer.

i am a customer, long time.

:)

have any shooters ever gotten a request for out of focus subject matter?

I read all of your comments and everybody is right. To have a shallow DOF in a right way you should use a bigger zoom on your lens so your object will appear in focus and all the rest will be blurred. But in pornography photography in my opinion the "average" camera settings should be aperture=8 and shutter speed=125 and using wide/normal angle lens. In this case you`ll have nice and clear shot where everything will be in focus.

As I view it, the photographer made a conscious decision to shoot in a way which fulfilled his personal artistic vision. He is not catering to the masses. His audience will find him.

I simply appreciate the artistic skills it takes to create such a shot (composition, technical camera work, lighting, etc). The overall impact is far more profound to me, than shooting the shot completely in focus, as it hints at something on a more suggestive, and erotic (while still pornographic) level.

It's sort of like comparing the styles used in the 70's by Playboy, Penthouse, and Chic (if anyone remembers that magazine - it was my favorite). They each had their own unique signature styles of shooting, which attracted a variety of people for different reasons, with different interests, although all of them produced good quality stroke-worthy content.

Porn has become so homogenized, that I think people enjoy seeing photographers and videographers trying different techniques, which challenges the viewer, rather than dumbing down their work.

I don't believe that I have seen your photography, so I can't comment on it.

I don't know, however now that high-end DSLR cameras can shoot video as well as most prosumer cameras (which are widely used in the adult biz), I think we will start seeing more interesting photos and especially videos coming out, since the range of lenses is greatly expanding.

Again, I see things differently. Most of the more creative shooting I have done was not created at the request of someone else. However, after I posted my more creative shots, I have generally received positive feedback. I don't recall anyone ever writing to say that they particularly disliked a shot due to it having been shot out of focus, or differently in some other manner.

Anyway, I've never shot so much for others, as for myself. I was an amateur photographer long before turning pro. Somehow I've been able to make a living at it for over 10 years now, so I must be doing something right (and I say that with all humility, since there are tons of people with more technical skills and creativity than I possess - I consider myself professional only inasmuch as I make money with my adult work. Personally, I think of myself as more of an auteur).

It goes back to what I said about the audience finding the artist. If money was my only interest, or if I were working for someone else, then I guess I might possibly have to shoot how they wished (although I would hope that they would appreciate the creativity that I bring to the project), but I am in the fortunate position of working only for myself.

http://www.asiandivagirls.com/gfy/20...F/adg_9230.jpg

BTW, I shot that at the Kink in the Kastle party last month... :winkwink:

ADG

is it surprising that not one single person in this thread who looks at the topic from the view of a consumer jacking off has disagreed with me?

Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuullshit.

well, that's a intelligent contribution to the subject.

There's no debate here, it's just personal preference.

Why don't we argue the merits of Mexican beer: Pacifico is clearly the best Mexican beer, though, so what debate could we have?

sweet mother of god

True - just picked up a 7D the other day and am quite impressed with the video footage thus far.

that's exactly the point of this thread, i am attempting to communicate that a personal preference is preferred by more consumers than some shooters may realize.

shooters can take it how they wish but it appears i am not alone as the majority who have replied that can look at it from the perspective of a horny consumer with his dick in his hand agree.

adg for instance, isn't up for the input. he defended his shooting style in response and that's cool. thread wasn't meant as an attack, but more as an attempt to think from the viewer's position.

i've also inquired as to shooters getting requests for out of focus subject matter or how a DOF shot adds to the picture and haven't gotten any feedback that suggests DOF adds to the jo experience. and let's face it. we are selling porn- people jo to porn, they don't hang it on the living room wall and point to it as art.

I'm pretty sure that the consumers, er...Members of my sites, jack off (or jill off, depending on their sex) to my content.

I don't often drink beer, but when I do I prefer...

http://www.eatmedaily.com/wordpress/...6/mimitw-1.jpg

Not really. I rarely drink Mexican beer. Give me a Newcastle, a Bass, a Kirin, or a Gordon Biersch (NorCal mirobrew), any day of the week (although I am a Bacardi drinker mostly, and prefer fine wine over beer).

:drinkup

ADG

Ha - my preference goes: vino fino, rum drinks, tho I hate Bacardi - buy yourself a bottle of Ten Cane, you'll thank me - and beer last.

In fact as I post I'm killing a 2005 Caymus. Ah sweet murder.

Tonight I am drinking a very nice 2007 Napa Valley Kenwood Cabernet.

I like Ten Cane, Mount Gay, and several other authentic rums. I disdain Captain Morgan, Malibu, and the other flavored pop rums.

I hope this has settled this DOF issue once and for all. :winkwink:

The market will determine what sells and what does not. If you cater to the mass market, do what you will. If you cater to a boutique market, create the best product you can, while preserving your vision, quality, and values.

:drinkup

ADG