Photography tips

Using depth of field creatively

View of the Chapel Bridge and Water Tower in Lucerne with Mount Pilatus in the background under a cloudy evening sky.

Key tips

  1. Use a small aperture to achieve maximum depth of field from the foreground to the horizon.
  2. Pay attention to the depth of field when using an aperture of f/22 to ensure both the foreground and the distant subject remain clearly visible.
  3. Use a small aperture like f/22 to achieve maximum depth of field throughout the image.

Photographs on this topic

94 photographs with tips

The exact camera settings for each shot are shown below it - a starting point for recreating the look yourself. Click through to a photograph for detailed photography tips on that specific shot, under "Photography tips for this image".

All subjects City Architecture Mountains Landscape Lucerne Pilatus Lake Lucerne Central Switzerland
Chapel Bridge and Water Tower in Lucerne with reflection in the lake at dusk 45 mm · f/20 · 1/30 s · ISO 200 View through a shaded passage towards the Lucerne Water Tower 28 mm · f/14 · 1/2 s · ISO 200 View through an ornamental metal gate onto the Wasserturm and Kapellbrücke in Lucerne at dusk. 12 mm · f/22 · 1/10 s · ISO 125 View of the Lucerne water tower through a metal ornament 19 mm · f/22 · 1/13 s · ISO 160 Stone Nölliturm in Lucerne viewed from a low angle 12 mm · f/22 · 1/13 s · ISO 160 View through the wooden Chapel Bridge in Lucerne in the morning sunlight 12 mm · f/16 · 1/15 s · ISO 500 Historic buildings and church tower top in the old town of Lucerne in clear daylight. 45 mm · f/22 · 1/80 s · ISO 160 Water tower of the Chapel Bridge in Lucerne in the soft light of the evening sun 12 mm · f/22 · 1/60 s · ISO 1000 Close-up of the stone lion paw at the Lion Monument in Lucerne with side lighting 150 mm · f/10 · 1/320 s · ISO 200 Close-up of the stone lion figure of the Lion Monument in Lucerne 150 mm · f/10 · 1/500 s · ISO 200 Close-up of the stone lion's head from the Lion Monument in Lucerne 150 mm · f/10 · 1/500 s · ISO 200 White cherry blossoms in the foreground with the stone Musegg Tower in Lucerne in the background 62 mm · f/22 · 1/125 s · ISO 500 Château Gütsch sits on a wooded hill above Lucerne, with blooming cherry branches in the foreground. 62 mm · f/16 · 1/125 s · ISO 200 Château Gütsch hotel on a hill above Lucerne surrounded by blooming trees 82 mm · f/16 · 1/160 s · ISO 200 Hotel Château Gütsch in Lucerne surrounded by flowering trees 82 mm · f/16 · 1/160 s · ISO 200 The Männliturm tower of the Lucerne Musegg wall framed by blossoming branches 40 mm · f/16 · 1/125 s · ISO 200 Close-up of pink magnolia blossoms in front of the historic Musegg Tower in Lucerne 12 mm · f/14 · 1/100 s · ISO 200 Facade of Villa Schweizerhof with garden and terrace in Lucerne 12 mm · f/18 · 1/100 s · ISO 200 View from a flowery meadow at the facade of the Villa Schweizerhof in Lucerne. 12 mm · f/18 · 1/100 s · ISO 200 White Villa Schweizerhof in Lucerne in front of a meadow with daisies in the foreground 12 mm · f/18 · 1/160 s · ISO 200 The white facade of Villa Schweizerhof in Lucerne with daisies in the foreground. 12 mm · f/18 · 1/125 s · ISO 200 View of the hotel facade of the Schweizerhof in Lucerne with a street in the foreground 13 mm · f/11 · 1.6 s · ISO 200 Wooden structure of the Chapel Bridge in the foreground with Mount Pilatus in the background in Lucerne 45 mm · f/22 · 1/160 s · ISO 500 Water Tower and Chapel Bridge on Lake Lucerne at sunset with an iron mooring ring in the foreground. 12 mm · f/22 · 1/250 s · ISO 500

Related topics

  • City
  • Architecture
  • Mountains
  • Landscape
  • Composition
  • Camera settings
  • Light
  • Perspective
  • Lucerne
  • Pilatus
  • Lake Lucerne
  • Central Switzerland
  • Evening light
  • Sunset
  • Fog
  • Snow
  • Rain
  • Night
  • Blue hour
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