Shallow depth

Subject and background appear close or overlapping, with little front-to-back distance.

Visual traits

• A nearby background
• Overlapping contours
• Restricted spatial depth

Expected changes

• The background is more likely to appear close to the subject
• Distance receding into the image is more likely to be reduced

Definition

It places subject and background close together or in overlap, reducing the image's apparent front-to-back extent. It differs from shallow depth of field and from lens-produced blur.

In more detail

It can create a stage-like planar scene, a figure before a wall, or objects overlapping at close range. Subject, medium, focus, and lens remain separately selectable.

Includes

• Space in which foreground and background are close and receding extent is reduced

Excludes

• Shallow depth of field that blurs outside the focus plane
• Perspective that intensifies depth through vanishing points

What this does not imply

• Background blur
• A particular lens or focal length
• A particular subject or medium

Variability

The degree of shallowness can be adjusted through overlap and distance to the background.

Usage

• Keep subject and background close or overlapping
• Specify focus and lens separately

Distinguish similar expressions

• Use shallow depth of field when only background blur is intended

Typical uses

• Place a figure before a wall or curtain
• Show still-life objects overlapping at close range

Possible failure modes

• The background recedes far into depth
• Blur alone is used to signal shallow space