Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Shallow depth of field has long been associated with cinematic imagery. But does shooting wide open always make an image better?
After watching Yorgos Lanthimos’ Bugonia, photographed by Robbie Ryan, I found myself thinking about the role depth of field plays in storytelling. While many cinematographers advocate for stopping down to preserve environmental context, Bugonia embraces extremely shallow depth of field in many scenes.
In this video, I explore what the film can teach us about depth of field and how those lessons apply to corporate filmmaking, documentary production, and event videography.
We’ll discuss:
• The benefits of shooting wide open
• Why some cinematographers avoid shallow depth of field
• When environment becomes part of the story
• How depth of field affects audience perception
• Why aperture is more than just an exposure tool
The goal isn’t to decide whether shallow or deep depth of field is better. The goal is to learn how to use both intentionally.
📚 Learn more about camera settings:
cnomadic.com/essential
🎥 Subscribe for more cinematography tutorials, filmmaking techniques, and visual storytelling insights.
#cinematography #DepthOfField #filmmaking
Shallow depth of field has long been associated with cinematic imagery. But does shooting wide open always make an image better?
After watching Yorgos Lanthimos’ Bugonia, photographed by Robbie Ryan, I found myself thinking about the role depth of field plays in storytelling. While many cinematographers advocate for stopping down to preserve environmental context, Bugonia embraces extremely shallow depth of field in many scenes.
In this video, I explore what the film can teach us about depth of field and how those lessons apply to corporate filmmaking, documentary production, and event videography.
We’ll discuss:
• The benefits of shooting wide open
• Why some cinematographers avoid shallow depth of field
• When environment becomes part of the story
• How depth of field affects audience perception
• Why aperture is more than just an exposure tool
The goal isn’t to decide whether shallow or deep depth of field is better. The goal is to learn how to use both intentionally.
📚 Learn more about camera settings:
cnomadic.com/essential
🎥 Subscribe for more cinematography tutorials, filmmaking techniques, and visual storytelling insights.
#cinematography #DepthOfField #filmmaking
