New render

[archonforest]

I swear to God I wanted to do a sci-fi scene but something went wrong...

So here we have another forest scene...since I love forests hehehe...

C and C are welcome as usual. Have a great weekend my friends! 

ps: who can spot the bird?

[Dune]

Nice use of DOF, and the bird is not really hard to spot, is it? I would put the deer more to the background and more on a sideview, and lighten up the trees to start with.

[luvsmuzik]

Pretty! Maybe that is one of the eight new planets!

[archonforest]

Tku luvsmuzik

Dune that was my first idea also with the deer but the picture seemed empty. But I will do a version following your idea.

[archonforest]

Here is a lighter version with the deer at the back.

[Dune]

I think you need more sharpness overal, and also focused on the deer, and perhaps if you put the sun elsewhere you can get a completely different image.

[archonforest]

I think you need more sharpness overal, and also focused on the deer, and perhaps if you put the sun elsewhere you can get a completely different image.

That was the reason I put the deer closer before just to be in the sharp zone. Now if focus on the deer now then pretty much all the foreground will be blurry and I do not think that will be nice. Best would be if I can say how big is the sharp zone hehe... Perhaps I have to loosen up the blur... will try something.

[bobbystahr]

That is a conundrum re: DoF, how to keep in focus what you want. Alternatively you could post work it in a paint program to Ulco's specs or try moving the sun around a bit first. Keep on Tweakin

[Dune]

I wouldn't know how to get a middle section sharp, rest blurred in post, as the depth pass is from front (white) to back (black). You'd have to work that range in post too (blacken the whitest, leave the middle greys lightest).

[Ethrieltd]

I wouldn't know how to get a middle section sharp, rest blurred in post, as the depth pass is from front (white) to back (black). You'd have to work that range in post too (blacken the whitest, leave the middle greys lightest).

Would it be possible to (although somewhat time consuming) use use a focus stacking technique to selectively focus certain areas of the final pic?

https://www.craftsy.com/blog/2015/12/focus-stacking/

[Oshyan]

The depth map is just designed to provide information on the full depth of the scene - front to back - for any application that can use this information. It can be used in a simplistic way as just a mask for a blur effect, but more sophisticated DoF algorithms can use it to create specific ranges of focus since the entire depth is known. In other words if you want to simulate a lens and focal point that puts a 3 meter area of the scene into focus, and the foreground and background both out of focus, the depth map gives you the information to do that. All you need is an application that can take advantage of it. Photoshop's Lens Blur filter can do this.

- Oshyan

[Dune]

I haven't figured out how PS lens blur can do that sharp middle section. The only way I've worked on changing the actual depth of focus is by changing the gamma of the depth pass (copied into the alpha layer), which means some going back and forth (try lens blur, no good, undo, change alpha layer, redo, etc). If anyone can explain how a sharp middle section can easily! be done, I'd appreciate it.
And sorry for temporarily hijacking your thread, Archonforest.

[archonforest]

No problem Dune. Interesting subject and data.

Otherwise here is the last version of this forest shot. I managed to get a bit more sharpness in the middle part.

[Ethrieltd]

I haven't figured out how PS lens blur can do that sharp middle section. The only way I've worked on changing the actual depth of focus is by changing the gamma of the depth pass (copied into the alpha layer), which means some going back and forth (try lens blur, no good, undo, change alpha layer, redo, etc). If anyone can explain how a sharp middle section can easily! be done, I'd appreciate it.
And sorry for temporarily hijacking your thread, Archonforest.

You can use quickmasking and the Lens Blur filter to achieve this effect like this

http://wegraphics.net/blog/tutorials/photoshop-quick-tip-creating-depth-of-field-using-the-lens-blur-filter/

Your mileage, obviously, may vary.

[Dune]

Thanks Ethrieltd, that's a nice way to do it. But I was hoping to use the (more exact) depth pass for some middle section of blur.

@Archonforest: that's way better! Now add some tiny bump to the deer! Or a proper bumpmap. He's a bit smooth.