lenses, is less for wider apertures and is less for shorter lens-to-subject distances. A peculiarity of the term  depth of field  is that it is usually used to define a condition of maximum depth of field; and when the depth of field is shallow or purposely restrictive,  the  term  selective  focus  is  used.  Selective focus  is  merely  “selecting”  a  depth  of  field  that  will satisfy   a   requirement   to   have   the   foreground, background,  or  both,  not  in  sharp  focus.  The  use  of selective focus to make the main subject standout in the picture by being “sharp” while the rest of the image area is  blurred  is  a  good  technique  for  gaining  subject emphasis. The importance of proper focus and shutter speed cannot   be   overemphasized.   Incorrect   focus,   subject movement,  camera  movement,  improper  use  of  depth  of field, and so forth, can result in a blurred image on the photographic negative that cannot be connected in any way. Film latitude can take care of minor errors in the exposure,  but  there  is  no  latitude  for  focus  and  stop action. An image is either in focus or out of focus; action is either stopped or blurred. DIRECTING  PHOTOGRAPHIC SUBJECTS LEARNING  OBJECTIVE:  Detail  the  methods used   in   coordinating   individual   and   group photographs. One  of  the  most  difficult  tasks  of  photographing people is directing them. Since you are the only person who can see what the picture will look like before it is taken, you must take responsibility for “the.pose.” INDIVIDUAL  PICTURES As  a  Navy  journalist  you  will  take  pictures  of individuals  for  a  multitude  of  projects,  such  as  news releases, familygrams and cruisebooks. Therefore, you should  be  familiar  with  the  methods  used  to  direct photographic subjects. One way to make directing and posing easier is to give your subject an object to handle. Do not tell him to “just stand there,” as though in a vacuum, with nothing to do. Men and women can hold a book binoculars or a tool used in their work. Children will do fine with a doll or model airplane. Another strategy is to give your subject something to lean or sit on. Use a chair, stool, post or tree. If  you  use  props  in  your  individual  photographs, make sure you do your homework. For instance, do not photograph a gunner’s mate holding a 3-inch shell in front of a 5-inch gun mount. Eyes  are  very  important  when  photographing people. When the subject’s eyes look straight into the camera, a strong and immediate impact is created that attracts the viewer’s interest. When the eyes are directed away from the camera, the effect is less explicit and has more of an ambiguous quality. Decide on the approach that is best for your photograph and direct your subject appropriately. Finally, you must be in charge of the situation. It is up to you to tell the subject what to do, how to do it and when to do it. This applies to a vice admiral as well as a  seaman. Many  people  are  nervous  and  self-conscious  in front  of  a  camera.  They  try  to  look  their  best,  and  in doing so often present a stilted expression or pose. It is your job to give directions regarding their pose. It is also your responsibility to make sure that coat sleeves are pulled down and wrinkles are smoothed out. Make sure the subject’s hat is set at the proper angle. If you ignore these  potential  problem  areas,  your  photograph  will ultimately  suffer. GROUP PICTURES Occasionally  you  will  receive  an  assignment  to photograph a group of people. There is added difficulty when working with a number of people atone time. You should   consider   each   person   individually,   but   you should also consider each individual as he relates to the entire  group.  Every  precaution  should  be  taken  to  make sure each person is shown clearly, and interest is not drawn   to   one   person   by   some   awkward   pose   or expression. There  are  two  general  types  of  group  pictures  — formal and informal. Both are covered in the following text. Formal A  formal  group  is  one  in  which  several  people, uniformly   dressed   for   the   occasion,   are   seated   or standing in as nearly the same pose as possible. Each member  is  placed  in  approximate  y  the  same  relative position so that attention is not drawn to one person (fig. 11-23). A  formal  group  of  about  five  people  can  be composed to fill the picture area very nicely. When six to 10 people are being photographed in a group, arrange them in two rows. For larger formal groups, arrange the people in as many rows as necessary to fill the frame 11-26