I am starting to hear a backlash against shallow depth of field. Some photographers saying it is right up there with the plague and should be abolished. Shallow focus is one of many available techniques and to demonize it doesn't contribute to photography but rather limits it. I am not sure of the intentions of those that profess a "my way is better" especially when it involves art. There are other ways to control backgrounds, wide angle lenses diminish the size of background elements while telephotos reduce the number of elements and increase their size, both are creative means to alter what is often ignored in the process of photography, i.e. backgrounds and is one of the most important elements that can ruin a photograph or make a photograph great. Personally, I find shallow focus rather beautiful, it's execution not always easy and the reuslts not always predictable. With a good lens and cooperative subject there can be a lot of originality by shooting contrary to what one thinks might be photographically pleasing such as the focus point being on the edge of the photograph rather than in the middle third or ever so slightly darkened to make the viewer strain to see whats there. Photography is creative when we break the rules, when we adhere to the rules, when we expose correctly, when we expose incorrectly, when we...... what makes it so much fun is the artistic beauty that can be made with our photographs when we have all the tools available and we execute them well.

Hi Daryl, thank you very much for visiting and your very insightful comment. I agree with you whole-heartedly. I still love the shallow DOF photos, but I think the article at TOP made me recognize that I'm often forgetting about the other aperture range. I now think that by "DOF control" it means I should use it at all ranges to really achieve the look I'm going for, instead of just blindly leaving it at the widest setting. I hope you do come back and freely give any advice as I'm a constant learner :)

Hi David,
I didn't intend to be so opinionated as the first post reads. And I am not so sure my advise would benefit you greatly as I think you have an excellent eye. The picture at the LA Museum of the lamp posts is superb. I recently drove past the museum, my thought was to return in order to photograph the posts but I could not think of any creative angle, lighting etc. So, I am learning from you, and if there is any advice I could give it is to study photographs that catch your eye, evaluate the qualities that draw you to them, and shoot shoot shoot. We are lucky that digital gives us the freedom to shoot, recompose, change settings, evaluate on the spot to see what works and what doesn't. Maybe someday we'll run into each other shooting our M9's.