Phil Toronto

It isn’t really a secret that I essentially use my phone as a digital camera that I can answer email on or post to Path and Instagram with and not so much for SMS or phone calls. This is just a quick little tip that will help you get the most out Depth of Field when you’re posting to Instagram and Path specifically.

What is Depth of Field? Simply put, it’s the little teardrop that you see in Path and Instagram. Depth of Field helps you focus on specific objects in your pictures and adjust accordingly. My friends that are actually photographers are probably cringing right now, but that definition gets the point across well enough.

It’s not common knowledge that you’re actually able to adjust the focus area when applying Depth of Field. You aren’t limited to the focus area that Path and Instagram give you by default. You can adjust it!

You simply need to pinch or pull when applying DoF much like if you were zooming in while taking a photo. You can adjust the focus area accordingly as a result. When adjusting the horizontal DoF (the rectangle), you’re able to rotate that rectangular by rotating your fingers in a circle while you’re pinching or pulling to adjust the size of the focus area.

Both Path and Instagram allow you to control Depth of Field in the same way. By being able to fully control this feature, you can really improve the photos that you’re sharing. I’ve added in some screenshots below.

Instagram

Path