My SHARP FOCUS CAMERA Technique - Back Button Focus & Hyperfocal | Landscape Photography Journals E6 

Most simple easy-to-understand way I have ever heard to calculate the hyperfocal distance while on a shoot!

So many vids on DOF and this one is the only one that i actually got. VERY detailed yes simply put. THANK YOU

Dave Morrow is a compelling teacher: I've watched this video while copiously writing notes; go out on the field and practice; if in doubt or something is not correct, watched it again, and again; Dave's processes of focus and image review have become my own now. Have I ever learned so much and soon many level in one video! Thank you, Dave

This is one of the best teaching videos on hyperfocus and composition workflow I have seen. You are a very good teacher. It helps that you repeat all elements of your workflow often. Thanks for sharing the great video, Dave.

Dave, I am an avid amateur photographer and watch a lot of RU-vid video tutorials trying to further my skills and techniques. I literally stumbled across you when searching for a comprehensive aperture chart and followed your link. I have to tell you that you are an excellent teacher and present all the information in a concise, logical and friendly manner. Excellent work - well done and I am so pleased to have found you.

I came here for focusing with help of hyperfocal distance, instead I got a complete tutorial with answers about how to use focal points, back button focus and ETTR. I'm happy, just need to remember when practicing. Thank you!

I like your style. You acknowledge that your video content is technical and may be challenging for newbies to grasp at first, which supports the reason why you go through your process several times. Repetition is an effective teaching technique that many video tutorials lack. Well done.

Thanks Dave, been an novice sort of new photographer i have been watching many videos from professional photographers to try and learn about back button focus and what what you can do but generally they just show you or tell you how to change to back button focus but that is all i have been able to find out. After watching a couple of your vids today, especially this one you have answered everything i wanted to know. Now i have a new enthusiasm about photography. Thanks again Dave, looking forward to watching more of your videoes

Great tutorial. It really helped when you went over the whole process again. Very thorough. Thanks for taking the time to provide great information and insight.

I have to say that this video tutorial on how to focus is the most practical one I have seen so far, down to the point, easy to understand and logical, 2 thumbs up ! . I am just starting and that helps a lot, for a novice I tend to believe that instead of guessing the distance of the bottom of the scene and pinpoint an hypothetical hyperfocal point, the rule of 1/3 for the focus point seems to give pretty good results when used with the right F stop.

Hi Dave, I've been shooting for over twenty-five years and students always me how to describe focusing, particularly back button focus and hyperfocal distance. From now on I just as them to log on to your video. Expertly described young man!

Hello Dave, I discovered your channel by chance and in the last 24 hours have watched several of your great videos. Although I have BBF set up on my D7000, I never fully understood how it actually works and why it is such a great feature and technique until I watched this video. So, a big "thank you" for sharing your knowledge with us! I will continue to follow your adventures and teachings. Cheers from Australia! - Margarita

Tell 'em what you're going to tell 'em. Tell 'em. Tell 'em what you told 'em. You are a classic educator. My compliments.

Probably the best two lessons on practical Landscape photography I have seen. THANK YOU

The best compliment I can give you is that I learned some new techniques watching this video. Your presentation is smooth and concise. Well done.

A truly great video Dave. You've got a talent for describing things very clearly. As a D850 newbie, I bought a book recently from a reputed author of the subject and I felt like it was trying to do brain surgery on myself. No intent or desire to break it down into small, simple steps. Which is what you've done exactly. Superb

This is the best overview of Back Button Focusing I have come across (with a reason). Earlier this year, I drove 2.5 hours up to the West Fork of Oak Creek Canyon, north of Sedona, setup to shoot the Milky Way in the meadow, and lost focus (I cheat and prefocus in the afternoon). Could not get focus back for the life of me - so bagged it for the night. 5 hours of lost driving. Setting up my camera body right now.

Hi Dave, Your explanation and video is absolutely first class. I am new to photography and was daunted by my D500 - no more!! Everything so logical and sequential perfectly fits my mind set. Great big thank you from the UK.

The instructions and tuition are 1st class Dave..Huge high 5 from across the pond...Exceptional!!!

Simply the best explanation on DOF and Hyperfocal. Thanks

I can't stress how important this explanation of BBAF is. Back button AF isnot just for wildlife or sports. Works great in a landscape scenario. Thanks !

This is the BEST explanation of the shooting process. I'm a Nikon shooter and this method works EVERY TIME. Thanks!

Wow, your site is handsdown the best for learning landscape photo techniques. Kudos Dave. I plan to go through most alll of your videos. What a GREAT life you have chosen. What an inspiration for us all.

You have a special way of explaining things and all makes sense. Subscribed.

I use live view for focusing but never knew you could press middle button to zoom 100 percent. You’ve saved me a lot of time my friend! Thanks!

I finally understand hype-focal distance! Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Excellent video and a great way of explaining hyperfocal distance too. Very much appreciated.

Thank you for the detailed walkthrough. Best, by far, explanation and reasoning for back button focusing and 'expose to the right' that I have seen in thousands of 'tutorial' videos.

I just found your channel. I have not been able to find a detailed tutorial on how to use Back button focusing until your video. Thanks for the clear and concise tutorial.

One of the best photography tutorials I’ve ever watched, subbed 👍🏻

Mr. Morrow, your explanation is beyond good, it's outstanding, it's better than a book, I have same camera and use back button auto focus as well, but I learned somethings from you that I wasn't doing, thanks and because of this I had no choice, but to join your excellent channel. I love your philosophy of less editing your videos and more shooting. Keep up the good work.

Great job. Your the only guy on RU-vid that explained hyper focal distance which I understood it helped having the camera on Location. Hope you make more videos because I will subscribe

Hyper focal Distance beautifully explained. Thanks a ton.

Man, so many confusing videos on RU-vid about doing focus for landscape. Your video and another one are the best. Plus you’re methodical and following a set sequence of actions that result in a lean well defined process. One word: THANK YOU MAN!

Ok, when I first started listening/watching about the hyperfocal distance, my right started to twitch coupled with a "Say Wuuuuut", but easily got it after a quick "Aha Moment" and a rewind (Do-Over in golf). Great tutorial, thanks for posting and will continue to follow.

I've watched this and practiced this and it works out great. I'm sure I'll watch it again and practice it again until it becomes natural. Thanks Dave!

Hi Dave. I never really understood Hyperfocal lengths before, but you have clearly explained the subject and I feel a lot more confident with them now. Thanks!!👍👍👍👍

That is the best tutorial I have ever watched. I knew about hyperfocal distance but to be perfectly honest I have never found anything or anyone explain it that well before. Thank you, thank you. I will continue to watch your videos, you explain things so well and with such patience.

This is definitely the best tutorial in landscape photography. Thanks.

One of the best video's out today, on capturing a dead on focus! I really enjoyed your hyper-focal explanation, and will pull out the D750 and give it a try tomorrow! Would love to be a fly on your shoulder, on the wonderful places you've visited, albeit I know much is not easy of course, but worthy definitely! I consider myself a landscape photographer foremost, but recently picked up a gimbal for my tripod, as I'm quite enjoying capturing 'birds' of all kinds, using the Tamron 150-600mm G2. I'm just a retired 'enthusiast' but truly love just getting out and shooting/composing in my local area. The plan is to travel more (within Canada/USA) and capture upon my adventures. Thanks so much, for taking the time to share such a great explanation and sharing it with us all. I'll be soon watching your Photoshop methods as well Dave, albeit I just have Photoshop Elements. I tend to use Aurora HDR & Luminar 2019 for editing for the most part, as I'm all thumbs with Lightroom 6 & Photoshop!

I listened to you on a podcast today and came directly to your videos. Thank you for doing this in such an easy to understand manner. I'm in the pnw as my homebase, but travel as you do. I was on the road for nine months in 2019 taking photos and exploring.

I really like how you repeat the steps over and over. Fantastic teaching skills Dave :D

i agree with the comment 'repetition is what other tutorials lack' with your way of teaching i now understand how to get hyperfocal distance. excellent tutorials.

I don't usually comment on videos, but damn brother, this is the finest tutorial on these subjects I've seen. As a rookie not only did I understand the subject matter because you explained it so clearly, but I also have a blueprint that I can easily remember and take out into the field to practice. Thanks for putting in some solid work.

Another excellent tutorial. I particularly like your clear descriptions and explanations and how you repeat them.The repetition saves having to continually go back and review if you don't initially understand it at first - I find this a great plus point of your tutorials. In addition, the pace at which you explain everything is spot on - not too fast or slow. I also think the length of your video tutorials are perfectly fine. Keep up the good work and look forward to your next episode.

Best video have seen on this subject so far. Thanks.

Bravo Dave !! I never thought hyperfocal explanations could ever be made so clear !! Also, I appreciate your taking the time, even if it means "repeating" to go through your workflow process. Looking forward to your next video. Merci from Paris, France ;-)

I used to use hyperfocal distance with my 35mm film camera, many moons ago. Since going digital this is the first time that I have seen a way to replicate that. Thanks Dave good video.

Thank you for this in depth explanation as it has cleared up hyperfocal confusion for me. I too have watched other videos on this subject but your explanation is the best and your pace of explanation was spot on in my opinion. I to use the same camera and I didn’t realise that I could pull up the histogram prior to taking the image in live view.

So that's what that button does (back autofocus). Thank you. The video is very informative and the explanation easy to follow and understand. I learned so much in this short video. Now, I'll go and play with my camera.

Really enjoy your thoroughness in explaining everything.

Probably the best explanation of shooting technique I have ever seen (and I've watched a few). Well done Dave and thank you. Grab a hot drink. It looks freezing there!

Dave, you're an awesome instructor and photographer. Thank you so much for what you do.

Hi from France. I already knew about the back button focus but your hyperfocal tip just made my day. Thanks a lot !

Hey Buddy....This is by far ONE OF THE BEST Video's OF ALL TIME explaining a Nikon DSLR Capabilities. As a PRO that started shooting in the late 70's with film and then transferring recently to Digital. You basically took the ZONE SYSTEM/Ansel Adams and explained how to use it for the NIKON digitally. And take care of the rest in POST....that we used to do in processing of the film then printing...The bells just went off in my HEAD...OUTSTANDING and keep up the GREAT WORK! ty ty ty ty On focusing...I have made f-stop guides by lens. Essentially measure or estimate your desired focal/focus area and then use the chart on the lens for depth of field and set your F-stop accordingly. Same end result. Still Great Job you do explaining.

Great video Dave, very well explained and easy to understand. Many thanks.

Great video. As an Electrical Engineer I can appreciate your logical and analytical approach to your tutoring. Love your work

What a fabulous video! An instructor that knows how to teach. Thank you

As an amateur wildlife photographer am enjoying this,thanks Dave.

I've learned a lot from this video. Outstanding from beginning to end, and am glad you repeat the steps several times while I follow along with my camera. Sure helps to reinforce the information in my memory. I already had my camera set up for BBF, but the hyperlocal length is new to me - have heard of it but didn't really understand it. Thank you!!!

Dave, I have learned so much from your videos in the short amount of time I have watched them. Everything is explained in terms that are very easy to understand and to follow along with. Thank you

Dave, I want to thank you for providing your tutorials during the month of April. I have learned much on Photoshop and your workflow process. I will enroll in your course later this year; right now things are a little up in the air. Thanks again.

Dave, Good stuff ... very clear & straightforward. What happened to you control panel, looks like someone took a chisel to it. I use an 810 for landscapes and love it. I’m a Chemical Engineer by day and recreational photographer. I admire your decision to follow your dreams and quit the engineering to do what you love. Best of luck to you.

Your videos have really inspired me to get back out to the mountains and shoot more! Thank you!

So many comments already say what I was thinking. Great video, so well explained and presented. Thank you for helping me with these techniques.

Dave, thanks for your awesome tutorials. I really like your way of teaching! I'm trying to understand the hyperfocal distance, but I read different things about the aperture. Some people say it does affect your hyperfocal distance, and some people say it doesn't... I found these explanations online: "In one interpretation, the hyperfocal distance of your lens will vary with aperture. Why? Think about it like this - if your aperture is wide, such as f/2, you will need to focus quite far away for objects at infinity to appear in focus. However, at a small aperture of f/11 or f/16, distant objects will continue to be sharp even if your lens is focused more closely. So, in this case, hyperfocal distance moves closer to your lens as you use smaller apertures. By another interpretation, though, hyperfocal distance does not vary with aperture. Why not? In this interpretation, hyperfocal distance is the focusing distance that provides equal sharpness between the foreground and background. That isn’t something that changes as you alter your aperture (even as both the foreground and background become more and more out of focus at wide apertures). The reason for these different interpretations is the key phrase “acceptably sharp” in the definition of hyperfocal distance. For some people, acceptably sharp is an exact value, while for other people “acceptably sharp” means that the background is equal in sharpness to the foreground. Neither interpretation is wrong, and the definition of hyperfocal distance allows us to use either. However, the second interpretation has the benefit of offering the sharpest overall photo from front to back, since it doesn’t prioritize background sharpness over foreground sharpness." What are your thoughts about it? My will to be able to understand everything I'm using is driving me crazy in this case haha. Keep up the good work!

I always heard about exposing to the right and until you demonstrated in this video I never completely understood what anyone was talking about. Thanks

Info-packed video and excellent teaching methods. Well done!

This technique has become my basic workflow setup while shooting. I watch the video occasionally just as a refresher.

After watching this vid, I programmed my Nikon 7200 to back button focus-wow-awesome advice! Thanks!!

This is one of the most helpful videos that I’ve watched. Thank you.

Loved the re-iteration on several points along with the Hyperfocal lesson. Need to watch this plus your last few several times so have book marked them and in addition I post things that interest me to a facebook group I belong to (Based on past members of the Elements Village web site) Several of the 152 members of this group have reported interest in your videos and promise to view them (as time permits). I will continue to spread your gospel in this way if that is okay by you. Ron

Hi Dave... This is about the best in field demo I have ever seen on the ever so important subject of back button focusing, HFD,utilizing the histogram for shooting to the right, composition, etc.I happen to use Canon crop cameras, [ 7D/T3i ] everything you have carefully demonstrated here still applies...What works for me personally is the 1/3 up method of focusing, recompose & shoot...The only other thing I do slightly different shooting landscapes is I utilize " mirror lock-up " about 90% of the time & my Canon remote switch rather than the camera's timer. I generally shoot all manual, however you have clearly shown the advantages of utilizing " aperture priority " too...Thank you so much for putting this out there...Bill Farr @ WGF Studio53... :-)

Hello Dave! Thanks for such a great explanation of the hyperfocal distance and the focus processing. Your technique of teaching by repetition of the most important ideas you want your public to understand could not be better. Kudos!

Hi, First time i have watched a video of yours and well, brilliant is all I can say. I now understand Hyperfocal distance. Great how you put it across. Keep up the excellent videos. Colin

I agree,,.very well thought out. Ian still trying to get my head around hyper-focal distance as landscape Photography a possibility as I am now disabled in a wheelchair with dodgy hands. Using back button focusing how you explained it makes perfect sense. I hope to hear more useful tips for ergonomically challenged individuals such as myself

Excellent tutorial, I have learned a lot from your video. Thanks for upload it.

Hey Dave..thank you for your tutorials...I find them fantastic,easy to follow and your style just seems to resonate with me.

Love your detailed explanation of how to use the hyperfocal distance on a lens in combination with back button autofocus and the focus point location. Your site is on my favorites list now. Keep up the great work.

Excellent! Never fully use those function, and now I know.

Another great video with clear step-by-step instruction and easy to follow. Keep up the good work.

Great tutorial! Im sure glad I found your video. You demystified hyper focal length in 2sec! Thanks

An excellent video, saved ready for when I’m back out with my camera. Really enjoyed the simplicity of the process rather than worrying about doing the right thing.....thanks

Hi Dave, santa just dropped me off a new D850 with a nikkor 24/70 f2.8E VR lens, being a novice as such i'm nervous tro say the least at setting it up, and watching tutorials on this camera having watched maybe 30 or so i must say your vid just watched has to be the best to date as you explain your tried and tested methods as you talk slowly and repeat the steps over again, excellent i must add making it a pleasure for me to progress with this bad boy set up!!!! wish me luck!!!

Hi David, thank you so much for responding so quickly, I will check out your link. Really enjoy and learn fast with your explicit teaching methods, I will be in the field and practise your instructions and workflow procedures.😀👍👍👍Thanks again

Hi Dave, I only recently became aware of your work and have subscribed after seeing a few of your videos, looking forward to seeing the rest. I found it refreshing for a pro like yourself not to be obsessed with having the camera in Manual mode and your workflow using Av is great.

Finally a video without music. Just the nature music can be heard here!

Thank you! I’ve searched numerous videos trying to understand this. But could not. Your explanation is simple and easy to understand. Great Video.

I am getting ready for a Yellowstone trip, and I hope that your focal techniques and workflow will help me.

I hate it when people give a thumbs down but don’t explain why. I ‘ll give it a thumbs up because his workflow is useful and very clearly explained. However this is not really the way hyperfocal distance is defined. Briefly, let’s make up a new name. As he explains, find the closest point, then determine one twice as far away. Call this Dave’s Point or DP. If you can’t alter your f/stop then DP is where to focus in order to get the sharpest overall image. Or, at least close enough. If you can change your f/stop and if you have a hyperfocus calculator, see how big that distance is. Call that F. As you go to higher f/stops then F will get smaller. If F is less than DP then Dave’s method will give you a sharp image. Otherwise Dave’s method will be just about the best you can do. This workflow assumes that you have a DSLR. If you have a mirrorless system this works too. The only difference is that if you do the manual focus tweak, you also have focus peaking to help you.

thank you very much. this is a very clear, step by step, tutorial on hyperfocal distancing and back button focus. thank you.

Well...... the best explanation on back button focus I’ve seen on RU-vid!

I am so glad i came across your tutorials. You explained it so well every issue i had with focusing you fixed. Thank you very much and i look forward to catching up with all your tutorials and wait for your new ones to come. Cheers from down under

Dave...even though you have stopped posting your videos, I still watch them from time to time. I sure enjoyed them. Hope you are doing well Sir.

Thanks, Dave. I also appreciate the repetition, and it's not really repetition anyway as you add subtle differences each time, which are also helpful for understanding. I also find myself pausing the video, trying the techniques on my camera outside, coming back in, repeating segments, etc. Oh, and now I have to cry again, as I don't have live view histograms on my old D7000; histograms only show on playback. But you've also taught me and I'm sure others the great benefits of using live view, for all the things you can do with it. I've never used it before while out shooting but plan to now.

Great video on back button focusing and hyperfocal focusing. It was explained very well and in simple terms!

GREAT LEARNING EXPERIENCE. Methodical, clear and practical !

Well done Dave! It was an excellent tutorial, very detailed and for all levels of photographers !!!

Finally! Hyperfocal distance, explained simply. Thank you, I think I actually understand now, just in time for my first photography trip.

Great video, your teaching method is second to none. Thank you very much.