framethrowerTry it free

Focus

Shallow Depth of Field in Film

Shallow depth of field isolates a razor-thin plane of focus and melts everything else into bokeh. It is a pointing device — the frame tells you exactly where to look — and the default glamour of fast lenses. The cost is that the world disappears; some directors ban it to keep environments present.

Shallow Depth of Field: examples from real films

One frame per film — thousands more are searchable with a free account.

shallow depth of field example from Flight of the Conchords: Live in London: A dark performance space features two musicians seated on stools with mus
Flight of the Conchords: Live in London (2018)
shallow depth of field example from Run Lola Run: A woman stands before a white curtain with natural light filtering through the fabric. She holds her
Run Lola Run (1998)
shallow depth of field example from Great White: A man treads water in the open sea directly behind a large red boat hull. The man holds a black flash
Great White (1998)
shallow depth of field example from Vincent Must Die: A glass-walled modern space filled with books and office supplies in the background. A group of
Vincent Must Die (2023)
shallow depth of field example from Radius: A rustic wooden desk holds a black speckled enamel mug and a sheet of paper. A person sits at the table, w
Radius (2017)
shallow depth of field example from Casablanca: A dark indoor space with two individuals positioned in close proximity to each other. The woman is cen
Casablanca (1942)
shallow depth of field example from Dos corazones: A dimly lit indoor space featuring a dark paneled door and a window. A woman with a headband faces
Dos corazones (1919)
shallow depth of field example from Beautiful Boy: A dark, rustic living room featuring a stone fireplace and large panoramic windows at night. A man
Beautiful Boy (2011)
shallow depth of field example from Come and See: A person stands in a dark wooded area at night. The subject is partially visible against a backgroun
Come and See (1985)
shallow depth of field example from Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam: A man and woman stand close together in a dark nighttime setting. The
Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam (2010)
shallow depth of field example from The Wishmas Tree: A stylized cartoon creature stands in a paved outdoor area with green plants visible. The creatu
The Wishmas Tree (2020)
shallow depth of field example from Like.Share.Follow.: A dimly lit room decorated with wall posters and a central dartboard. A man stands beside a la
Like.Share.Follow. (2017)
shallow depth of field example from RoboCop: A dark corporate facade with illuminated windows frames a metallic armored figure at night. The cyborg ho
RoboCop (1987)
shallow depth of field example from Apostle: A man presses his shoulder against vertical dark wooden planks of an old structure. He glances toward the
Apostle (2018)
shallow depth of field example from Maximum Risk: An interior space features a woman in front of a dark, shadowed background. The woman stares at anot
Maximum Risk (1996)
shallow depth of field example from Baby Driver: The interior of a vehicle is bathed in a deep red monochrome light. A man sits in the driver seat loo
Baby Driver (2017)
shallow depth of field example from The Hollow Child: A dense, mist-filled woodland path winds between dark tree trunks in a forest setting. The path
The Hollow Child (2018)
shallow depth of field example from At Dawn: A dimly lit room contains a bed with a floral patterned quilt. A woman in a white nightgown lies flat on
At Dawn (2013)
shallow depth of field example from Camp X-Ray: An interior office space with blurred background elements including a water cooler. A young woman in a
Camp X-Ray (2014)
shallow depth of field example from Knife+Heart: A dimly lit room contains a vintage film projector with a metallic reel. A hand with red polished nai
Knife+Heart (2018)
shallow depth of field example from Woman of the Hour: A dark indoor space with a window partially obscured by a room divider. A woman holds a telepho
Woman of the Hour (2024)
shallow depth of field example from Tremors: A nighttime desert location with a stationary trailer and scattered construction timber in background. An
Tremors (1990)
shallow depth of field example from About Time: A bright indoor space features a large photograph on the wall behind seating. A man in a maroon sweate
About Time (2013)
shallow depth of field example from Phantom Lady: A man plays the drums in a dimly lit room with white brick walls. A framed photograph hangs on the w
Phantom Lady (1944)

Search every shallow depth of field in 5,000+ films

FrameThrower tags 400,000+ frames by lighting, lens, shot size, color and mood — filter by this technique, combine it with others, or just describe the shot in plain language.

Create a free account

Films known for shallow depth of field

More focus techniques