Tangenttilähikuva

Tangenttilähikuva, often translated as tangent close-up or tangent shot, is a photographic technique characterized by an extremely shallow depth of field. This technique involves focusing the lens on a very narrow plane, causing areas of the image that are even slightly in front of or behind the focal plane to become completely blurred. The effect is that only a thin sliver of the subject appears in sharp focus, while everything else dissolves into a soft, indistinct haze.

This approach is often used in portrait photography to isolate a specific feature, such as the eyes, or to create a dreamy, abstract aesthetic. In macro photography, tangenttilähikuva can be used to highlight intricate details of small objects. The extremely shallow depth of field necessitates precise focus adjustments, as even minor movements can shift the in-focus area. This technique can be achieved using lenses with very wide apertures (low f-numbers) or through specific digital post-processing techniques, though in-camera application is generally considered the hallmark of a true tangent close-up. The visual impact is often dramatic, drawing the viewer's attention intensely to the sharply rendered portion of the image while obscuring the surrounding context.