Mike Johnston would probably (tongue-in-cheek) accuse me of opening up the diaphragm for shallow DoF just to show that I am using a “real” camera and no camera phone.
But in this case the delicacy of the scenery is supported – in my eyes – by the alteration between sharp and out-of-focus elements. It would have looked completely different with a shorter focal length and stopped down.
Agreed. The out of focus background adds depth. An in-focus background would result in an inferior image. Mike’s just another guy with an opinion. 😉
Tom, this whole discussion reminds me a bit of the beginnings of the f64 group: an artistic decision becomes tribe politics, in those times the pictorialists against straight photography. I will not let this interfere with my own attempts in seeing and capturing what is important to me.