When would you most likely use a shallow depth of field?

Using a shallow depth of field is particularly effective for isolating a subject from the background. This technique creates a soft focus effect around the subject, making it stand out sharply against a blurred backdrop. By doing this, the viewer's attention is directed toward the main subject, allowing for a more impactful and visually engaging image.

This is especially used in portrait photography, where the focus on the subject—such as a person's face—enhances emotional connection and detail. While both isolation of subjects and portrait photography utilize shallow depth of field, the broader concept of isolation encompasses various contexts in photography. Therefore, it is commonly employed across different genres, such as wildlife and product photography, to emphasize specific elements within the frame.

In contrast, capturing landscape scenes would typically require a greater depth of field to ensure that both the foreground and the background are in sharp focus. Low light conditions can be managed with various techniques, including maintaining sharp focus with a wider aperture without necessarily achieving shallow depth of field.