Shallow Focus (Selective Focus)

Shallow Focus is a restricted depth of field. Only one depth plane is in sharp focus while objects in the background or close to the camera are out of focus, thus blurry. (See bokeh.)

The technique typically directs the viewer’s attention to the objects in the plane that are in sharp focus. In addition, shallow focus is frequently used for close-ups suggesting psychological introspection. For example, a character appears to be oblivious to the world around them. The opposite of shallow focus is deep focus.