Project 2

I'm afraid that this project hasn't been very satisfying for me as I was expecting more dramatic differences in sharpness than have been apparent from the photos that I have taken (of parked cars, trees, lamp-posts). The 3 photos that I took on 29th May were within a wooded area and, I have to say, the difference in background sharpness appeared marginal. There was no clear 'out-of-focus background' and I am beginning to wonder whether I have been doing this wrong. The set aperture I used was f 5.6 and the first shot was at a shutter speed of 1/50, the second at 1/60 and the third at 1/50.
On the general principle of whether I would prefer a photo where the subject stands out (more) sharply because the background is out-of-focus then I guess my answer would be "it depends". Up until now, I would say that I would have questioned the technique used in a photo which wasn't totally pin-sharp but I can now see (although not in my photos - yet!) the benefits of having an out-of-focus background to avoid distraction from the subject and to draw the eye. Whether or not to have an out-of-focus background probably depends upon whether the background detail provides important context to the subject; if it does, then a small aperture should be used to ensure that the background is in focus also.