What is depth of field?
Depth of field (DOF) is a photography technique where the subject is in sharp focus while the foreground and background are softly blurred. This draws the viewer’s eye directly to your product and gives images a professional, editorial quality.
How to prompt for depth of field
Specify exactly what should be sharp and in focus (your product) and what should be out of focus (foreground and/or background). Crucially, add “Do not change the product” to prevent the AI from modifying your product while applying the effect.
Example
✅ Good prompt: add depth of field so that foreground and background is out of focus and bedside table is sharp and in focus. Do not change the bedside table |
This prompt is specific about what’s sharp (the bedside table), what’s blurred (foreground and background), and explicitly protects the product from changes.
❌ Bad prompt: blur the background a bit |
This is too vague. “A bit” is subjective, it doesn’t specify what should stay sharp, and it doesn’t protect the product from being altered.
Tips for depth of field
Always name the specific product that should remain in focus
Specify both foreground and background blur if you want a true DOF look
Always include “Do not change [product name]” to protect your product
This technique works great for hero product shots and catalogue features