depth of field

the range of distance in a scene that appears acceptably sharp and in focus in the final image

Depth of field refers to the range in a photograph where the image appears sharp and in focus. It determines how much of the scene, from the foreground to the background, looks clear and detailed. A shallow depth of field means only a small part of the image is in focus, while a deeper depth of field keeps more of the scene sharp. This helps in focusing on specific parts of the scene while blurring the rest to draw attention or create a particular effect.