Selective focusing is a photographic technique in which the lens aperture and shutter speed are adjusted to control the depth of field, intentionally limiting sharpness to a specific area of the image. This draws attention to the subject while allowing the background and foreground to appear softly blurred.
Photographers use selective focusing to guide the viewer’s eye, highlight details, and create a sense of depth or isolation in a composition. It is commonly employed in portraiture, macro photography, and artistic imagery to emphasise the main subject while maintaining an aesthetically pleasing background.