From the Cooke Optics website:

“When we think about camera focus, we tend to think of how sharp a frame looks, but it’s much more than that. In visual storytelling, focus directly impacts how the audience may perceive the subject matter. Directors and cinematographers use focus to convey a message about the story whether as a literal device, emphasising a specific detail; or subliminally to evoke an emotional response to the material or scene. The cinematographer collaborates with the director to translate the script into visual language. Art meets science in cinematography: they are visual psychiatrists who guide the audience through a film with lighting, composition and movement. Storytellers tasked with depicting the visual emotion behind the words. One of the most essential elements when making style choices about the film is how they choose to employ ‘focus’.”

Visit the Cooke Optics website for more, including visual samples from notable feature films: https://cookeoptics.com/news-and-events/cooke-gallery-focus-exhibition/