Getting that blured look!

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Adam
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I have seen some photos I like and the boject is really crisp and clear where as all of the back ground is blurred and distant looking!

how do I achieve this look?
 
Use a large aperture. What lenses do you have and what are their widest apperture?
 
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aperture=f-stop

the smaller the number the more blurred the background... for example f2.8 should give you a blurred background while f22 wont :)
 
Blurred bg,s are the result of a shallow Depth of Field. A low f number gives a wider aperture and results in a shallow DOF.
 
Also to consider is distance from subject to background.
 
Also to consider is distance from subject to background.

especially important if using a bridge camera due to the small sensor, my Sons Lumix bridge is 2.8 thoughout the focal range but does not blur as easy as a DSLR due to the Lumix small sensor, but get the distance between you the subject and the background correct and it can be just as dreamy and my Lad has pulled of some bokeh that has made me jealous.
 
I have seen some photos I like and the boject is really crisp and clear where as all of the back ground is blurred and distant looking!

how do I achieve this look?

It is mainly a shallow depth of field effect, but also longer lenses do it better due to narrower field of view. It's usually referred to as 'bokeh' but that term means different things to different folks.

Basically, lowest f/number, longest focal length, as close to the subject as you can get, and subject as far from the background as possible.

Check the numbers here www.dofmaster.com
 
i have a 15-85mm lens and have struggled to create this blurring effect. would i have better success out the bag with say a 17-55mm 2.8f lens?
 
yes, the 2.8 will give better results.

set the camera to Av mode, then adjust the dial so that the aperture is 2.8. if you're in low light then adjust the iso up until you get a shutter speed of at least 1/30th but make sure the exposure reading is at the middle of the -2___0___2 thingy then focus on your subject and fire away.

try it with varying apertures and have a look at the results - the higher the f number the less blurred the background will become.
 
i have a 15-85mm lens and have struggled to create this blurring effect. would i have better success out the bag with say a 17-55mm 2.8f lens?

Yes but yo'll need to use Aperture priority mode not any kind of auto, and set it to f2.8.
 
I dont have the camera or the lens yet so what would you recommend? I have about £400 to play with would this be enough?
 
Its not really to do with budget to be honest;
5353124972_e738e8d34c.jpg

Taken with a Canon 20D worth about £150 on a good day and a Canon 50mm f1.8 which is about £80 new. That was at f2.5, I could have got more blur but that was a handy image on my flickr.

As said above you want a lens which will allow a very shallow focus area known as depth of field. Think of having an invisible box in front of the lens and everything within this box will be in focus. The lower the f number the bigger the aperture the shallower this box will be. The higher the f number the smaller the aperture so you'll have a much deeper box with more in focus. The blurring is called bokeh - japanese for blur.

As for what to go for, get yourself down to Jessops and handle some cameras and find one that suits you and feels comfortable to hold and use. Just bare in mind that fast lenses (ones with big maximum apertures) are not generally cheap - Canon 50mm f1.8 aside.
 
1.2f said:
i have a 15-85mm lens and have struggled to create this blurring effect. would i have better success out the bag with say a 17-55mm 2.8f lens?

Ironic username :D

An f1.2 lens will give you much blur.

via TP Forums for iPhone
 
yep carrying on from cw's post you dont need to spend much to get a blur..

canon 350d w/ cheap nifty 50 1.8 set at f2.2.. a set up you would get for <£200 quid nowadays..

3909170969_5b67402ddd_z.jpg


so if all you are looking for is something to blur the background of your wooden pet houses then you can do that cheap as..
 
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i have a 15-85mm lens and have struggled to create this blurring effect. would i have better success out the bag with say a 17-55mm 2.8f lens?

Or crop tighter, or get lower to the ground or closer to a wall or other object to have more of an out of focus run in to the image.
Or use an object close to you (e.g. a window frame) and shoot through that to the subject a longer distance away.

More then just F stops, there are ways where F22 cannot get everything in focus ;)

Try getting in closer at 50mm on the lens and as low an apature as you can.
Also, 85 will do be even better :D
 
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