 Lee Anne Pentz |
How to Blur the Background I am really wanting to shoot something with a blurred background. I've seen others do it, and it looks really neat. I thought I read my manual on "how to," but whatever it was I did was not right - go figure. So ultimately my question is: How do I focus on my subject, but blur the background???
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- Gregory LaGrange Contact Gregory LaGrange Gregory LaGrange's Gallery |
The wider the aperture, the more blur to the background. And the longer the focal length, the more blur to the background. Thus, f/2.8 has more blur than f/8. And a 200mm has more blur than a 28mm.
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Lee Anne Pentz |
Thanks Gregory- I will have to try that.
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- Gregory LaGrange Contact Gregory LaGrange Gregory LaGrange's Gallery |
Correction to the focal length part. It's 200mm has more blur than a 28mm.
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Jon Close |
In addition Gregory's suggestions, you also get less depth of field (more background blur) the closer you get to your subject.
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Lee Anne Pentz |
Thanks Jon!
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Dev Mukherjee |
Building up on Jon's response: The wider the distance between your subject and the background (which you intend to blur), the more it will be blurred. So, the three variables are: a) longer focal length; b) wider aperture; c) greater distance between the subject and background.
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Lee Anne Pentz |
Thanks Dev - I haven't had an opportunity to try your suggestions out yet, but I will let ya know how it goes when I get the chance!
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Deb Booth |
One other thought: if you are using any sort of digital photo editing program, you could also blur the background AFTER the picture was taken, by selecting the subject of your photo, using the magnetic lasso tool, and then selecting "inverse" - and then applying a blur filter - Gaussian, or some other of your choice, to the background (i.e., your 'inverted' selection). Hope this makes sense ~ light and laughter, Deb
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Piper Lehman |
Ugh! You don't need to wait for PS to blur your background. It won't look the same anyway. Depending on how good your lens handles bokeh (the smoothness and quality of out-of-focus areas), you can create some stunning images with your telephoto lens. Someone above mentioned getting closer to your subject -- this is the best way to get what you're after. It'll work with any lens (think macro shots), but the longer the focal length, the farther away you can be from your subject and still get what you're after. Use the fastest aperture - f2.8 or whatever your lens allows. TIP: Make sure your background compliments the subject in focus. Trees or grass make a really nice blurry background behind a subject. The sky will not give you a good blur since it's so far away!
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Piper Lehman |
Sorry Deb. I didn't mean that to be pointed at you personally. I just get tired of hearing about fixing bad photos in PS. I know this doesn't mean that you do this! :) In my opinion, if the image was so bad that it needs PS to help it be adequate, then we've crossed the line between learning to be good photographers and graphic art/design school. Personally, I don't enjoy sitting in front of PS all day to bring my images up to speed. I'd rather do it in camera. Again, I hope you don't take this personally. Your idea was a good one. Just not one I like to implement.
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Deb Booth |
'Sokay, Piper - not a problem in the least. I can understand your response, and thank you for making sure that I knew it wasn't directed at me, personally - that was kind. I also understand your reticence to rely on PS for work that could be done behind the CAMERA as opposed to behind the computer (or in front of it)... but if someone had an image they'd alREADY taken, it might be an option worth exploring, in order to learn new techniques. Or wait... maybe I should reprhase that: *I* am new to both photography and to PS Elements, so I am excitedly snapping up Deb Booth www.differentlightstudio.com
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Piper Lehman |
You are so right. And your flower photos are beautiful - PS or not. Very nice web site also! piper
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Lee Anne Pentz |
Thanks Piper - I'm still working on it with some trial and error. I don't mind using PS, but I am trying to gain more photography skills with my Camera. It is a Canon Rebel and is a little more challenging then the Kodak easyshare( which was my first digital ) to get the hang of. Deb - I have never used the PS option that you suggested, I will trying that soon too. You can never have too many options!!!! I appreciate all of your suggestions!
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Thy Bun |
"The old days say, get out and shoot F8.0 and 1/60 and let the boys in the lab worry the rest." Now, we have digital, if you use digital camera, you have to know a little bit about PS to fix your digital darkroom. You don't have to sit all day in front of your computer to do this but you need to know how to fix your photos. Go back to the point about blur backround, you need to have long focal lenght lens to do it, like 28-200mm or 300mm, 400mm... to do the best blure for your backgrounds... It costs big $$$. If you have point and shoot camera and you can't change the lens than PS comes to do the blur backgrounds for you.
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Thy Bun |
Correction, 80-200mm, not 28-200mm
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Piper Lehman |
"The old days say, get out and shoot F8.0 and 1/60 and let the boys in the lab worry the rest." Where in the world did you hear/read this?! Ridiculous.
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Lee Anne Pentz |
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Lee Anne Pentz |
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