topic Re: How do I blur pictures with my Canon? in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

How do I blur pictures with my Canon?

calebsmommy31 — Sat, 24 Jan 2015 01:52:21 GMT

I just opened my studio and have a session tomorrow. How can I blue pictures with my Canon? I've been trying

Re: How do I blur pictures with my Canon?

ezpop — Sat, 24 Jan 2015 01:58:21 GMT

What exactly is the question ?

To take pictures with blurry background ?

Soft focus for portraits ?

or other special effects ?

If none of the above, then it's easy... just defocus and everything will be blur.

Re: How do I blur pictures with my Canon?

calebsmommy31 — Sat, 24 Jan 2015 02:01:59 GMT

Sorry ....to take blurry background pics. ...I've been reading and watching videos but I'm a tad confused

Re: How do I blur pictures with my Canon?

ezpop — Sat, 24 Jan 2015 02:03:02 GMT

BTW, what's the lens(es) you will use in your shooting. FF or APSC camera ?? More information will help to advise the settings to achieve the effect you want.

Re: How do I blur pictures with my Canon?

ezpop — Sat, 24 Jan 2015 02:13:52 GMT

Basically, if space allows, use a longer lens with wide aperture, you can achieve a relatively blur out background. To be more specifc, have to know your gears and venue.

Some basic equipment like a rebel camera with a 50mm F1.8 could do the job well for beginner. You may have to step down a bit from the widest aperture (f2.2 to f2.8) to get the best sharpness of the subject. If you are happy with the result of f1.8, then keep it wide open.

Get reasonably close to your target, which has to be some distance from the background. Experiment with it to get the best result.

The are a lot of tutorials about depth of field online. They will help.

Re: How do I blur pictures with my Canon?

cicopo — Sat, 24 Jan 2015 03:47:03 GMT

You're trying to shoot professionally according to my interpretation of your question. Shouldn't you be able to tell US how to do this? The reason pro's get paid is that they know how to do what's needed from them.

Re: How do I blur pictures with my Canon?

calebsmommy31 — Sat, 24 Jan 2015 03:48:58 GMT

Wow. I'm a beginner. Doing photos out of my home. I didn't expect a response like this. Don't worry about helping. My Husband helped me

Re: How do I blur pictures with my Canon?

calebsmommy31 — Sat, 24 Jan 2015 03:49:13 GMT

Btw....i don't charge right now. ...

Re: How do I blur pictures with my Canon?

calebsmommy31 — Sat, 24 Jan 2015 03:50:49 GMT

Thank you ezpop!!!

Re: How do I blur pictures with my Canon?

calebsmommy31 — Sat, 24 Jan 2015 03:54:22 GMT

Lol btw if I was a pro I wouldn't be asking these questions.

Re: How do I blur pictures with my Canon?

ScottyP — Sat, 24 Jan 2015 16:44:50 GMT

What camera and lenses do you have?

The answer above was spot-on. Please note that if you are shooting in a home studio setting, like against a backdrop or something, your subject might be too close to the background to get much blur.

The blur thing is all about having a narrow depth of field in focus, and then exaggerating it by having a background that is far behind the subject, while the camera is as close to the subject as possible.

Wide lens opening (aperture).
This will be controlled by the f/number. Confusingly, a LOW f/number is a WIDER aperture. F/1.8 or f/2.8 would be pretty wide. If you only have the kit lenses that come with a camera you can't hit that low an f/number, so go as low as it lets you. A "nifty fifty" Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 is within anyone's reach. It only costs about $120.00. It feels a bit flimsy but actually has good IQ and a great wide aperture. You will be blown away by the blur you can get.

Distant background.
As stated above, if your subject is leaning on a wall or something it will be hard to get much blur. Try shooting outside where you can arrange things so the background is farther behind the subject than the distance your camera is in front of the subject.
Another reason shooting outside is a good idea is that the lighting is better and simpler. Flash or studio lighting is complicated for a beginner, and if you are just using the camera's built-in flash you may really make things look worse, with shadows on the wall behind the subject, weird color, and a generally flat washed-out look. If you do shoot outside, just don't do it mid day with the sun directly overhead, which WILL make ugly shots. Shoot in partial shade, or shoot in the hour before sunset or the hour after sunrise (the golden hour).

Long-ish lens focal length.
Google a "depth of field calculator". Even if you are shooting with the kit lens 18-55 with a not-so-wide max aperture, you can narrow your depth of field by zooming all the way in to 55mm. Play with the variables you plug into the calculator and you will see what I mean. If you have a kit that goes longer like 18-135 or 55-250, zoom in even farther. Good portrait lens range is considered to be 85mm to 135mm, but that is on a full frame camera. On a crop sensor Rebel everything is magnified by 1.6, so the range is like 50mm to 85mm. If you are outside and have room to back up far enough you can certainly do so and shoot longer than 85mm and it will look good and increase your blur.

Good luck with your new activity, whether it stays for fun or whether you go farther into training and equipment!

Re: How do I blur pictures with my Canon?

ezpop — Sat, 24 Jan 2015 18:06:26 GMT

Dear ScottyP

You have given very good explanation in your post.

That's indeed encouraging to photography learner.