How to Blur the Background of a Photograph

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Set your DSLR camera to the aperture setting.

   You will find a circular dial, usually on the top of your camera, that has several shooting options such as “Auto”.
   
   Turn the dial so that the aperture priority setting is selected.
   
   The aperture setting is identified by an “A” and sometimes an “Av” on certain Canon models.
   
   Aperture is the size of the hole in the lens through which light travels, similar to the pupil of an eye.Aperture is measured in f-numbers (Ex: f/1.4), known as “f-stops”.
   
   And while it may sound confusing, the larger the f-stop, the smaller the f-stop.
   
   So a f/1.4 will have a larger aperture (hole) than a f/2.
   
   A smaller f-stop will create a larger depth of field and be able to separate the foreground and background better, blurring the background.
2. 2

   Step 2: Create distance between the camera

   To better blur the background of your photograph you want to create enough distance between the camera and the subject so that you can zoom on your camera to better focus it on your foreground.
   
   In addition, the further your subject is from the background, the easier it will be to get a nice blurred look.
   
   Depending on your lens, play with this distance having your subject stand 5, 10, or 15 feet away from the background. , This is a shot that has your subject in the frame from about the waist up.
   
   For a great portrait photo you may then want to get a bit closer, or zoom on your camera so you can really focus on the shoulders and head.
   
   But starting further out can help you adjust at the beginning.
   
   Focus directly on the eyes.
   
   Note:
   The nose, ears and hair will be in varying degrees of focus.
   
   At smaller apertures, the background of a shot will be in focus.
   
   At larger apertures, the background will be blurred. , Narrow the depth of field further by zooming in.
   
   To make as shallow a depth of field as possible, use a long/telephoto lens set on maximum zoom.
   
   Stand as close to the subject as possible.
   
   If you have a very long lens, this might still be quite far away from your subject.
   
   If you only have the lens your camera came with, you may have to stand closer to the subject.
   
   You should still try and get a fair amount of zoom on your camera, and in general, you will be closer to your subject than your subject is from the background.
   
   Play around with zoom and snap a couple of test photos to see if you’re getting close to the desired results. , If the subject is moving, move your camera to follow the subject and keep it sharp while blurring the background.
   
   Try different shutter speeds to balance the background blur you want against the subject blur you don't want.
   
   Try a 1/125 second shutter speed to begin.
   
   Keep your body and the camera as steady as possible.
   
   Track the subject through the viewfinder and ensure your camera is focusing properly on the subject.
   
   Take the photo with confidence.
   
   This technique uses the blurred background to highlight the motion of the subject, whereas background blurred solely through a shallow depth of field is used to make the subject stand out from its surroundings.
3. 3

   Step 3: subject

4. 4

   Step 4: and background.

5. 5

   Step 5: Fill the frame with the subject in a medium shot.

6. 6

   Step 6: Zoom in.

7. 7

   Step 7: Pan with a moving target.

Detailed Guide

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