How do I get this effect?

[ella]

Sorry, I don't have a photo example to show but I have seen photographs like this times before and have not been able to get the same effect.

When photographing people, I want to get it so all of the person is clearly in focus and the background is very out of focus. I have tried setting my apature to 2.8 and the shutter speed to what ever compromises with the apature, but the background is never as blurry as I want. I know this is achievable in photoshop with different blur options, but is there a way I can do this with just my camera? Do I need to use macro or manual focus at all??

Thanks in advance!

 

[LizM]

Try to get your subject further away from the background. That should help. Other than that you could use the blur tool in PS and blur it more manually. The smudge tool produces some neat effects too.

Good Luck!

 

[molested_cow]

What lens are you using? I find that my telephoto zoom lens gives me high DOF and my wide angle lens doesn't.

 

[Sharkbait]

Agreed. The longer lens will definitely help you get that blurred out bg.

Check this shot--it was with my 70-300 zoom:

 

[ksmattfish]

To decrease DOF (less in focus):

increase aperture size
increase focal length
decrease camera to subject distance

 

[DocFrankenstein]

Increase subject/background distance...

This can be achieved to a great extend with either very fast primes 50/1.8 or 1.4 or not as fast tele lens....

All of them cost $$$