How to Blur Background

[NikhilBose]

Hi All,

I am new to photography and yesterday I am trying to blur the background. I reduced the f/stop to the lowest value (High Aperture), and I got close to the subject.
ISO was auto, even I tried setting the ISO to all values. I bought Canon 600D and having Sigma 18-220mm lens.

Even trying all this I am not able to make the background blur. Both the subject, foreground, background are normal.

Can anyone guide me, what else is missing, I am new to photography so please bear with me if this all is very basic.

Thanks,
Nikhil

 

[mjhoward]

What focal length and how far away was you background?

 

[cgipson1]

post some shots with the exif data intact!

 

[Heitz]

This 'lowest' value for aperture...what was it exactly?

 

[MLeeK]

Hi All,

I am new to photography and yesterday I am trying to blur the background. I reduced the f/stop to the lowest value (High Aperture), and I got close to the subject.
ISO was auto, even I tried setting the ISO to all values. I bought Canon 600D and having Sigma 18-220mm lens.

Even trying all this I am not able to make the background blur. Both the subject, foreground, background are normal.

Can anyone guide me, what else is missing, I am new to photography so please bear with me if this all is very basic.

Thanks,
Nikhil

HIGH as in HIGH number? You want the lowest aperture number you can use.

 

[cgipson1]

^This.... as in F2.8 or F5.6... NOT F16 or F22

 

[pic_chick]

really best to post a photo when you ask these questions but I bet your subject was to close to the background

 

[table1349]

Try these: Understanding Depth of Field in Photography

The whole series: Digital Photography Tutorials

 

[NikhilBose]

What focal length and how far away was you background?

I used f 3.5 and the background was around 6ft away. Actually I thought I am doing some basic mistake, so I am not prepared with the pictures.
Maybe next time I will post the pictures as well.

Thanks,
Nikhil

 

[MLeeK]

You would have to be closer than 6 feet to the subject.

 

[bratkinson]

In most cases, the "best" background blur, aka bokeh, is achieved at wider f-stops than the widest f3.5 of your Sigma lens. Even at f2.8, background blur is pretty good, but not "wow" in my estimation. My favorite "wow" lens is the Canon EF 135 f2.0L, wide open. Even from 50-60' away with my 60D, the subject "pops" out and everything else blurred in the background.

 

[TheFantasticG]

New to photography you say? There's a book for you:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0817439390/ref=mp_s_a_2?pi=58x75&qid=1346246146&sr=8-2

 

[jwbryson1]

This 'lowest' value for aperture...what was it exactly?

f/16 :mrgreen:

 

[Kolander]

What focal length and how far away was you background?

I used f 3.5 and the background was around 6ft away.

Again: what focal length did you use? :meh:

With f:3'5 and 18 mm it is possible to get not a bit of blur, being the background only 6 feet away.

 

[Dao]

- Aperture, wider the better. (lower f-number)
- Focal length, longer the better.
- Subject to camera distance. Shorter the better.
- Subject to background distance. Longer the better.