How do I get the background blurred

mostly sunny · Dec 18, 2009

and the focal point focused?

Do I use one of those.. lenses that I can adjust the focus? Will one work on my camera?

WesVFX · Dec 18, 2009

set your cameras aperture to a low number...

check this out A Beginner's Guide to Simple Photography Concepts: ISO, Aperture, and Shutter Speed - Tutorials

SrBiscuit · Dec 18, 2009

google "depth of field".

or do a search here.

souls got the right idea though...open up that ap...and zoom a bit.

Dominantly · Dec 19, 2009

Also try and keep a good distance between your subject and the background.
With some lenses you will find the ability to control depth of field to be alot easier.

JIP · Dec 19, 2009

The way you are going to be able to blur the background on an image is as has been said a wide open aperture. The faster the lens you have the better chance you are going to have to do that. If money is tight you might try something like a 50mm 2.8 lens which can be had in the $100 neighborhood and with ast lenses the sky is the limit from there. You can slightly blur the background with f/4 but from there it gets difficult.

mostly sunny · Dec 19, 2009

How do I even know what kind of lenses I have?

I am using this one that is my Dad's cause I didn't like the one that came with the camera. The numbers on it are EFS18-55
The one that came with the camera says

28-135 (right now my Dad has that on his camera- A Canon Rebel EOS, and it looks WAY to big for that camera)
and I use one other lens..
It says
70-210

Are any of those close to the one you are talking about?

zioneffect564 · Dec 19, 2009

There should be a mode on your camera called creative auto it's next to full auto. In creative auto there should be a little slider and it will ask you if you want your background more or less blurry. There are limitations though by the lenses that you have. The higher the aperature the more blur you're going to get, for example at f/4 you're going to get a slightly out of focus background. If you had an f/1.2 lens though you could throw the background completely out of focus.

My suggestion would be to use the 28-135 at 135 and shoot in Aperature Priority (which on a Canon I think it's Av on the rotator knob) and shoot at the highest aperature or lowest number.

Another suggestion would be to look into getting a fast prime like a 50mm f/1.8. If you shoot at f/1.8 on that lens you're going to be getting a nice out of focus background. One of those can be had new for $100 from here or used for $70 here.

burstintoflame81 · Dec 19, 2009

Thats a whole lotta camera for a beginner ( 7D ). I wish I started out with a 7D...(stares off dreamily ) haha.

If you find that you are predominantly shooting people/portraits. I would recommend the 50mm F/1.4USM. I think mine was like $350. It does not zoom at all so you have to walk closer or away to adjust your distance, but it will blur the background very nicely. It will also perform much better in darker lighting. If you are on a budget you can also go with the $99 F/1.8 50mm that was already mentioned. It has a cheaper build quality but if you aren't looking for an investment, just a quick and cheap method, go with that.

You can also blur the background in photoshop but it gets a little tricky to make it look natural like a lense does.

Overread · Dec 19, 2009

Seek out the camera manual and read it - then read it again - then read again with the camera and play with it

Try putting the camera into aperture priority mode (AV on the dial) and play around with using different apertures and see how they affect your shots as well as how they influence your shutter speed. (ps my camera manual lived in the camera bag with the camera for the first half a year to year that I had my camera - best place since you can check and try things when shooting rather than having to come home nad find the manual)

I would also strongly recomend the book Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson because whilst its still aimed atbeginners it will go into more depth and detail as well as giving more examples on how you can use aperture, shutter speed and ISO to control and manipulate your photos.

Wolverinepwnes · Dec 19, 2009

go to 1.8 or 2.8 or 5.6 (the lowest number)

bahandi · Dec 19, 2009

I'm surprised there isn't more, "read this, google that." hmm.. Could it be the Holiday season? or is it because the OP's avatar is of a female? lol.

To the OP, study depth of field.

mostly sunny · Dec 20, 2009

So, I was on the phone with B&H-- Looked at this..
Canon | Normal EF 50mm f/1.8 II Autofocus Lens | 2514A002 | B&H

But when I called to as a questions, the guy told me I might want to 85mm

?????

Vicelord John · Dec 20, 2009

a 50mm is the one lens that I feel should be in every photographer's bag.

Wolverinepwnes · Dec 20, 2009

don't listen to the person, get the 50mm, and besides you have the 7D so with the crop factor it will be more like a 85 anyways, so in a nutshell: get the 50mm its a must have lens!

Overread · Dec 20, 2009

The 50mm f1.8 is a popular lens and is often recomended because its very cheap and yet has surprisingly very good optical quality. Its build is rather poor though (very plasticy) and there are more durable options on the market but they cost a lot more. That is why you see the 50mm often recomended - 50mm was also the standard lens supplied with older generation cameras.

My own advice is that before you start looking at more epxensive options like the 85mm get more practice with your existing setup as well as more understanding. The choice of which lens is the best to get is very hard to impossible to make if you don't have a decent working understanding. It won't take long to get nor is it that hard, but I feel that it is an important step.

For what you are asking in your first post your kit lens can still do the job you are wanting and do it well, but you have to learn to control it - if not then even with the right gear you will still get results you don't desire.