Question.

[Crywolf]

Hello all hoping I put this in the right section,

I’m trying to achieve something I can’t figure out something and I would like to have my main subject in focus and have my background blurred and out of focus and only on the subject to be very clear is this something I need to practice to get the idea or achieve what I doing.

I am using a Canon G9 and I am really a newbie with the camera and I tried a bunch of different setting and I still can’t get, If there is someone out here that has experience with a Canon G9 and knows any tips could you please contact me.

Thank you
Crywolf

 

[bs63366]

I have no experience with the Canon G9, but if you have the ability to set a Aperture, you will want to use the lowest numerically valued aperture to get a very short dof.

 

[BeemerPhotography]

deleted

 

[Crywolf]

Hello all,

Ok all thank you I will try and see what happens
Crywolf

 

[Overread]

I can't see how manual focusing will affect the degree of background blur in any way.

Ok first up you want the smallest depth of field (Area of a photo in focus - ergo sharp) that you can get for this effect. To achive this you can:

1) use the widest aperture you have on your lens

2) use the longest focal length that you can - longer focal length lenses increase the degree of background blur you can achive

Also distances take part as well - you idealy want a good distance between your subject and the background behind them - the greater that distance the easier it is to blur it since it will be further from the plain of focus. Also the closer the subject is to the lens helps as well.

Note however that you have to take into account what you are shooting - if your looking at - say - a fox fairly close up and straight on you wont' want the smallest aperture since you will likley end up with the nose and ears ending up out of focus and being blured even if the eyes are sharp - unless that is hte effect you want. So take care that you subject is shown as you want it to be shown

 

[Crywolf]

Hello,

Ok I'll see what I can do so what your saying if I did a close up shot most of shot would be in foucs but if I stand back from the subject and zoom in the back ground would get blurry?
now like I said I am a newbie when it comes to camera lingo? What this mean (widest aperture) what is aperture?

Thank you for all the help?
Crywolf

 

[Overread]

Widest aperture is when your f number is the smallest that it can go on the lens fitted to the camera. Thus a stopped down aperture means using a bigger f number.
The bigger the f number the less light is allowed to enter the camera through the lens; thus the smaller the f number the faster you shutter speeds can be because more light is allowed into the camera at any one moment - so you don't need as long for that light to make a proper exposure. Stopping down - using a bigger f number - reduces the light allowed in and thus you need to allow that light in for longer (slower shutter speed) in order to make a proper exposure.

Also I recomend getting hold of a copy of Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson - it really helps to explain aperture, ISO and shutter speed - how they work together and also how to use the 3 to make both a "proper" exposure and also how to be creative with exposures.