Achieving a blurry background in your photography can instantly elevate the aesthetic quality of your images. This effect, known as "bokeh," is especially useful when you want your subject to stand out or when you’re shooting portraits and want to emphasize the person in front of you. The good news is that this technique isn’t reserved for professional photographers. With the right settings, any photographer can create that beautifully soft, out-of-focus background that draws all the attention to the subject.
In this guide, I’ll take you through a simple, easy-to-follow process on how to get a blurry background in your photographs. Whether you’re using a professional camera or a smartphone, these tips will help you enhance your photography skills. You’ll discover the key settings that control the amount of blur, and how to manipulate them to get the most dramatic effect. Plus, I’ll give you an extra bonus tip for even more intense background blur!
Step 1: Switch to Aperture Priority Mode
If you are looking to elevate your photography, one of the first steps is to move away from automatic settings and take control over your camera’s exposure settings. To create more artistic and professional-looking images, mastering the aperture is essential. One of the best ways to do this is by using Aperture Priority mode. This mode gives you the power to adjust the aperture settings, which directly impacts the depth of field in your photos.
Aperture Priority mode is available in most modern cameras, including DSLRs, mirrorless cameras, and even some advanced point-and-shoot cameras. When you switch to this mode, the camera automatically adjusts the shutter speed based on the aperture setting you choose. This ensures that the exposure remains balanced while you focus on controlling the depth of field and the amount of light entering your lens. In this mode, you are in charge of the aperture, which is crucial for achieving that coveted blurry background effect known as "bokeh." Understanding how aperture works will allow you to manipulate the depth of field and create stunning compositions.
Understanding Aperture and Its Effect on Photography
Aperture refers to the opening in the lens through which light passes into the camera. The size of this opening is measured in f-stops, such as f/1.4, f/2.8, f/5.6, f/11, and so on. The f-stop numbers may seem a bit confusing at first, but it’s important to understand the relationship between them. A smaller f-stop number, like f/1.4, represents a larger aperture, which allows more light to enter the camera. On the other hand, a larger f-stop number, like f/16, represents a smaller aperture, which allows less light to pass through.
In addition to controlling the amount of light entering your camera, the aperture size also affects the depth of field in your images. Depth of field refers to how much of your image is in focus. A large aperture (low f-stop number) results in a shallow depth of field, where only a small part of the image is in focus, and the rest of the background is beautifully blurred. This is particularly useful for portrait photography, where you want to isolate your subject from the background. Conversely, a small aperture (high f-stop number) results in a deep depth of field, where both the foreground and background are in focus. This is ideal for landscape photography, where you want everything in the scene to be sharp and clear.
How Aperture Priority Mode Works
Aperture Priority mode, often labeled as "AV" on Canon cameras and "A" on Nikon, Sony, and other brands, gives you control over the aperture while the camera takes care of the shutter speed. This is incredibly helpful when you want to focus on controlling the depth of field without having to worry about adjusting the shutter speed manually. When you select your desired aperture, the camera will automatically calculate the appropriate shutter speed to ensure your image is properly exposed.
This mode is perfect for situations where the depth of field is more important than freezing motion or capturing fast-moving subjects. For instance, when shooting portraits, you may want to open up the aperture to create a soft, blurred background that emphasizes the subject. By selecting a large aperture (low f-stop number), you can achieve this effect while the camera automatically adjusts the shutter speed to maintain the correct exposure.
Aperture Priority mode is also ideal for those who want to quickly adapt to changing lighting conditions. Since the camera adjusts the shutter speed based on your aperture setting, you can focus on composing your shot and adjusting the aperture to achieve the desired depth of field, while the camera handles exposure compensation.
Choosing the Right Aperture for Different Photography Styles
Selecting the right aperture depends on the type of photography you are pursuing. Different genres of photography require different depth-of-field effects, and your aperture choice plays a key role in achieving the desired look. Here’s a closer look at how aperture impacts various styles of photography:
Portrait Photography: When shooting portraits, a shallow depth of field is often preferred to separate the subject from the background. To achieve this effect, you should select a wide aperture, such as f/1.8, f/2.8, or even f/1.4, depending on the lens you are using. This will result in a beautifully blurred background (bokeh) that draws attention to your subject.
Landscape Photography: In landscape photography, a deep depth of field is often desired to ensure that both the foreground and background are in focus. For this, you should use a smaller aperture, such as f/8, f/11, or f/16, which will ensure that most of the scene remains sharp and clear. While this may result in slightly less light entering the camera, you can compensate by adjusting the ISO or using a longer exposure time.
Macro Photography: When shooting close-up subjects, such as flowers or insects, a wide aperture can help isolate the subject from the background. However, in macro photography, even a small aperture change can have a significant impact on depth of field. It’s important to experiment with your aperture settings to achieve the best balance of sharpness and background blur.
Sports and Action Photography: While Aperture Priority mode is fantastic for controlling depth of field, it may not be the best choice for fast-moving subjects. In such cases, you’ll want to use a fast shutter speed to freeze motion, which can be challenging if the camera is adjusting the shutter speed automatically. In such situations, it’s best to switch to Shutter Priority mode (if available) or manually adjust both the aperture and shutter speed for precise control.
Mastering the Bokeh Effect
One of the most sought-after effects in photography is the bokeh effect, which is created by a shallow depth of field and a beautifully blurred background. This effect can add a dreamy, artistic quality to your images, making the subject stand out from the rest of the scene. To achieve a pronounced bokeh effect, it’s essential to use a wide aperture, such as f/1.4, f/1.8, or f/2.8, depending on your lens. The larger the aperture, the more pronounced the bokeh effect will be.
The quality of the bokeh also depends on the shape of the aperture blades in your lens. Lenses with rounded aperture blades tend to produce a smoother, more aesthetically pleasing bokeh, while lenses with more angular aperture blades can produce harsher, more defined shapes in the blurred background. Understanding how to use your aperture to manipulate the bokeh effect will allow you to create more visually striking and professional-looking images.
Balancing Aperture with Other Camera Settings
While Aperture Priority mode gives you control over the aperture, it’s important to remember that the exposure triangle—aperture, shutter speed, and ISO—works together to determine the exposure of your image. If you’re using Aperture Priority mode, the camera will adjust the shutter speed for you, but it’s essential to monitor how the camera is compensating for changes in aperture.
For example, if you open up the aperture to a wide setting (f/2.8), the camera may choose a faster shutter speed to avoid overexposure. However, if you’re shooting in low-light conditions, the camera may select a shutter speed that is too slow, resulting in motion blur. In such cases, you can adjust the ISO setting to ensure proper exposure without compromising the sharpness of the image.
On the other hand, if you choose a very small aperture (like f/16), the camera may select a slower shutter speed to maintain proper exposure. This can be problematic if you’re shooting handheld or capturing fast-moving subjects. To avoid camera shake, you can either increase the ISO or use a tripod to ensure sharpness at slower shutter speeds.
Step 2: Select a Small F-Stop for a More Blurry Background
When you dive deeper into photography, particularly when aiming for professional or artistic results, mastering the aperture is a crucial aspect. Aperture, which is measured in f-stops, governs not only how much light enters the camera but also the depth of field, which determines how much of the scene is in focus. If you’re looking to create a striking effect with a blurry background, understanding and manipulating the f-stop is essential. One of the best ways to achieve this desired blurred effect, known as bokeh, is by selecting a small f-stop, often in the range of F1.4 to F2.8.
The f-stop number, which is commonly labeled as f/1.4, f/2.8, f/4, f/8, and so on, has a direct impact on how the aperture opens and the resulting effect on the background. The smaller the f-stop number, the larger the aperture opening, allowing more light to hit the sensor, which also leads to a shallower depth of field. This means that more of the background will be out of focus and beautifully blurred. On the other hand, higher f-stop numbers such as f/8 or f/11 will result in a smaller aperture, creating a deeper depth of field and making more of the image, including the background, sharper and in focus.
To achieve the ever-popular blurry background effect, you must use a smaller f-stop. For example, settings like f/1.4 or f/2.8 will create a more pronounced effect where your subject is sharply focused, and the background fades away into a smooth blur. A very shallow depth of field isolates your subject, making it stand out and drawing the viewer's attention toward it. This is particularly desirable in portrait photography, where the subject's face or body is the primary focus, while the background should not distract from it.
The Importance of Choosing a Smaller F-Stop
Selecting a smaller f-stop number, such as f/1.4, f/2.0, or f/2.8, gives you the ability to create a shallow depth of field. This shallow depth of field, in turn, allows for a beautiful blurred background, where the subject in focus becomes the visual anchor. The amount of blur, or bokeh, is influenced by the aperture setting, the lens, and the distance between the subject and the background.
The larger aperture created by the smaller f-stop allows more light to enter the camera, which is why photographers often use it in lower light situations or when they want a fast shutter speed. But while the effect of a small f-stop number is often desirable for creating artistic images, it comes with its own set of challenges. The shallower the depth of field, the more difficult it becomes to maintain focus on moving subjects. This makes shooting with a smaller f-stop in situations with moving subjects a bit trickier, as the plane of focus becomes narrower. For instance, when photographing a moving person at f/1.4, you may find it challenging to keep the entire subject in focus, especially when they’re in motion. The narrower the depth of field, the more precision is required to ensure the subject stays sharp.
For photographers still mastering focusing skills or those less confident with their precision, using an f-stop of f/2.8 is often a safer choice. It still allows for a reasonably shallow depth of field, producing pleasing background blur, but the focus area is a bit wider, offering some leeway for minor focusing errors.
The Difference Between Low and High F-Stops
Understanding the distinction between low and high f-stop numbers is fundamental in deciding how much of your image will be in focus and how much of the background will be blurred. A high f-stop number, like f/11 or f/16, results in a smaller aperture and a much deeper depth of field, which means more of the image is in focus, from the foreground to the background. This setting is ideal for landscape photography or situations where you want to keep both the subject and the surrounding environment sharp.
However, when you're aiming for that soft, artistic background blur, or bokeh, choosing a lower f-stop number is key. A smaller aperture (low f-stop) will reduce the depth of field, allowing for a beautifully blurred background, effectively isolating the subject and making it stand out. The effect becomes even more pronounced when shooting portraits or close-ups where the subject is relatively close to the camera and the background is farther away.
The difference is easy to visualize. Take two photos: one shot at f/7.1, where the background remains sharp and clearly visible, and another shot at f/2.8, where the background is dramatically softened and blurred, creating a more aesthetically pleasing and professional image. This dramatic difference is due to the choice of f-stop, with the smaller f-stop allowing for a more artistic, focused effect on the subject, while a higher f-stop results in a cleaner, more detailed background.
How F-Stop Affects the Subject’s Focus
The ability to adjust the focus to your subject while blurring the background relies heavily on your choice of aperture. When you select a lower f-stop, you not only let in more light but also create a shallow depth of field. This shallow focus area means that only the subject (or part of it) will be in sharp focus, and everything else—such as the background—becomes blurred.
This is particularly effective in portrait photography, where the focus on the subject’s eyes or face stands out, while the rest of the background, such as trees, streets, or people, disappears into a soft blur. A shallow depth of field emphasizes the subject and minimizes distractions, allowing the viewer’s eyes to be drawn solely to the person or object in focus.
While the effect of a small f-stop on background blur is highly desirable, the actual amount of blur depends on factors like the distance between the subject and the background, as well as the focal length of your lens. Longer lenses (e.g., 85mm or 135mm) will compress the background even more, making the blur more pronounced, while shorter lenses (e.g., 35mm or 50mm) may not achieve the same level of blur. Therefore, a combination of f-stop selection and lens choice is crucial when crafting your desired blurry background.
Understanding the Role of Lens Quality
The quality of your lens also plays a significant role in achieving a pleasing background blur. Not all lenses produce the same bokeh effect, and this is mainly due to the aperture design. Lenses with rounded aperture blades tend to create a smoother, more aesthetically pleasing bokeh, whereas lenses with more angular blades can produce a bokeh that appears harsher or less pleasing.
When aiming for that smooth, professional-looking blur, it’s important to understand that the lens you use can affect how the out-of-focus areas look in your photos. Lenses with higher-quality optics, especially prime lenses (lenses with a fixed focal length like 50mm f/1.8 or 85mm f/1.4), often produce the most beautiful bokeh. These lenses are also typically faster, meaning they can achieve very low f-stop numbers that allow you to isolate your subject with ease.
When using lower-quality lenses, the bokeh may appear more distracting or less aesthetically pleasing. Some photographers find that a lens with a low f-stop but less ideal bokeh can result in an image that’s visually less appealing than one shot with a higher-quality lens, even at the same f-stop.
Practical Tips for Achieving the Best Background Blur
If you want to make the most of your aperture settings and achieve the perfect blurry background, here are some practical tips to consider:
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Use a Low F-Stop (f/1.4, f/2.8): As mentioned, selecting a smaller f-stop number creates a shallow depth of field, giving you a pronounced blur effect.
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Keep Your Subject Close to the Camera: The closer your subject is to the lens, the more the background will blur. This increases the difference between your subject and the background.
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Increase the Distance Between the Subject and the Background: The farther the background is from the subject, the more out of focus it will appear, making it easier to create a soft, dreamy background.
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Use a Longer Focal Length Lens: A lens with a longer focal length, such as a 50mm, 85mm, or 135mm, will help compress the scene and create an even stronger blur effect in the background.
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Choose the Right Lens: Prime lenses with wide apertures are ideal for creating smooth background blur, especially those with rounded aperture blades.
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Experiment and Practice: Don’t hesitate to experiment with different f-stop settings and combinations of lens choice and distance. Each combination will produce a unique look, so practice and fine-tuning are key to mastering the technique.
Step 3: Increase Distance Between Subject and Background
Once you’ve mastered controlling your aperture to achieve a beautiful background blur, there’s another powerful technique that can further enhance this effect: increasing the distance between your subject and the background. While setting your aperture to a low f-stop, such as f/1.4 or f/2.8, is crucial for creating that coveted blurred background, the proximity of your subject to the background also plays an essential role in determining how pronounced the blur will be. Even with a wide aperture, if your subject is too close to the background, the blur effect might not be as noticeable as you desire.
The rule of thumb is simple: the greater the distance between your subject and the background, the more pronounced the blur will be. This principle is especially significant in portrait photography, product photography, or any scenario where you want to create a smooth, visually appealing background that fades into a soft blur, allowing the subject to stand out more clearly. The effect works due to the nature of depth of field and how light travels through the lens, rendering objects that are closer to the camera sharp and objects further away more out of focus.
The Science Behind Background Blur and Distance
To fully understand why distance plays such a vital role in background blur, it's important to understand how depth of field works. Depth of field is the range of distance in your image that remains in focus. The smaller the aperture (lower f-stop), the shallower the depth of field, meaning only a small part of the image will be in sharp focus, while the rest will be blurred. This is the foundation of the bokeh effect, where your subject is crisply in focus while the background is beautifully blurred.
When your subject is too close to the background, the blur effect is less noticeable because both the subject and the background are relatively close to each other in terms of their distance from the camera. With the subject and background both being close to the lens, the camera doesn’t have enough distance to create a strong contrast between sharp and blurred areas. However, by moving the subject further from the background, you increase the disparity between the distances from the lens to the subject and the lens to the background. This increase in distance allows the background to be more out of focus, intensifying the blur effect.
Why Distance Matters in Portrait Photography
In portrait photography, the ability to separate your subject from the background is a powerful tool that makes the subject stand out in a compelling way. When the subject is positioned too close to the backdrop, even with a low f-stop setting, the background will not blur significantly. The sharpness of the background will be more noticeable, potentially detracting from the overall composition. To achieve that dreamy, out-of-focus look that isolates your subject, simply moving your subject away from the background will dramatically improve the overall aesthetic of the shot.
Let’s say you are shooting a portrait at f/2.8, and your subject is standing right next to a wall. The distance between the subject and the background is minimal, and the blur effect will not be as effective. If you move the subject just a few feet away from the wall, the background becomes much more blurred, creating that professional, clean look that separates the subject from the distracting elements behind them. This technique helps in reducing background noise and focusing attention on the subject without visual distractions.
Enhancing Product Photography with Subject-Background Distance
In product photography, especially when you're shooting items like jewelry, cosmetics, or small objects, the background blur can help bring attention to the product itself, making it the focal point of the image. Just as in portrait photography, the closer the product is to the background, the less blur you will achieve, even with a wide aperture. By increasing the distance between the product and the background, you create a greater sense of separation, and the background begins to blur more dramatically. This results in a clean, uncluttered background that does not compete with the product.
For instance, when photographing a ring on a stand, if the background is positioned too close to the product, even shooting with a wide aperture might not yield the desired effect. Moving the ring stand a few feet away from the backdrop can help to achieve a soft, blurred background, allowing the product to shine. This is particularly beneficial when shooting on white or neutral-colored backgrounds, as it can help eliminate unwanted textures or shadows, keeping the viewer’s attention where it belongs.
Creating the Illusion of Space and Depth in Landscape Photography
While increasing distance between subject and background is a common technique in portrait and product photography, it can also play a role in landscape photography. In landscapes, the use of background blur can add a sense of depth and dimension to your images. For example, when photographing a subject such as a tree or a person in a field, you can achieve a shallow depth of field by adjusting the distance between your subject and distant elements in the background, like hills or mountains.
In this scenario, placing the subject closer to the camera and the background elements farther away can create a sense of separation between the foreground and the background, helping to highlight the subject while still maintaining the overall composition of the landscape. Even though landscapes often require greater depth of field to keep more of the scene in focus, using distance effectively can still allow you to create a visually interesting and layered image.
How to Use Distance in Different Photography Genres
The principle of increasing the distance between the subject and background applies to many genres of photography. Whether you are shooting architecture, street scenes, or even wildlife, the amount of space between the subject and background can influence the overall visual impact of your photos. For example, in architectural photography, you might want to place the subject, such as a building or structure, further away from surrounding elements to create a sense of depth and dimension. Similarly, in street photography, you can isolate individuals from the busy background by moving them away from chaotic surroundings, which makes them stand out against the bustling environment.
Wildlife photographers can also benefit from this technique. When photographing animals in their natural habitat, a greater distance between the animal and the background can help separate them from trees, rocks, or other elements that might distract from the subject. Moving further back while zooming in with a longer lens can effectively blur the background, drawing more attention to the animal without distractions.
Practical Tips for Increasing Distance and Maximizing Background Blur
To get the most out of this technique and achieve the maximum background blur, here are some practical tips to consider:
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Move Your Subject Away: Start by simply increasing the distance between your subject and the background. Even a few feet can make a big difference in how much blur you achieve.
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Use a Long Lens: A longer focal length, such as a 50mm or 85mm prime lens, will help you blur the background even more, especially when you increase the subject-background distance.
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Position the Subject Strategically: In portraiture or product photography, place the subject a good distance from any clutter or elements that you don’t want in focus.
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Maximize Aperture Size: Use a low f-stop (like f/2.8 or lower) to create a shallow depth of field that enhances the background blur. The combination of a wide aperture and subject-background distance is the key to this effect.
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Experiment with Backgrounds: Sometimes, even a simple adjustment of the background can make a huge difference in how the blur looks. Test various backdrops to see how they interact with your subject, and position them farther away for a more blurred effect.
Step 4: Get Closer to Your Subject (Optional)
This step isn’t strictly necessary, but it can enhance the effect. If you move closer to your subject, the background blur will become even more dramatic. The closer you are to your subject, the more pronounced the depth of field becomes, and thus, the blurrier the background appears.
For example, if you're using F2.8 and shoot from a distance, you may get some background blur. But if you move in closer to your subject while keeping the same aperture, the blur effect intensifies. This is a great way to make your subject stand out against a smooth, soft backdrop.
Keep in mind that getting too close may not always be practical, especially if you're trying to capture a wide scene or need some of the environment to be visible. But, if your goal is to make your subject stand out with a dramatic blur, getting closer can give you that added effect.
Bonus Tip: Use a Longer Focal Length Lens for More Intense Background Blur
Here’s an extra tip for those who want to go above and beyond with their blurry backgrounds. If you have the option to use different lenses, choosing a longer focal length lens can create an even more intense background blur. Longer focal lengths, like 85mm, 135mm, or even 200mm lenses, will give you a compressed field of view and will blur the background more significantly than shorter focal lengths, like 35mm or 50mm.
This is because longer lenses magnify the subject and compress the scene, making the background blur much more pronounced. For instance, when you shoot with a 35mm lens, the background blur is subtle, but when you switch to a 135mm lens, the same subject framed in a similar way will have a much more dramatic blurred background.
A longer focal length doesn’t only increase the blur but also enhances the isolation of your subject. It gives your images a professional touch by making the subject pop and creating a pleasing, soft background.
Final Thoughts:
Mastering the art of creating a blurry background is a powerful tool in any photographer’s arsenal. The technique of background blur, or bokeh, isn’t just a trend but an essential part of producing high-quality, professional-looking photos. Whether you're a beginner trying to improve your skills or a seasoned photographer looking to refine your work, understanding the elements that create this effect can vastly enhance your images. The key to achieving the perfect blurry background is knowing how to control the aperture, depth of field, and the positioning of both your subject and the background.
The first step in mastering background blur is switching to aperture priority mode. This allows you to take control over one of the most crucial elements in creating bokeh: your aperture setting. By manually adjusting the f-stop, you can control how much of your scene is in focus and, ultimately, how much blur you achieve in the background. A lower f-stop number creates a larger aperture, which results in a shallower depth of field and a more pronounced background blur. However, it’s essential to remember that achieving a crisp subject while blurring the background takes practice, so it’s important to experiment with different f-stop settings to find the one that works best for your style and lens.
Another crucial element in enhancing background blur is the distance between your subject and the background. The greater the space between them, the more dramatic the effect becomes. Whether you’re photographing portraits, nature, or products, manipulating the distance allows you to create that soft, dreamy look that makes the subject stand out. Additionally, getting closer to the subject can further intensify the background blur, adding even more emphasis to the focal point.
For photographers looking to take their bokeh to the next level, using a longer focal length lens is an excellent way to achieve a more pronounced and dramatic background blur. Lenses with longer focal lengths compress the scene, enhancing the blur and isolating the subject beautifully.
