Camera Labs

Is it possible to take portraits with blurred backgrounds with my Canon SX210IS?
If yes How?

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Amit Deshpande

Zoom in a lot, set it to the smallest f number possible.

Or fake it in photoshop laster.

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Recent pics on flickr


Canon 500D, 18-55mm IS, 55-250mm IS, 50mm f1.8 II, 430exII

DSLRs are good for things like that, with their large sensor and fast lenses you can throw that background right out! Once again, as Michael mentioned, the key is to use the lowest F number. The F number is the aperture of the lens, a smaller F number (Ex: F2.0 or F2. opens up the aperture of the lens wider, so you can use a shorter exposure and it blurs the background. A higher F number (Ex: F16 or F22) makes the lens aperture smaller, forcing you to use a longer exposure, but it gets more into focus.

As you can see in this picture of my puppy here:



The background is blurred and out of focus. I took this with my Canon Powershot, which cannot blur background. So, how did I blur this one? I used the Gaussian Blur effect in Photoshop elements, a very handy tool.

-Evan

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-Evan

Gear: 7 Nikon Nikkor AI-S and AF-S lenses, SB-700 flash, Nikon D7000, Nikon FM, variety of accessories

"There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs."
- Ansel Adams

Use a large aperture value.
Use a long focal length (although most lenses have a smaller aperture when zoomed in, the opposite of what you want)

If you equipment is lacking the above areas make the subject to background distance as large as possible.

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Canon EOS 400D, EF-S 18-55mm, EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM, EF 50mm f/1.8 MK I, EF-S 10-22mm, EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM, EF 28mm f/1.8, EF 85mm f/1.8
Canon 430EX II, Manfrotto 055CXPRO3, Arca Swiss P0
Panasonic GF3, Panasonic 20mm f/1.7, Olympus 45mm f/1.8

MY FLICKR!