How to increase background blur?

[buzzmario]

this shot can be done very easily, you can very the distance of father/baby and the camera to get the degree of blur you want, eg, want more blur, move father/baby and camera away from the background, less blur than move closer to mother.

these kind of shots was commonly seen on traditional pose wedding portrait in the west, is a must have shot, where focusing on the bride, and parents of the bride pose at the background looking at the bride, in defoucs.

btw, it is a set up shot, it does not happen naturally.

hi, pardon me as a newbie, as a layman, if i see in the view finder, the focus sq is pointing at the baby for the shot? not at the man or in between the man and the baby?
thanks

 

[Rashkae]

hi, pardon me as a newbie, as a layman, if i see in the view finder, the focus sq is pointing at the baby for the shot? not at the man or in between the man and the baby?
thanks

Even if the focus point is at the baby, it does not mean that ONLY the baby will be in focus. Focus is not a spot, but a plane perpendicular to your camera lens and parallel to your sensor (unless you use tilt/shift). Everything in that focal plane will be in focus, which is why the chin and part of the dad's specs are in focus too, but the ear is already blurred.

 

[rhino123]

hi, pardon me as a newbie, as a layman, if i see in the view finder, the focus sq is pointing at the baby for the shot? not at the man or in between the man and the baby?
thanks

You really need to read more into DOF. It answer all your questions on how the photo are taken and how/why the background was blurred.

Understanding Depth of Field in Photography

 

[buzzmario]

You really need to read more into DOF. It answer all your questions on how the photo are taken and how/why the background was blurred.

Understanding Depth of Field in Photography

thanks.

 

[sjackal]

So in summary, other than
1) increase distance of subject from background
2) reduce distance of photographer to subject
3) photoshop/post processing

There are no other techniques to increase the background blur even slightly?

Bro best to learn how to do produce results with the basic 1 2 3 method first before looking for advanced methods. The search for the elixir is often frustrating and fruitless.

 

[GRbenji]

So in summary, other than
1) increase distance of subject from background
2) reduce distance of photographer to subject
3) photoshop/post processing

There are no other techniques to increase the background blur even slightly?

There is 1 more by tilting the focal plane with a tilt-shift lens as mentioned earlier.

 

[elcielo]

You may always consider that the closer you are to the subject, more chances you will achieve the blur that you desired. And well Photoshop is always one.

 

[kei1309]

how to blur the background?

tell the background not to be sharp.

:bsmilie:

 

[Rashkae]

how to blur the background?

tell the background not to be sharp.

:bsmilie:

Remove your specs

 

[kei1309]

Remove your specs

everything will be blurry :bsmilie:

 

[Rashkae]

everything will be blurry :bsmilie:

Not if you're near-sighted