Taking picture with blurry background - SBB Digital Scrapbooking Forums | Scrapbook-Bytes

SamanthasMom · #1 (**permalink**) 05-13-2005

I have read numerous articles on taking shots so the background is blurry and the subject is clear. I am not really good at changing my shutter speeds and such. Anyone have any suggestions on how fast or slow I should be taking my shots at? TIA!

sprauncey1 · #2 (**permalink**) 05-13-2005

I believe this is a function of the aperature setting. You want a large aperature to keep the front subject in focus and the background is out of focus-or fuzzy. Now the tricky part is that a large aperature is a small f-number on your camera. So set your camera to aperature priority mode (if you have that) and set the f number to be as small as possible and play with that and see if that's what you were looking for. I'm still learning all this so if I say anything incorrectly, please correct me!

Leewinz · #3 (**permalink**) 05-13-2005

She is right try AV mode on your camera, you set the aperture and the camera will automtically set the shutterspeed. What kind of camera are you shooting with?

SamanthasMom · #4 (**permalink**) 05-13-2005

Thanks guys! I am using a Fuji Finepix S5100. I have all of those mentioned functions, now I just have to wait for Samantha to wake from her nap and try it out!!!!! Thanks for your help guys!

~Amy~ · #5 (**permalink**) 05-13-2005

Heather - what I do with my Fuji S602 is this.... keep it on automatic mode.... don't get too close to your subject or focal point and then utilize your zoom; and get in close using your zoom feature NOT your macro mode - and focus only on the main subject or part to be photographed... then take the shot ---- almost every time my background is blurry and the rest is clear... here is a shot I took the other day just as I mentioned

..

this photo is totally unedited - as is/out of the camera

~Amy~ · #6 (**permalink**) 05-13-2005

here is one more that is unedited and using the same technique with the Finepix S602.

SamanthasMom · #7 (**permalink**) 05-15-2005

Wow! Thanks for the pictures too! I love them both and am still learning how to get a good shot like that! I will try these new techniques too!

knadeen · #8 (**permalink**) 05-18-2005

Hi,

I'm fairly new to this site, so I'm a little shy about responding. I'm not that good a photographer either, so my question may be dumb. Do you not like using the features in DIP or Adobe to make the background blurry? That's the only way I know how to do that.