Focussing question....?
Discussion
Very novice question here so bare with me.
I have played about with the auto and manual focus on my new slr but want to get an effect whereby the subject is in focus but the rest of the picture is 'hazy' or 'blurred'.
Can someone point me in the right direction of what type of setting i should be using for this?
I was under the impression it would only be suitable to macro photography but have seen some pictures recently which would suggest otherwise!
Thanks,
Woza.
I have played about with the auto and manual focus on my new slr but want to get an effect whereby the subject is in focus but the rest of the picture is 'hazy' or 'blurred'.
Can someone point me in the right direction of what type of setting i should be using for this?
I was under the impression it would only be suitable to macro photography but have seen some pictures recently which would suggest otherwise!
Thanks,
Woza.
Here it is easy:
Put the camera into 'S' mode
For everything to be in focus you need a SLOW shutter speed: e.g. 1/60th or slower. For only the subject to be in focus and everything else 'blurred', you need a FAST speed: e.g. 1/500th or faster.
Easy peezy, don't need any knowledge of apertures or anything
Put the camera into 'S' mode
For everything to be in focus you need a SLOW shutter speed: e.g. 1/60th or slower. For only the subject to be in focus and everything else 'blurred', you need a FAST speed: e.g. 1/500th or faster.
Easy peezy, don't need any knowledge of apertures or anything
Edited by GetCarter on Wednesday 16th September 14:13
GetCarter said:
Simpo - neither had I.
I am trying to get him/her to alter aperture setting by thinking speed not clever photographic stuff. It seems to work easier for new users. Landscapes don't move, so slow... people cars etc, move, so you need fast.
DOF altered without having to engage brain.
Although, your approach won't yield the shallow DOF pictures which the OP seems to be after. For example:I am trying to get him/her to alter aperture setting by thinking speed not clever photographic stuff. It seems to work easier for new users. Landscapes don't move, so slow... people cars etc, move, so you need fast.
DOF altered without having to engage brain.
- Person sat still = slow shutter speed = smaller aperture = deeper DOF = more of background in focus and not blurred
GetCarter said:
Here it is easy:
Put the camera into 'S' mode
For everything to be in focus you need a SLOW shutter speed: e.g. 1/60th or slower. For only the subject to be in focus and everything else 'blurred', you need a FAST speed: e.g. 1/500th or faster.
Alernatively, since the OP seems to be looking to separate the subject from the background using a shallow DOF:Put the camera into 'S' mode
For everything to be in focus you need a SLOW shutter speed: e.g. 1/60th or slower. For only the subject to be in focus and everything else 'blurred', you need a FAST speed: e.g. 1/500th or faster.
- put the camera in 'A' mode
- adjust the aperture so the widest aperture (lowest number) is achieved, e.g. f2.0 as opposed to f16;
- move towards subject to compose the shot and then focus on it; and
- hey presto, subject isolated from background with nice blurry effect
Edited by Nick M on Wednesday 16th September 14:28
OK, we're agreed that it's a DOF issue. Direct control of DOF is controlled by aperture - so you may as well go straight for it and not go via shutter speed, which could cause extra confusion.
Anyway, this proves that we achieve results by following our own thought processes, and that's why I didn't spoon-feed the OP with 'Press button A, turn knob B'. Only by doing a little thinking does one achieve understanding, and with some understanding the OP will be able to work things out for himself next time.
Wodgathink Woza?
Anyway, this proves that we achieve results by following our own thought processes, and that's why I didn't spoon-feed the OP with 'Press button A, turn knob B'. Only by doing a little thinking does one achieve understanding, and with some understanding the OP will be able to work things out for himself next time.
Wodgathink Woza?
This is where I first learned, before knowing how to practice: http://digital-photography-school.com/aperture
To get a blurry background:
1) Get as close to your subject as possible.
2) Use the widest aperture you can (lowest 'F' number).
3) Use a long focal length.
4) Have the "blurry" bit as far away as possible.
So if you're using your Sony 18-70mm lens for a portrait of someone: Zoom in to 70mm and stand close enough that only their head and top of shoulders are in the frame, use 'A' mode and dial it down to 5.6, and have something in the background in the distance.
To get a blurry background:
1) Get as close to your subject as possible.
2) Use the widest aperture you can (lowest 'F' number).
3) Use a long focal length.
4) Have the "blurry" bit as far away as possible.
So if you're using your Sony 18-70mm lens for a portrait of someone: Zoom in to 70mm and stand close enough that only their head and top of shoulders are in the frame, use 'A' mode and dial it down to 5.6, and have something in the background in the distance.
mcflurry said:
I wouldn't dream of disagreeing with either of the above posters, but found that my Nikon kit lens doesn't go to a low enough f-stop to get the desired effect.
Instead Photoshop gets fired up, the person masked off, and a guassian blur applied to the background
That's a good work-around if the lens won't let you achieve the desired results 'in the field'.Instead Photoshop gets fired up, the person masked off, and a guassian blur applied to the background
Probably worth mentioning that DOF and isolating the subject from the background is a product of your distance relative to each. Closer you are to the subject and the further away the background is then the greater the 'separation' effect.
Definitely worth reading up on this matter though to get a proper understanding of the 'why', as opposed to the just the 'how'.
thanks for all the responses guys, some sound much simpler than others!
Will give them all a try, i recently took a picture of my other half at the seaside sitting on a bench and wanted everything else in the background (which was bland and ugly) to be blurred, i imagine any of the above would create the desired effect?
Woza.
Will give them all a try, i recently took a picture of my other half at the seaside sitting on a bench and wanted everything else in the background (which was bland and ugly) to be blurred, i imagine any of the above would create the desired effect?
Woza.
Woza said:
i recently took a picture of my other half at the seaside sitting on a bench and wanted everything else in the background (which was bland and ugly) to be blurred, i imagine any of the above would create the desired effect?
Yes, they should.This the sort of thing you're looking to achieve ?
Woza said:
thanks for all the responses guys, some sound much simpler than others!
Will give them all a try, i recently took a picture of my other half at the seaside sitting on a bench and wanted everything else in the background (which was bland and ugly) to be blurred, i imagine any of the above would create the desired effect?
Woza.
Honestly Woza... ignore all the clever people above... Rule of thumb (until you spend time learning all the clever stuff) slow shutter speed = lots in focus, fast shutter speed = only the subject in focus. It'll work 99% of the time.Will give them all a try, i recently took a picture of my other half at the seaside sitting on a bench and wanted everything else in the background (which was bland and ugly) to be blurred, i imagine any of the above would create the desired effect?
Woza.
Understanding apertures is the way to go, but for an instant fix, just try the above. Nick and Simpo are really good at what they do and IMHO may have forgotten how difficult it was as a newbie (?)
Edited by GetCarter on Wednesday 16th September 15:07
GetCarter said:
Honestly Woza... ignore all the clever people above... Rule of thumb (until you spend time learning all the clever stuff) slow shutter speed = lots in focus, fast shutter speed = only the subject in focus. It'll work 99% of the time.
Understanding apertures is the way to go, but for an instant fix, just try the above. Nick and Simpo are really good at what they do and IMHO may have forgotten how difficult it was as a newbie (?)
Right, the penny has dropped as far as your earlier comment. I'd misunderstood, and thought you were advocating slow shutter speeds for 'slow' subjects, fast shutter speeds for 'fast' ones.Understanding apertures is the way to go, but for an instant fix, just try the above. Nick and Simpo are really good at what they do and IMHO may have forgotten how difficult it was as a newbie (?)
But I now get the point you're making.
GetCarter said:
Woza said:
thanks for all the responses guys, some sound much simpler than others!
Will give them all a try, i recently took a picture of my other half at the seaside sitting on a bench and wanted everything else in the background (which was bland and ugly) to be blurred, i imagine any of the above would create the desired effect?
Woza.
Honestly Woza... ignore all the clever people above... Rule of thumb (until you spend time learning all the clever stuff) slow shutter speed = lots in focus, fast shutter speed = only the subject in focus. It'll work 99% of the time.Will give them all a try, i recently took a picture of my other half at the seaside sitting on a bench and wanted everything else in the background (which was bland and ugly) to be blurred, i imagine any of the above would create the desired effect?
Woza.
The problem with your explanation is that it fails to take into account the amount of light available.
I've just set my camera to 1/60th of a second, ISO 100. Exposing for inside the room is flashing up under-exposure at f2.8, whereas exposing for the white van parked over the road comes up with an aperture of f13. Woza could sit there taking shots of the van at 1/60th of a second for hours to come, but he's still not going to get a blurred background until the sun starts to set!
For the benefit of the OP, your question appears to be one of DOF (depth of field) as opposed to 'panning' as one would when shooting a moving car, for example. The factors which influence DOF are as follows (in order of importance):
1) The focal length of the lens you are using. This is the single most important determiner of what will and will not be in sharp focus 'at any given aperture'. For example, I shoot almost all of my portraits and fashion work with a 70-200 f2.8 lens, usually at around 155mm and f4 to f5.6. If I chose, say, a 50mm lens, at the same given aperture and distance, there would be little background blur (notwithstanding what I am about to say, below):
2) Aperture. Wider aperture (eg f1.8, f2.8 etc) = shallower depth of field. Small apertures (such as f11, f13 etc) will allow more of your scene to be in focus. We use smaller apertures when shooting landscapes, or when we need to control ambient light when using strobe outdoors.
3) Camera to subject distance. The closer you are to your subject, the shallower the DOF
4) Subject to background distace. The further your subject is from any background, the more 'blur' you will achieve
5) Sensor size. Crop factor sensors (APS-C, APS-H) have around a stop more (deeper) DOF than a full-frame sensor. For this reason alone I work between the two systems, particuarly useful in low light where I need my widest available aperture, but don't want to sacrifice all my DOF.
Depth of Field can be calculated for any given focal length and aperture combination. Simply Google 'depth of field calculator'.
The shallower your DOF, the more care you must take over your focal point. Allowing the camera to choose this for you would be completely inappropriate, since it will latch onto the nearest 'contrasty' part of your scene. Try selecting the centre focus point (your camera manual will tell you how) and aiming this at whatever area you want in sharp focus, then keeping the shutter part way depressed, recompose the shot before fully pressing the button. Alternatively, compose the scene and manually flip between whichever focus point is closest to your subject.
In order to practice the above, you'll need to be in either Aperture Priority mode (A) or Manual mode (M).
Hope this helps.
Lindsay
www.lindsaydobsonphotography.com
1) The focal length of the lens you are using. This is the single most important determiner of what will and will not be in sharp focus 'at any given aperture'. For example, I shoot almost all of my portraits and fashion work with a 70-200 f2.8 lens, usually at around 155mm and f4 to f5.6. If I chose, say, a 50mm lens, at the same given aperture and distance, there would be little background blur (notwithstanding what I am about to say, below):
2) Aperture. Wider aperture (eg f1.8, f2.8 etc) = shallower depth of field. Small apertures (such as f11, f13 etc) will allow more of your scene to be in focus. We use smaller apertures when shooting landscapes, or when we need to control ambient light when using strobe outdoors.
3) Camera to subject distance. The closer you are to your subject, the shallower the DOF
4) Subject to background distace. The further your subject is from any background, the more 'blur' you will achieve
5) Sensor size. Crop factor sensors (APS-C, APS-H) have around a stop more (deeper) DOF than a full-frame sensor. For this reason alone I work between the two systems, particuarly useful in low light where I need my widest available aperture, but don't want to sacrifice all my DOF.
Depth of Field can be calculated for any given focal length and aperture combination. Simply Google 'depth of field calculator'.
The shallower your DOF, the more care you must take over your focal point. Allowing the camera to choose this for you would be completely inappropriate, since it will latch onto the nearest 'contrasty' part of your scene. Try selecting the centre focus point (your camera manual will tell you how) and aiming this at whatever area you want in sharp focus, then keeping the shutter part way depressed, recompose the shot before fully pressing the button. Alternatively, compose the scene and manually flip between whichever focus point is closest to your subject.
In order to practice the above, you'll need to be in either Aperture Priority mode (A) or Manual mode (M).
Hope this helps.
Lindsay
www.lindsaydobsonphotography.com
Kermit power said:
I have to say, that confused the buggery out of me, and I already know how to do it!!!
The problem with your explanation is that it fails to take into account the amount of light available.
I've just set my camera to 1/60th of a second, ISO 100. Exposing for inside the room is flashing up under-exposure at f2.8, whereas exposing for the white van parked over the road comes up with an aperture of f13. Woza could sit there taking shots of the van at 1/60th of a second for hours to come, but he's still not going to get a blurred background until the sun starts to set!
Ahhhh, but then you just ramp up the ISO setting a bit and hey presto, a quicker shutter speed !!The problem with your explanation is that it fails to take into account the amount of light available.
I've just set my camera to 1/60th of a second, ISO 100. Exposing for inside the room is flashing up under-exposure at f2.8, whereas exposing for the white van parked over the road comes up with an aperture of f13. Woza could sit there taking shots of the van at 1/60th of a second for hours to come, but he's still not going to get a blurred background until the sun starts to set!
/probably not helping with the "Keep It Simple Stupid" approach
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