How to Create a Blurry Background in Your Photograph

Many beginners often ask:


“How do I make the background of my photograph look blurry?”


It is actually quite easy to achieve and it can be done in three easy steps. First of all, you will need a DSLR type camera because DSLRs have large sensors and the lenses are interchangeable. You can, however, try using a compact camera, though the results will be less successful.


Step One: Set your lens’ zoom to its maximal capacity.
For example, if you are using an 18-55mm lens, then set your lens to the 55mm focal length. A more telephoto zoom lenses are better, such as a 55-250mm zoom lens. When using this lens, set your focal length to a range of 85 to 135 mm. This focal range is ideal for photographing portraits.


Step Two: Position your model as far away from the background as possible.
The farther the distance between the background and your model, the blurrier the background will seem.


Step Three: Set the aperture to its widest possible setting
The wider the aperture, the blurrier the background will become. If you are using an 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 lens, then set your lens to f/5.6 (this is the maximum aperture for the focal length of 55mm). If you are not satisfied with the results from your 18-55mm lens, I recommend you to buy a 50mm f/1.8 or 85mm f/1.8 lens. Even though these lenses are fixed (cannot be zoomed), the very large maximum aperture makes these lenses highly suitable for taking portrait photographs.