How to Get a Blurry Background (More Bokeh) in Photography
A blurry background, often referred to as "bokeh," helps isolate the subject from distractions and creates a professional, artistic look. Bokeh (derived from the Japanese word for "blur") describes the aesthetic quality of the out-of-focus areas in an image. This effect is highly sought after in portraits, macro photography, and creative compositions.
Creating a blurry background involves understanding how to manipulate your camera’s settings, lens choice, and shooting technique. Here’s a detailed guide to help you achieve that soft, dreamy blur.
1. Use a Wide Aperture
The aperture controls how much light enters your lens, and it’s measured in f-stops (e.g., f/1.8, f/2.8, f/4, etc.). The wider the aperture (lower f-number), the shallower the depth of field, which creates a more pronounced background blur.
How to adjust aperture:
Switch your camera to Aperture Priority Mode (A or Av) or Manual Mode (M).
Set the aperture to a low f-number, such as f/1.8, f/2.8, or as wide as your lens allows.
Why it works:
A wide aperture narrows the focus area, keeping the subject sharp while blurring the background.
2. Use a Lens with a Wide Maximum Aperture
Not all lenses are created equal when it comes to achieving bokeh. Lenses with a wide maximum aperture (e.g., f/1.4, f/1.8, f/2.8) are ideal for creating a blurry background.
Best lenses for bokeh:
Prime Lenses: Fixed focal length lenses like 50mm f/1.8 or 85mm f/1.4 are excellent for portraits.
Telephoto Lenses: Longer lenses like 70-200mm f/2.8 compress the background, enhancing blur.
Macro Lenses: Perfect for close-up shots with shallow depth of field.
3. Increase the Distance Between Subject and Background
The farther the background is from the subject, the more it will appear out of focus.
How to achieve this:
Position your subject well in front of the background (e.g., move them several feet away from walls, trees, or buildings).
The greater the distance, the smoother and creamier the background blur.
Why it works:
A distant background falls further outside the focal plane, resulting in stronger blur.
4. Decrease the Distance Between Camera and Subject
Getting closer to your subject enhances the blurry background effect.
How to achieve this:
Physically move closer to your subject.
Use a lens with a short minimum focusing distance (macro or portrait lenses).
Why it works:
A closer camera-to-subject distance increases the depth of field's shallowness, enhancing the background blur.
5. Use a Longer Focal Length
The focal length of your lens affects how the background is rendered. Telephoto lenses compress the background and magnify the blur, creating a smoother effect.
How to achieve this:
Use a longer focal length lens, such as 85mm, 100mm, or 200mm.
Stand farther back from the subject to maintain framing and adjust focus.
Why it works:
Longer focal lengths narrow the field of view and compress the background, making it appear softer and more blurred.
6. Shoot with a Full-Frame Camera
The size of your camera sensor also affects depth of field. Full-frame cameras naturally produce a shallower depth of field than crop-sensor cameras at the same aperture and focal length.
How to achieve this:
If available, use a full-frame camera to maximize bokeh potential.
Even with crop sensors, combining the other techniques will still create beautiful background blur.
Why it works:
Larger sensors capture more light and have a wider field of view, which contributes to smoother bokeh.
7. Use the Right Background
The type of background you choose impacts the quality of the blur.
Ideal backgrounds:
Simple, distant, and uncluttered settings, like open fields, skies, or plain walls.
Backgrounds with small points of light, such as fairy lights or sunlight through leaves, create beautiful circular bokeh.
Why it works:
Textured or patterned backgrounds enhance the appearance of bokeh by turning small light sources into soft, out-of-focus shapes.
8. Adjust Your Focus
Where you place your focus point greatly impacts the depth of field and the background blur.
How to achieve this:
Use single-point autofocus (AF-S or One-Shot mode) to precisely focus on the subject.
Ensure your subject is sharply in focus while the background falls out of focus.
Why it works:
Accurate focusing ensures the subject is the focal point, making the blurred background more noticeable.
9. Use a Neutral Density (ND) Filter for Bright Conditions
Shooting with a wide aperture in bright sunlight can overexpose your image. An ND filter reduces the amount of light entering the lens, allowing you to maintain a wide aperture for maximum bokeh.
How to achieve this:
Attach an ND filter to your lens when shooting outdoors in bright light.
Use ND filters with adjustable stops for flexibility.
Why it works:
ND filters let you keep the aperture wide without overexposing the shot.
10. Post-Processing for Extra Bokeh
If you don’t achieve the desired level of blur in-camera, post-processing tools can help enhance the effect.
How to achieve this:
Use software like Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop.
Apply a blur effect to the background or adjust depth with masking tools.
Why it works:
Post-processing gives you finer control over the blur, but it’s best to get as much bokeh as possible in-camera for a natural look.
Practical Example of Settings for Blurry Background
Scenario: Portrait in a park with distant trees.
Camera Mode: Aperture Priority (A or Av).
Aperture: f/1.8 (or the widest setting your lens allows).
Focal Length: 85mm (or longer for enhanced blur).
Subject Distance: 4-5 feet from the camera.
Background Distance: At least 15 feet behind the subject.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Background Too Close:
A background that’s too close to the subject won’t blur effectively.
Solution: Increase the distance between the subject and the background.
Using the Wrong Lens:
Lenses with narrow maximum apertures (e.g., f/4 or higher) will struggle to produce significant blur.
Solution: Use a lens with a wider aperture (e.g., f/1.8 or f/2.8).
Subject Out of Focus:
Focusing on the wrong part of the scene can make the subject blurry instead of the background.
Solution: Use single-point focus mode to lock focus on the subject.
Overexposed Images:
Wide apertures can let in too much light in bright conditions.
Solution: Use an ND filter or faster shutter speed to compensate.
Conclusion
Achieving a blurry background (bokeh) is all about controlling depth of field through aperture, lens choice, distance, and composition. By using a wide aperture, longer focal length, and strategic placement of your subject and background, you can create stunning images with a soft, dreamy blur that emphasizes your subject. Practice these techniques, and soon you’ll master the art of bokeh for portraits, macro shots, and creative photography.
