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Like many people, I love that blurry background look with the subject in sharp focus. Last year, I learned that there was a word for this effect—bokeh [bōˈkā]! There are a number of ways to get this effect with your camera. Here are some of the methods:
1. Set your f-stop lower so your aperture is wider
If you know a little bit about how to use manual settings on your camera, you’ll know that one of the triad features you can adjust is the aperture. The wider the aperture, the lower the f/stop number. To get a nice bokeh effect, you want to aim for a f/2.8 aperture or lower. The widest aperture available varies by lens. For example, I have two 50mm lenses, but one opens up to f/1.8 while the other (more expensive one) opens to f/1.4. Which leads me to my next helpful suggestion…
2. Purchase a lens that allows you to shoot with wider apertures
As mentioned above, certain lenses allow you to shoot with wider apertures than others. A great bokeh-ish lens to start with if you are beginner is the 50mm f/1.8 prime lens. I recently purchased my Canon 50mm f/1.8 lens from Amazon for a great price. Keep in mind that wider aperture options oftentimes equates to being a more expensive lens (for example, the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 telephoto lens is quite a bit more expensive than the Canon 70-200mm f/4) telephoto lens. But depending on the type of photos you are trying to capture (like portraits), it may honestly be completely worth it!
3. Create distance between your background & subject
Make sure that there is a good amount of distance between your background and subject. As you can see in the image above with Gregg, the background that is furthest away from him is most blurred.
4. Get closer and focus on your subject
Decrease the distance between your camera and the subject and get close in with your camera. Doing this will help you achieve an even deeper depth of field. Being close to your subject will strengthen your bokeh effect. Try it out, and happy bokeh-ing!
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