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We have all seen beautiful photos where the object is perfectly focused while the background is blurred. Such a photo can be very dramatic and might seem to be hard to shoot. In this article we will give you a few tips on how to shoot blurry background photos that will impress your friends and family. You will also understand what Depth of Field is and how to control it.

Depth of field (also known as DOF for short) is the most important thing to understand before shooting a blurry background photo. Depth of field is defined as the range in which the photo is in focus. For example an infinite depth of field means that the photo will be in focus from a certain distance from the camera and up to infinity. When taking a blurry photo the goal is to set the depth of field just around the object. In this way the object is in focus while the background behind it is not.

How do you control the depth of field? After all there is no “depth of field” menu in the camera (wouldn’t that be nice). Depth of field is an optical figure that is influenced by a few factors:

After understanding the theory it is best to go to the field an experiment. You will get a sense of how your photo will look like and how blurry the background will be after playing with different lenses, different apertures and different distances from your object. If you own zoom lenses start with taking photos of a relatively close object while using your zoom lenses. You will find out that it is extremely easy to get a blurry background photo using this method even without setting the aperture. Once you feel comfortable with that setup start changing the aperture and also change to your normal 18mm-55mm or similar lenses.

Most cameras allow to manually change the aperture by putting the camera in “A” mode - while you are changing the aperture the camera will automatically set the shutter speed accordingly. Some cameras allow you to manually set both aperture and shutter speed.

In conclusion shooting dramatic blurry background photos is easy with some minimal understanding of depth of field and some experimenting.

Ziv Haparnas is a technology veteran and writes about practical technology and science issues. This article can be reprinted and used as long as the resource box including the backlink is included. You can find more information about photo album printing and photography in general on http://www.printrates.com - a site dedicated to digital photo printing.

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Portrait photos are very impressive. A good portrait can project so much emotions and feelings and captivate the viewer. Taking high quality portrait photos is an art that takes time to master. This article will give you a few guidelines that can help you achieve high quality portrait photos in a short time and without being a professional photographer.

When taking portraits photos try to follow the following guidelines:

Choose the right background: A portrait photo is all about the object’s face. The most important part of the photo is the face. Choosing the right background can make sure the viewer is focused on the face. Pick a neutral background that does not attract attention. For example a soft solid color background is better than a busy street background. Avoid having people or moving objects in the background.

Blur the background: In addition to choosing a neutral background you should further blur it. This will put even more emphasis on the object instead of its surroundings. Blurring the background is best achieved by taking a photo using a shallow depth of field. This can be accomplished by using a zoom lens and shooting from a short distance or with a wide aperture manual setting. If your camera does not allow you to blur the photo by setting a shallow depth of field (for example it is hard to achieve such a depth of field with simple pocket cameras) you can always blur the background later using photo processing software on your computer.

Focus on the eyes: The center of a good portrait should be the object’s eyes. Before taking the photo look at the object eyes and try to figure out what story they tell. Depending on what you would like to capture in the portrait guide the object to look straight to the camera or maybe sideways focusing on some object. Adding a smile is also recommended unless you specifically want a face that does not smile in order to send some message to the viewer.

Use natural lighting: Natural lighting is necessary in order to capture the full color range and warmth of the skin. It is best to take portrait photos outdoors during the day. When shooting outdoors position the object in a way that the sun light hits it from the side. Never take a photo with the sun behind the object - results in shading - or right in front of the object - results in over exposing the face and distorting its natural colors. If some shades appear on the face use a soft fill-in flash to get rid of them. If you have to shoot indoors and use artificial lighting always use indirect light sources such as bounce flash or lights that illuminate the room instead of directly shining on the object.

Take many photos and experiment: I can not over emphasize this. In the digital era the cost of taking another photo is zero. One of the best ways to shoot a great photo is simply by shooting many photos. In fact all professional photographers do that they keep on shooting more and more photos so don’t be shy about it. Experiment with different settings - lighting, object position, white balancing settings to get different color temperatures, exposures, depth of field and more. When you are done sit down and sort the photos until you choose the one that you like the best. It is common sense that the chances of finding that one great photo are much higher if you tried 500 photos than if you just shot a few.

In conclusion if you have a good camera and the willingness to experiment portrait photo shooting you will quickly achieve the skills needed in order to shoot great portraits and impress your friends with portraits photos that look impressive and professional.

Ziv Haparnas is a technology veteran and writes about practical technology and science issues. This article can be reprinted and used as long as the resource box including the backlink is included. You can find more information about photo album printing and photography in general on http://www.printrates.com - a site dedicated to photo printing.

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“Oh no! It’s only three days ’til my appointment at the photographers! I don’t even know what I’m going to wear and what about the make-up? The person who made the appointment didn’t suggest a thing.”

It doesn’t come up too often, but when it does, a little knowledgeable advice would be greatly appreciated. Generally, the same kind of make-up appropriate for an evening date will also photograph well. A little darker base prevents your skin from washing out in the lights and extra cheek color is a must. Lipstick photographs on the rich side, so pick a more muted shade. Lip liner is not a good idea and be sure to follow your real lip shape. Lip gloss is a plus. Some things to avoid are pearly eye shadow, lower lash liner and a too shiny look. Proper lighting will take care of any bags under your eyes and a good surface hair spray will eliminate any stray hairs.

In the clothing department, try to go for a simple, dramatic effect: no intricate patterns, round necklines, mismatched color sets, or dull, wrinkled materials. Rather look for solids or two tones, V necklines, three piece outfits (for business), and one bright color among subtle shades of neutrals. Shiny materials show up well under the lights and textures like cable knits, heavy sweaters and linens add interest to the photograph. Always bring an alternate outfit just in case one will photograph better than the other.

Every good portrait photographer will introduce some level of soft focus along with large reflector for soft lighting. A pre- consultation is useful for finding out whether a soft filter is used and the effect it has on your skin. Try to observe an appropriate sample of the exact filter and lighting to be used on you. What you see is what you get is not just a saying.

Lastly, prepare yourself mentally for the portrait session. A willing attitude toward the photographer has a beneficial effect on the success of the session. Pay attention to any instructions and be patient. The photographer has a lot to do and think about in the process of creating that wonderful portrait of you, so help him all you can. Remember, you’re doing this for your loved ones, so don’t be shy and above all, have fun.

I am a retired portrait photographer. Modestly, I have won many local and national photography awards.

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