A question that I get asked quite often as a PEI wedding photographer and photography course creator is “how do you get a blurry background?”. There are a few factors that go into getting a blurry background in your photos.

The distance between your subject and the background

The further from the background your subject is, the more blurred the background.
In the photo below, you can see that when she is directly beside the hanging planter, the planter is sharply in focus and takes away from the subject.
The second photo demonstrates how you can make an easy adjustment to achieve a more professional looking photo. All I did was ask her to take a few steps towards me and away from the planter and voila! It becomes more blurry and then our eyes go directly to our beautiful subject.

The Aperture

The smaller the aperture number, the less depth of field and therefore the more blurry your background. Each lens has a specific aperture that they are able to achieve. If you are using the lens that came with your camera, it is likely that the lowest aperture is 4.0. With that in mind, it will be even more important to separate your subject from the background in order to achieve the blurry background.

If you have been researching what your first lens purchase should be, there is a fantastic lens that I would recommend. It is the 50mm 1.8. It runs about $150CAD. If you have the budget to purchase one, it will make such a difference in your photos. A great place to look for new and used equipment is Henry’s. This is where I purchase all of my camera equipment.

If you are looking to improve your camera skills, you have come to the right place! Click here to read more on how to hold your camera.

I have a photography course for beginners that will be launching at the end of Spring. If it is something that may interest you, sign up here to stay in the loop when doors open for enrolment 🙂

Please feel free to email me or DM me on Instagram @nicoleannephoto if there is anything you would like me to cover and teach 🙂

Keep Snappin’,

Nicole