Whats the best settings to take such snaps??

[Soumendra]

Hi there..
Im not a professional or a good hptoshop artist. Im a just curious photography lover.

Ok, I have a Canon EOS 1000 D with 18-55mm Kit lens..

All I need to take pics like this



, because, 90% of my shots are portrait ones.

I need to have my portraist sharp and its background or other elements blurred..


I need to know the settings for both DAY and NIGHT shots for such effects.

Sorry,if thats a bad question..

[Egger]

It will not be easy to get your backgrounds blurred with the kitlens, but you can try this:

• Put your camera in the Av stand and use the widest possible apperture (smallest possible number).

• Zoom the lens in up to 55mm.

• Try to create as much space as possible between your subject and the background.

To be able to shoot at night you'll have to rise the ISO value to 800 or even 1600. ISO 800 is still good enough to make prints (from my experience). Using the on camera flash is not recomended for portraits...but if there's no other option...

Alternatively you can buy a 50 mm 1.8 lens which has a much wider maximum apperture which makes is much easyer to blur the backgrounds AND will make it possible to shoot in low light conditions (+ it is cheap).

[Soumendra]

Ok that sounds good.
But I dont want to invest more $$ in this ,till I learn something good.
So,I will try with kitlens only.


One doubt,
You said, "widest possible apperture (smallest possible number)"


Does that mean I should try to keep it f/8 or f/64 ??

[Egger]

With the kitlens that would be f/5.6 @ 55 mm.

Greetings,

Bram

[kencaleno]

That image is not a good example-it is well underexposed-no details in shadow areas-it should look like this:

[FrankLamont]

Personally, Ken, I find it perfectly fine, as portraiture.

But to the OP... you should really invest in a (some) good lens(es) for portraiture.

The 50mm f/1.8 in the least. But that's not used in this, looking at the image - that is, if it's from a Canon. The circles are formed very well, bokeh excellent: not so much like the 50mm f/1.8. But of course that's assuming it's from NIkon - anyhow...

Largest aperture refers to the shutter opening wider. Rather confusingly, a large aperture is a small f-number, going by the f/stops. In other words, f/22 is a small aperture (when the lens opens, it is small) and f/1.8 is a large aperture (the opposite; large opening).

How rounded the circles are depends on the diaphragm.

[inkista]

Actually, the 50mm f/1.8 can give circular out-of-focus highlights, depending on the aperture used--it doesn't throw those pentacles out all the time. And it's certainly going to be the most affordable option for this kind of look.

Forget it with the kit lens. At 18mm, the DoF is too deep, and at 55mm, your max. aperture is f/5.6--your background had better be very far away from your subject. Blow the $100 and get the 50 f/1.8. Sure, there are better portrait lenses out there with smoother more pleasing bokeh, but none of them are going to offer you autofocus at that price point.

[SusanH1970]

Originally Posted by inkista

Actually, the 50mm f/1.8 can give circular out-of-focus highlights, depending on the aperture used--it doesn't throw those pentacles out all the time. And it's certainly going to be the most affordable option for this kind of look.

Forget it with the kit lens. At 18mm, the DoF is too deep, and at 55mm, your max. aperture is f/5.6--your background had better be very far away from your subject. Blow the $100 and get the 50 f/1.8. Sure, there are better portrait lenses out there with smoother more pleasing bokeh, but none of them are going to offer you autofocus at that price point.

Amen! My specialty is portraits and the first lens I bought after getting the camera with the kit lens was the 50mm 1.8. HUGE difference!!!

[Kn1nJa]

I've found that I can kind of get that effect with the kit lens kind of easy (although easy to me doesn't always mean good quality :P)

I Just zoom it to 55mm and make sure I'm shooting at f5.6 and go for it