Blurred foreground!

[Ajayfenix]

Any tips for taking nice photos with a blurry foreground but a nicely focused background??

also does anybody use ND filter through a canon 500d? if so which one/s and how is it for you?

Can you take a picture with a longer exposure time than 30 seconds with a Canon EOS 500d? if so can you please explain?

please look at my photos and give me some advice or feedback of some kind...Thank you

[Ajayfenix]

Flickr: ajayfenix79's Photostream

[Photography]

I am know many people will not tell that secret about it and i am willing to tell you about it:

Use a “Vaseline” to put on the lens uv filter and center leave that out to make a clear and others you put a blurring and center is clear. Hope you will get it.

[Ajayfenix]

really? surely not!

[Ajayfenix]

thanks anyways

[IABoomer]

Some people have used a gel on the front of the lens to create a hazy dreamy effect. It's probably easier to shoot with a wide aperture and focus at a distance. That should blur out the elements closer to you.

You can also look into something like a Lensbaby for doing selective focus, or if you want to spend some big money, a tilt/shift lens.

As to your other questions, I'm sure people have used ND filters with Canon hardware, although the only one I've used was on a friend's Nikon, and I have no idea what brand/size it was.

Shooting longer than a 30 second exposure will probably require you to use the manual shooting mode and if you adjust the shutter speed beyond 30s, you should get a "bulb" setting that lets the shutter stay open as long as you have the release depressed. You probably want to look at a cable release, though, so you don't shake the camera pressing/releasing/holding the shutter.

[Billy DeCola]

I used a Variable ND Filter by Singh-Ray which allowed me to selectively focus and reduce the depth of field even in extremely bright situations.

here's a link to the manufacturer's website:
Singh-Ray Filters: Vari-ND Variable Neutral Density Filter

A bit pricey but a great pc. of gear

[Ajayfenix]

Thank you very much guys, much appreciated

[RichardTaylor]

Re the blurred pictures.

I mostly do it with flowers, but not always.

Shoot wide open and try to shoot through something translucent.
You will probably need to manual focus.

(1) I can't remember what I shot through, it was probably a hat or some flowers in the foreground.


Camera Canon EOS 40D
Exposure 0.002 sec (1/500)
Aperture f/2.0
Focal Length 135 mm
ISO Speed 100

(2) With flowers it is usually even easier.

Camera Canon EOS 40D
Exposure 0.002 sec (1/640)
Aperture f/2.0
Focal Length 135 mm
ISO Speed 100

Notice in both cases I was shooting with a wide aperture F2 on a longish lens (135mm)

[LoveDSLR]

Originally Posted by Ajayfenix

Any tips for taking nice photos with a blurry foreground but a nicely focused background??

Originally Posted by Photography

I am know many people will not tell that secret about it and i am willing to tell you about it:

Use a “Vaseline” to put on the lens uv filter and center leave that out to make a clear and others you put a blurring and center is clear. Hope you will get it.

I haven't used this gadget for decades.