Blurring Background

[pops01]

What tip do you have for blurring backgrounds of new pictures. Suppose you want to take a picture of a tree with mountain background but you want the background blurred. ?

Also, can you modify existing images (people) and cause the background to be blurred?

My camera is a Sony A330

[i speak in math]

Like this?

From Arizona

Use a large aperture (f/5.6 or lower should really get it blurred) and focus on the near tree. I actually used f/8 for that one. I could get away with that because the cactus was very close. If there is too much space between the camera and the tree, it will be harder to blur it out. Subject distance, aperture and focal length all play a part in creating bokeh.

[RichardTaylor]

In line with i speak in math's comments.

Best to do it in camera.
Shoot wide open (small F number)
Example with city buildings in the background.



135mm lens @ F2 on crop camera.


or you can do it in PPing.



The background here was fences & trees etc.
A blurred layer and mask for the animal (so the blurr didn't affect it) was used to create this.