Help With Bokeh for Portraits

[lexymeliss26]

I am really trying to learn the style of Bokeh. Today I used a doll as practice and went thru all of my settings in my camera to blur out the background which it worked I was so happy. Here comes the issue, Now when I used my little models aka my children using the same settings I did for the doll I didnt accomplish anything but blurry little kids....
I am using a sony dsc-h3 and know it can be mastered because I have researched others who own the same little camera who have wonderful pictures up on flickr...
I also ordered a 58mm lens tele lens for my camera. I dont know what I am doing wrong does anybody have any tips to offer.
These are the features on my camera...
Optics/Lens
35mm Equivalent : 38 - 380 mm

Aperture Range : Auto, (f3.5-f10.0)

Digital Zoom : 0-2.0X (Precision)

Exposure Compensation : ±2.0 EV, 1/3 EV Step Increments

Face Detection : Yes

Focal Length : 6.3 - 63 mm

Focus : 9 Area Multi-Point AF, Monitoring AF

ISO : Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200

Macro Mode : Yes

Optical Zoom : 10X

Shutter Speed : Auto( 1/2000 - 1/4 ) / Program auto( 1/2000 - 1 ) / Manual( 1/2000 - 30 )

Smart Zoom® Technology : Up to 12X (5MP), 15X (3MP), 17X (16:9 2MP) 51X (VGA Resolution)4

Total Zoom : 20X

Thanks So Much....

[Digidave]

In order to help you, what we really need is a sample picture & the EXIF of that picture. Otherwise we could spend all day guessing.

[lexymeliss26]

Originally Posted by Digidave

In order to help you, what we really need is a sample picture & the EXIF of that picture. Otherwise we could spend all day guessing.

Okay Im quite new to this whole photography scene i am basically teaching myself thru trial and error with the help of the good ol internet..
So heres one of the better pictures...
http://digital-photography-school.co...pictureid=4609
My focal Length was at 47.5mm
exposure 1/30 at f/4.0 iso 200

Heres My Test Doll I went thru every manuel setting...
http://digital-photography-school.co...pictureid=4610

Focal Length was at 54.4
Iso400
Exposure 1/30 sec at f4/4

Now the issue I have is when I attempted it again I got all blurr pictures or my kids heads didnt fit in the frame of my camera..
What exactly are the best rules when working with a camera like mine when it comes to Bokeh?
Thanks so much for replying.

[Naois]

I bet babies move more than dolls. The 1/30 shutter speed might be too slow. Try to set the ISO to 400 and the shutter speed to 1/60 and see if that helps.

[FullAperture]

Use more light to decrease your ISO. Zoom in as much as you can with your lens. Back up. use more than 1/60 shutter speed if you can. Use a tripod. Keep aperture wide. (low number) That should do it.

[lexymeliss26]

Originally Posted by FullAperture

Use more light to decrease your ISO. Zoom in as much as you can with your lens. Back up. use more than 1/60 shutter speed if you can. Use a tripod. Keep aperture wide. (low number) That should do it.

thanks for this tip I almost managed to accomplish it..
I need more practice...

[Japaslavian]

Unfortunately, the main problem you're facing is not the photographer, but the camera. Point-and-shoot cameras cannot open their aperture wide enough to get a strong bokeh effect. F3.5 simple isn't large enough to get a real good result. That, and the fact that the sensor is not a large as a film back or full-frame camera makes it even more difficult.
The only way you will be able to get those nice lit circles to show up, is if the out of focus light is very large, and very far away.
I suppose you could take shots of just bokeh, and add them into images digitally, but that sort've defeats the purpose huh?

[takethislife5150]

Originally Posted by Japaslavian

Unfortunately, the main problem you're facing is not the photographer, but the camera. Point-and-shoot cameras cannot open their aperture wide enough to get a strong bokeh effect. F3.5 simple isn't large enough to get a real good result. That, and the fact that the sensor is not a large as a film back or full-frame camera makes it even more difficult.
The only way you will be able to get those nice lit circles to show up, is if the out of focus light is very large, and very far away.
I suppose you could take shots of just bokeh, and add them into images digitally, but that sort've defeats the purpose huh?

I second everything in this post.

[inkista]

Yup, it's harder to get bokeh with a P&S than with a dSLR, but getting a narrow DoF is about more than just aperture and sensor size. A couple things you can try to increase the out of focus blur (in addition to using the largest aperture/smallest f-number you can) are:

• Zoom in - a longer focal length exaggerates out of focus blur (footnote: it does not decrease the DOF).
• Try macro mode and get close to your subject, oof blur increases the closer you are to your subject.
• Make sure the background is separated from your subject--the farther away the background is, the blurrier it will get.

[basje]

You say bokeh but what you describe sounds more like DOF! Bokeh is largely related to your lens, there's quite little you can do to make it. Generally, shooting agains a background that has many different colours and different light and dark areas will increase the look of your bokeh, but it might not. Getting DOF however is just a camera setting.