How do I???

[LimoFam5]

Just purchased the Canon T2i it came with two lenses. 18-55mm & the
70-300mm both have IS.

Im just a starting out so go easy on me......I have only used a point n shoot before this.

How do I take a picture with my main object in focus and my backround blurred???? Is this a setting on the camera or a specific lens?????

Waiting and wanting to learn. Also if you have any other cool pointers that you can give me I am all Ears....... Mickey Ears!!!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Use Aperture Priority and a wide aperture setting (low f number)

Pick up a copy of Understanding Exposure to help you understand this more

Hang out here

Study some basic photography principles

+/- Take a class

 

[annnewjerz]

First, congratulations on the purchase...I'm sure you'll have a blast learning to use your new camera!

Second, you may want to either buy or check out at the library a copy of Understanding Exposure. It's a book that is recommended a lot on these and other photography boards and will help you understand things like ISO, Shutter Speed and Aperture and how they all work together. It's got a lot of great pictures to show you examples of exactly what the author is trying to demonstrate.

Third, read your manual! I know it's boring, and it's probably filled with a lot of information that you already know or may never need, but you really will understand your camera and how it works a lot better if you read your manual. When you're done reading it, read it again.

Now, to try to answer your question. Having a subject in focus and the background blurred is something achieved by having a shallow depth of field. If you look at the pictures of the bottle towards the bottom of the link below, you'll be able to see some good examples.

http://www.photoaxe.com/examples-for-understanding-depth-of-field/

The wider your lens opens (lower f-stop) the easier it'll be to get that creamy blurred background. F/1.4 will get you that effect easily, f/5.6 will have a less blurred look and the higher up you go f/11, f/16 you will end up having the entire image clear and in focus.

There isn't a setting on the dial of your camera that will allow you to achieve this look. The easiest way will be to invest in a "faster" lens (something like the inexpensive 50/1.8). There are other ways to achieve this look, none of which I am even remotely interested in trying to explain because I know I'll miss something!

ETA: Told you Understanding Exposure would be a highly recommended book, Linda beat me to it!

 

[Altair]

This effect is very easy to achieve with the longer lens. Long lenses have shallow depth of field.

 

[AlbertZeroK]

You also will want to check out changing your focus point to a single point, which makes this type of effect better.

But here's the basics on getting a blurred background. The background will blurr more with:

1. Greater distance between the person/object and the background, but make sure to use one focus point and focus on the person.
2. Larger Apeture (smaller number), put your camera in A for apature priority then use the dial by the shutter button (the button you use to take pictures) and change it to the lowest value.
3. Use a longer lens, the longer the focal length, the greater the blurr, for example, you will get more blurr at 55mm then at 18mm.

This is where some different lenses come in, I have the king of this type of effect, the 85mm f/1.2 which is AMAZING. But it's $2k new, about $1600 used.

I would suggest perhaps picking up the 50mm f/1.8 for $100 or the 85mm f/1.8 (used about $300) which will make this effect easier to achieve.

 

[ukcatfan]

This is where some different lenses come in, I have the king of this type of effect, the 85mm f/1.2 which is AMAZING. But it's $2k new, about $1600 used.

Have you read the light loss thread yet? It seems that the really wide aperture lenses might be no advantage when used on an APS-C camera. http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2585743

 

[bob100]

I would suggest perhaps picking up the 50mm f/1.8 for $100

the "nifty fifty" is a good but inexpensive lens for large aperture "background blurring"