FrodoBaggins Loc: Texas

Shot in raw 1/500 5.6 and I used the canon software to blurr background but now I don't know what I did to achieve the blurr. Can someone tell me? I like the ability to do this in the future.

(Download)

davidrb Loc: Half way there on the 45th Parallel

Why did you rely on software to do what your camera should do? Sounds as if you do not need a camera at all, just use your software.

GordonB. Loc: St. Petersburg, Fl.

David, first of all, you never told us the camera you used.
Canon makes many models. After enlarging the photo, there is an abundance of noise which is something that you don't want; plus, there's a strange vertical lighter area which I have no idea what caused that. Why would you want that and the noise in future photos?

If you want to blur the background, have you considered doing a search on this site for Depth of Field?

ricardo7 Loc: Washington, DC - Santiago, Chile

What Canon software did you use to blur the backround?

oldtigger Loc: Roanoke Virginia-USA

Would love the opportunity to do a macro on that little beastie set on that fabulous background.

If you rediscover he technique, PM me

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

Rather nicely composed picture. Especially important are the light vertical and duller horizontal elements in the background. Without them the picture would lack balance, context and scale.

lorenww Loc: St. Petersburg

The closer you get to the subject with your settings the more blur you will get.
You didn't mention the mm but think of it this way,
You have to get up close if you are using 18 mm.
Now if you had 900 mm, you would really need to back up and you will have a lot more of the background in focus.
My guess is that you were very close as some of his hairs are fading into the blur.

If you were to use more mm's and back up a bit, those hairs would be more in focus.
OR if you used F 16 or higher those hairs would be more in focus.

The amount of blur is a result of distance and F Stop.

Experiment, take an object similar to the caterpillar and hang it from a branch.
Get up close with 18 mm and take two shots at both extreme ends of your F Stop.
Now backup and use at least 200 mm. fill the frame to the same size as 18 mm and repeat the process.
You will now see how these things work.

FrodoBaggins Loc: Texas

Thanks so much. Learning to experiment

FrodoBaggins Loc: Texas

Thank you. I thought so

FrodoBaggins Loc: Texas

Thank you I will

FrodoBaggins Loc: Texas

I actually misstated what happened. I blurred the background when I took the shot with my 60D. But in playing with the software cannon editor I darkened and changed color of the background. The two lighter streaks were something in the background. The background was trees at a park, but whatever I did caused the contrast with the subject to be more intense. I like the way the darker background shows off the subject and would like to do it in the future. I like pics that have a black background but don't know how to achieve that.