Street photography tip: Creamy backgrounds with a wide aperture

Friday 3 November 2023, 16:08 by Michiel Heijmans | 2,962 views | 0 comments

This article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.

Does your photo have one specific subject? By using a wide aperture, such as f/2.8, you separate your subject from the background. Your subject is sharp, while the background becomes blurrier. We also call this blurred background 'bokeh'.

London - f/2.5, 1/500s, 100 ISO @ 40mm

Especially in low-light situations, it is advisable to use a wide aperture. This is mainly because a wide aperture makes the most of the limited available light.

One thing to bear in mind with a wide aperture is that the depth of field is minimal. The lower the number, the smaller the area that is actually sharp.

Try this when you come across a long row of posts in the city. Make sure the posts recede into the distance away from you. At f/1.8, only one post will be sharp, while at f/8 there may be as many as 10.

There are other things that affect the blurred background in your photos too. Such as focal length, the more you zoom in, the blurrier the background, and the distance to your subject, as well as the distance to the background behind it.

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