Photography Tips! Car photography
Amateur photographer here. Just picked up my first DSLR yesterday. A Nikon D3200. Love the camera. Will fit my needs for a few years i believe. It came with the 18-55mm VR Lense…
I have a question. I'm starting to shoot in manual mode and getting fairly good at still motion photography. I plan to buy a new lense but specifically for car photography. I love shooting cars especially my own.
However, I'm confused to why I can't get a very soft background (like a portrait almost). Nothing too wild… But here is a PERFECT example:
I know that I have an entry level camera, and need some lenses to create this shot. But what is the best lense/technique/advice to get to make a car in focus sharply with a blurred background?
I understand how aperature works… Kinda.
That shot was done with a 2.0 aperture on a 1.4 lens
Thank you for your information and your time. You say "with the camera lens wide open." This means zoomed all the way OUT or IN? And also, i want to keep the entire car in frame with some foreground in front of the car in focus as well. (like the example link) Do I need to buy a new lens? And What do you recommend on a budget if so.
There are four things that can help you produce out of focus backgrounds in your shots
* Shoot with the cameras lens wide open
* Assure that the background is as far as possible from the camera and subject
* Use a medium telephoto lens (you can use your current lens a 55 mm)
* Place the subject as close to the camera as possible
I mentioned opening the lenses aperture wide open. This is just a guide. Usually in order to 1) get the sharpest image, the lens needs to be stopped down two stops and 2) keep the subject in focus, bumper to bumper, you may have to stop down the lens which will tend to sharpen the background some. As you begin to learn the fundamentals of photography, you will see that event the most brilliant images contain some compromises for what the artists minds-eye sees and what is possible using a camera
You want a shallow depth of field. You get that by having;
- widest aperture (lowest f number)
- camera close to subject and background much further away
- longer focal length
So with your kit lens try;
55mm
f5.6 (widest it will go at this focal length
Get as close as you can to the car to frame it and make sure the background is MUCH further away.
If its not shallow enough for you then invest in a faster lens like the 50mm f1.8.
It's an awkward one…
I can see by your response to the answers on here that you don't have a decent enough grasp on what actually influences what you are trying to do… It isn't actually that difficult… And i'd advise you to invest in a decent photography guide book as a source of reference… You'll get an in depth explanation and it will be illustrated with images to help you understand which lens would be better and why… And it will illustrate the advantages of using lenses with a 'faster' aperture… All this helps you realise the direction that you are heading in… The only thing you have to worry about is finding the resources to pay for your kit… Or someone that's willing to provide the kit for you.
You need to read this: Understanding Depth of Field: http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/...-field.htm
This is basic stuff.
Though you are doing well with trying to learn, you are still very much "stumbling around" with what you need to do and know. People have already told you about the lens and aperture and depth of field, what I'm going to suggest is you get this book. It will take your knowledge and skill level to much greater heights in much less time than you trying to go about it the way you are now.