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How to Blur a Moving Background When Taking Photos

Photographs capture moments in time. From precious family memories to dynamic public events, photographs can communicate not only visual information but a sense of feeling. This feeling can include physical dynamism, such as the speed of an object in motion. However, a photograph of a moving object taken with normal settings will make the image appear frozen in space. With special photographic techniques, you can blur a moving background in a photo, creating a vivid sense of movement and dynamism.

Things You'll Need

DSLR camera
Tripod

Instructions

Panning Technique
- 1
  Set your aperture "Av" setting to the middle of its range and set the shutter speed "Tv" setting to 1/100th of a second or less.
- 2
  Set the camera's focus setting to "Auto Focus."
- 3
  Position yourself parallel to the path of the moving subject.
- 4
  Aim the camera at the subject in motion and pan the camera to follow the subject as it passes. Press the shutter button as you pan to photograph the subject, producing a blurred moving background.
Stationary Technique
- 5
  Set your camera up on a tripod.
- 6
  Set your aperture "Av" setting to the middle of its range and set the shutter speed "Tv" setting to 1/100th of a second or less.
- 7
  Set the camera's focus setting to "Manual Focus."
- 8
  Focus on a stationary subject in front of moving people or objects.
- 9
  Press the shutter button to take a picture of the stationary object with the moving background blurred.

Photography