Depth of Field

[rugbyleaguer]

I am new to photography and just exploring my new camera (A Canon 450D with a Tamron 70-300mm lens & 18-55mm lens) just messing about with DOF and wondered how some people create the shots of cars with a very shallow DOF. That is to say the car is completely in focus at a say 3/4 angle and everything around it is blurred. I can create said effect on smaller objects but not a car, or is it a case I would need a different lens?

[jypsee]

For what you want, I use photoshop or else I get very close; any distance at most apertures will not give you much of a background blur

photoshopped


close up at f/2.8



further back at f/2.8



click the photo for a larger view

Mary in SW Florida

[gemmf]

I think the issue here is you tend to be using a wider lens when you shooting a car at this angle, so it can be hard to get a shallow DoF. But if you get close to the car, use a large aperture, and select a good background (far away from the car), then it can be achieved.

(click the pic for larger image)


....but still not as effective as using a longer lens.

[rugbyleaguer]

I am still getting to grips with my camera, need to read up on it a little lol, I can do the effect in photoshop no problem as i have done on some pics of my dog (see http://www.blazethemalamute.co.uk) to give a DOF look but I was told by a car dealer that it is possible with the right camera and lens to do it (not that I bought the camera just for that lol). Like I said I can get a good DOF on smaller objects/people/portraits just thought maybe a different lens would make it easier to achieve on larger stuff such as cars? Could it be because the lenses need to go lower than the 3.5 with the 18-55mm or 4-5.6 the 70-300mm gives me? But thanks for all your help.

[peirceman]

Instead of using a wide lens, use a telephoto and step back. A tele with a wide open aperture has a much shollower DOF than a shorter lens at the same aperture. You make need to crop, but I think you will have more success at what you are trying to accomplish.

[r_karcz]

if you want a car whit everything blured around, make it drive and shot while it s rolling