I'm sure I am doing something wrong...

[subhuman]

Hi:
I own a Rebel Xti....I have noticed that for some reason that when I put it in
the portriat mode to blur the background,it doesnt blur the background, I have
read the manual & done exactly what it suggests, it still doesnt work
(oh by the way I am using the kit lens, if that matters) I had a Canon Rebel T2 film camera
& this feature worked just fine........ I would call the store where
I bought it but of course I cannot find the receipt(I think I bought it in sept. 07 but I
am not sure...) to add to the problem I dont know if it has ever worked....You know
how they suggest when you first buy a camera to try out every feature to see if
they work well ? Of course like a gomer I didnt do that...I was use to shooting in the all
automatic mode & rarely if ever shoot portiats so I never tried that mode so that
sucks.....but anyway if anyone has any suggestions for something that I am not doing
please let me know...............Thanks

[Mr Yuck]

instead of using the portrait mode, use the AV mode. This is aperture priority.

Use the lowest aperture number available and the shutter speed will adjust automatically. When you take the picture, make sure you're within about 2 meters of your subject. Also make sure the background is reasonably far away from the subject.

The camera's manual will give you better details and explanations as to how this works. I looked through mine even though I'm an experienced photographer and learned a lot about my camera.

[subhuman]

Thanks for the suggestion Mr. Yuck, that doesnt seem to work either,
it makes the picture brighter, but it doesnt make the back ground blurry
& I just tried the button that changes the auto focus points & that doesnt work either
I have tried everything I know. I have even turned the camera off, changed lenses....
So I guess I will call Canon.......I will probably either end up paying a high repair bill
or buying a new camera & it's my own fault because I didnt check to see if everything
worked on the camera when I first bought it & of course I can' find the warranty, the receipt
or anything, oh well I guess I learned that lesson the hard way......thanks
for the help everyone

[Frog]

How far from your subject is the background? The closer it is the less blur you will get.
You can blur it more in ps.
Post an examle with your exif data and it will be easier to tell.

[GB1]

What the portrait mode does is use a very wide aperture, meaning a lower f-stop number. This is the same as small or narrow depth-of-field (DOF). It should make things in front of and behind the subject blurry. If it isn't doing so, I guess there could be several reasons

- not sure how it works on the Canon but maybe you have the lens set to manual and that isn't allowing the camera to automatically choose an f-stop number. Worth a check

- If there is a wall or something pretty close behind the subject, you will not see hardly any effect at all.

- If the subject is very far away the effect is less for behind (but more for in front).

- A broken camera.

Hard to analyze from afar, but I bet if you take it into a camera shop and they're not busy they will probably check it out for you for free.

G

[subhuman]

I am sorry everyone that I have been so long replying, I have been busy....
Frog: I shoot mostly outside so the background are a good ways away as in
probably several feet and have tried the potriat mode, the aperture priority mode...
nothing works...I will try putting up a pic when I get a chance.........
GB1: No the lens is in AF.....
Yeah that was my first idea to get a pro to check it out.....
but....the only camera shop here closed about 2 years ago...
we only have Circuit City & Best Buy, thats why I decided to buy the camera
from an independent shop in another town ( about 150 miles away)
I got a lot better price & the sales people seemed a lot more knowlegable
( nothing against circuit city or best buy) but if I have problems like now it's not
easy going all that way to get it looked at.....So I am going to set down this weekend
with my camera and the manual and check every button out (like i should of when
I first bought the thing) & then I guess I will call Canon..........
I tell you sometimes I just want to give it all away.............but thanks for all
the help everyone........

[Canuck935]

1) Use the longest focal length you can. For the kit lens, I believe that is 55mm
2) Use Av mode and shoot wide open (smallest number you can get, probably f/4.5 or f/5.6 for that lens).
3) Place subject far from background
4) Shoot at closest distance you can from you to the subject.

I really doubt you got a bad camera. Just keep trying. Things like this aren't easily achieved with kit lenses since they have limited focal and aperture range. Wider apertures help, but longer focal lengths make a bigger difference.

[Kajuah]

Perhaps the aperture ring is broken...? It's possible, What's not only essential to low aperture - you need to increase your focal length to get that blurriness in the background. Try using a focal length of 55 like canuck suggested and lowering your aperture to 4.5 or so.

[another view]

1) Use the longest focal length you can. For the kit lens, I believe that is 55mm
2) Use Av mode and shoot wide open (smallest number you can get, probably f/4.5 or f/5.6 for that lens).
3) Place subject far from background
4) Shoot at closest distance you can from you to the subject.

I really doubt you got a bad camera. Just keep trying. Things like this aren't easily achieved with kit lenses since they have limited focal and aperture range. Wider apertures help, but longer focal lengths make a bigger difference.

Agreed, but I'll add to the end of this post that the subject-to-camera and especially subject-to-background distances really make a difference. Try a shot as he suggests above, putting the subject about 5' from the camera and at least 20' from the background (side of a barn, a fence, whatever). If this doesn't do it, we'll go to Plan B.

Subhuman, you said earlier that using a larger aperture just made it brighter. I don't know how Canon works, but I think that Av is the same as Nikon's A which is aperture priority. IOW, you pick the aperture and it picks a shutter speed for proper exposure. What you're describing sounds more like you're in Manual mode, adjusting the aperture and not compensating for that with a different shutter speed.

Don't try the big-box stores - it would only be luck that you'd find someone who was knowledgeable about cameras. Might be tough over the phone, but try what we list first so we can try to help you narrow it down. Another thought of finding someone to talk to in person - camera club or community college with a photo teacher?

[Photo-John]

Perhaps the aperture ring is broken...? It's possible, What's not only essential to low aperture - you need to increase your focal length to get that blurriness in the background. Try using a focal length of 55 like canuck suggested and lowering your aperture to 4.5 or so.

There are no aperture rings on Canon EF auto focus lenses. The aperture control is completely eletronic and controlled from the camera body.

It sounds like Subhuman can use a lesson in the basic principles of exposure, to better understand how depth-of-field works. Here's a link to our Exposure Primer article:

Photography Exposure Primer

Section 3 of that article has a couple of sample images and a description of how depth-of-field works.

[subhuman]

Yes I agree wholeheartedly Photo-John....
I believe I do need to go back to the basics.....I just cant seem to
get anything right (honestly I believe I havent found the right medication)
Anyway .....I can see what I want to capture but it rarely comes out in the
final product..... so that should have been taken care of at least in some part....
especially considering how long i have been taking pix ( I wont say because it is
embarassing) I can't seem to get the composition down whatsoever no matter how hard I
try or how much time I take I am mostly not pleased with the end result......
I guess I will go back to the basics & try even harder....& if I cant get anywhere
with that....I may just forget it all...because honestly this hobby is becoming more
of a problem than a pleasure & I don't want that because it's suppose to be fun.....
I believe that maybe in life there are some people who have creative ability & some
people don' t....I have been told I do, but I just don't see it......Thanks everyone
for your help & patience I really do appreciate it.

[Frog]

And sometimes we are our own worst critics.
Maybe start posting some pics in the critique forum and see what others think.
I'm only completely satisfied with a few of the hundreds I take and I know all the pros have big trash cans.

[Canuck935]

Yes I agree with Frog. Many a photographer (and myself included) are their own worst critics. That's not necessarily a bad thing, because as long as you find things you don't like you will be driven to improve. So as long as this is the case do not give up on photography and stick with it. On the other hand, if you find that you are completely happy and are no longer driven to improve, then that is the time to give up on it..

[freygr]

Frist if you have an F 4.5 lens you will not get the back ground out of focus. You need to get the F stop to about F2 or lower. Pick up a 50 mm f1.8 or f1.4 used lens there can be less costly than you think. New the lens in about $350.00 or less. Look on the web for a DOF calculator.

[subhuman]

Sorry I keep taking so long to reply...the work thing keeps gettin in
the way.So basically it's just because of the cheap kit lens?
makes sense( Even though my Canon T2 had a 28-90mm kit
lens & it blurred the background perfectly every time)
I have thought about getting a better lens something a little
bit wider, since I mostly shoot architecture & landscapes.....
But I honestly didnt want to pay $400- $800 for a lens when I am not
a professional & not really even that good.....Maybe I can find one used
at a good price........Anyway thanks everyone for all the good advice
& putting up with my whining moaning & crying.....You guys are
the best.......Thanks again..........

[another view]

So basically it's just because of the cheap kit lens?........I have thought about getting a better lens something a little bit wider

No, and that's counterproductive... Price of the lens has little to do with it even though more expensive lenses have faster maximum apertures - by a stop or two. This is a noticeable difference, but doesn't mean it's impossible to blur the background at 5.6; not at all. If you have an 18-55, at the long end it's probably f5.6. A "pro" level top of the line lens might be f2.8 (for over a thousand dollars) which is a two stop difference. There are other differences besides this in what you get for that money, but that's a whole 'nother conversation of course. Get 5-6' away from someone, and put a tall fence or wall 20' from them. You won't need f2.8 and it might be too shallow anyway. Do this at f5.6 and you'll be good - and experiment with other apertures and distances (both camera to subject and subject to background).

Shoot the same thing with a compact digital camera and even at f5.6 you'll still get the background in sharp focus. This is because the lens focal length (having nothing to do with "equivalent" focal length) is much shorter. The 55mm lens you're using would be about 88mm on a full frame 35mm camera. You might be at around 15-20mm depending on the camera with a compact. In real-world shooting situations you'll end up with a ton of DOF with a lens this wide regardless of the aperture with a camera to subject distance of 5'. Again, try it and you'll see how it works. My point here is that a wider lens regardless of price and/or quality will be counterproductive to what you're hoping to do, at least with this particular shot. Pick up a 50mm f1.8 for around $100 and you'll be in great shape.

Do you have a longer lens, like up to 200mm? With a portrait at 200mm (not that it would be common, but a good exercise) you'll have a ton of background blur at f2.8, f5.6 or even f11 with a camera to subject distance of 5' or 8' and a background 20' or so away.