Taking Blurry Photos Like a Pro

For years something was lacking in my photography. My problem was that I had a compact camera and it captured everything in focus. I knew that a blurry background in portraits would keep the viewers attention on the subject but I just couldn't do it with my little Canon Powershot. I'd fluke occasional good shots if the conditions were perfect - if I zoomed and the aperture was wide open and the subject was very close and the background was distant then yes, I could achieve the desired effect. But it was almost impossible in practice.

But now I know. The solution is to ditch the compact camera and get something with a larger sensor. Although there are many factors that determine depth of field (focal length of lens, aperture, distance to subject), the one that makes the biggest difference is the size of your camera's sensor (because of how it influences the focal length). If you have an SLR, or a micro four thirds then your sensor is in the top two rows below, and it's big enough. But if you have a compact or a mobile phone camera, it's too small. Sorry!

Sensor sizes (from wikipedia)

The other benefit of a larger sensor is that it captures more light. And so the quality in low light conditions is superior.

It's scandalous how small the sensors are in most digital cameras. Manufacturers love promoting zoom lenses and the number of megapixels they can squeeze in, but with a tiny sensor, it's tough getting a perfect shot. It's not too bad in sunny conditions but when the light is lacking, you can be in strife.