Question to the Photo Gods....

[Desertoutpost]

I own a Nikon D50 with 18-55mm lens digital camera...

I want to start to playing around with taking different shots...

First, how do I adjust my settings to cause everything to be blurry in background but focused on 1 main object in foreground?

Secondly, what adjustment do I make if I want to take a picture, off tripod, that shows the rotation of stars, just slight but I think you know the effect I'm looking for?

Any help would be great I'm new at this!!


Thanks a bunch.

 

[articulate]

Well, I think it's dangerous territory to respond to someone looking for advice from the gods. Know what I mean? But, hell, it's Friday.

I think you're a prime candidate for a little one-on-one with a half decent photographer, because picking this stuff up via the written word on the internet is just not adequate at all.

Again, it's Friday. So I'll bite. What the hell.

That blurry background you want is referred to as a "shallow depth of field," or "shooting wide open." You control that with your aperture setting - in (very) crude terms, roll the cute dial until the f/ number is as low as she'll go. A couple things can amplify the "blurring," too: zoom and a greater distance between subject and non-subject. The user manual for your camera will even tell you how to do this. Seriously.

And star trails? See this page: http://www.danheller.com/star-trails.html

 

[Desertoutpost]

Well, I think it's dangerous territory to respond to someone looking for advice from the gods. Know what I mean? But, hell, it's Friday.

I think you're a prime candidate for a little one-on-one with a half decent photographer, because picking this stuff up via the written word on the internet is just not adequate at all.

Again, it's Friday. So I'll bite. What the hell.

That blurry background you want is referred to as a "shallow depth of field," or "shooting wide open." You control that with your aperture setting - in (very) crude terms, roll the cute dial until the f/ number is as low as she'll go. A couple things can amplify the "blurring," too: zoom and a greater distance between subject and non-subject. The user manual for your camera will even tell you how to do this. Seriously.

And star trails? See this page: http://www.danheller.com/star-trails.html

The big problem with the cute knob is I don't have one, it must be in the menu because it is digi, I will look in the book, damn and I was trying to avoid the book thing like all good men do!