Effects & looks

The looks you have seen in other people's photos are not luck — each one comes from a specific setting. Pick the look, learn how it works.

Blurred background

Soft, separated subject

The subject is sharp and the background melts away. This comes from a wide lens opening, a longer focal length and distance.

Sharp action

A very short exposure catches a moment before it can move. The faster the subject, the faster the shutter has to be.

Show the movement

A longer exposure records movement as a streak: flowing water, light trails or a panned car.

Clean photos after dark

Night photos come out sharp when the camera is steady and the exposure is long enough.

Enough light inside

Indoors there is far less light than it looks. You brighten the photo with the aperture, the shutter or ISO.

Filmic and moody

A cinematic feeling comes from soft backgrounds, longer lenses and light that comes from the side rather than the front.

Front to back detail

A narrower opening puts a much deeper slice of the scene inside the sharp zone.

Wide and crisp

Landscape sharpness comes from a moderate aperture, low ISO and a steady camera.

Remove the clutter

Isolation is mostly about framing: a long lens, a wide opening and a background with nothing in it.

Dim rooms, moving people

The hardest everyday situation: not enough light, and subjects that will not hold still.

Honest, unposed

Photos that feel like the moment actually looked: available light, natural framing, no dramatic effects.