3 Simple Ways to Take Blurry Pictures

wikiHow shares tips for creating artistic blur effects in your photos

Apr. 11, 2026 at 6:37am

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A heavily textured, brightly colored silkscreen print of a camera lens repeated in a grid pattern, conceptually representing the creative potential of blurry photography techniques.Blurry backgrounds and creative camera effects can add an artistic flair to everyday photography, as this pop art-inspired illustration suggests.Austin Today

CategoriesHobbies and CraftsPhotographyDigital PhotographyDownload ArticleExplore this Articlemethods1Using a Mobile Phone to Make Blurs2Creating Blurry Photos with a Digital SLR Camera3Manipulating the Light Source. Blurriness is usually a sign of movement in pictures, but it can also be an artistic way to enhance your photography. Using techniques like bokeh lighting, you can capture photos with blurred backgrounds to create unique, artistic effects.

Why it matters

In an era of high-resolution digital photography, learning how to intentionally create blurred effects can help photographers stand out and add a creative, artistic flair to their work. Blurry backgrounds can draw the viewer's eye to the subject and create a sense of depth and motion.

The details

The article covers three main techniques for taking blurry pictures: using mobile phone features like portrait mode, adjusting settings on a digital SLR camera to control depth of field and shutter speed, and manipulating lighting sources to create a bokeh effect. It provides step-by-step instructions and tips for each method, including downloading specialized photo editing apps, attaching different lenses, and positioning subjects and light sources.

  • The article was published on April 11, 2026.

The players

Cory Ryan

A professional wedding photographer who runs Cory Ryan Photography in Austin, Texas. She has over 15 years of photography experience and her work has been featured in publications like The Knot, Style Me Pretty, and Junebug Weddings.

Janice Tieperman

A wikiHow staff writer who co-authored the article.

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What they’re saying

“If you are a beginner, I would put your dial on A, meaning Aperture priority, to get a blurred background. Depending on your lens, you're going to have the ability to get that blur.”

— Cory Ryan, Professional Wedding Photographer

The takeaway

Learning creative photography techniques like intentionally blurring backgrounds can help beginner and amateur photographers elevate their work and develop a unique artistic style. The article provides a helpful overview of several easy-to-implement methods for adding blurred effects to photos, whether using a smartphone or a DSLR camera.