Background compression happens when you use a longer focal length (like zooming in) to photograph your subject. It makes the background appear:
- Larger
- Closer
- More “compressed” against the subject
This isn’t digital trickery — it’s a natural result of how lenses project the scene onto your camera’s sensor.
Compare these examples:
- At 24mm: wide field of view, lots of background, subject feels distant
- At 85mm: tighter frame, background fills more of the shot, feels “closer”
- At 200mm: background may look almost flat behind the subject
Many photographers use background compression intentionally — especially in:
- Portraits: to make backgrounds look smoother and less distracting
- Wildlife: to isolate subjects from distant scenery
- Travel: to make landmarks appear more prominent
Personally, I ruined plenty of family shots before understanding this effect. It’s not about getting good photos — it’s about not ruining important ones with weird perspective or a background that overwhelms the subject.
Want more blur? Combine a longer focal length with a wide aperture — but remember, focal length alone changes how things look, not just how sharp or blurry they are.