No, this is not diffraction. Let's start by recalling how the image is formed by the lens (focused and defocused): ![Focusing][1] Each point of your large aperture lens contributes to just one point of the **defocused** image: ![Single ray in a defocused image][2] *(by the way, this also shows why aperture size affects (de)focus)* And what happens if you place an obstacle (your hands) near the lens? Not all defocused rays can reach our image, as a result the image appears more focused and slightly shifted. ![Defocused image + obstacle][3] And this is what happens in your photo - by covering the aperture, parts of the background become shifted and warped, depending on the obstacle shape. [1]: https://i.sstatic.net/tXRz3.jpg [2]: https://i.sstatic.net/ghTcs.jpg [3]: https://i.sstatic.net/2CYzR.jpg