The word bokeh is Japanese for blur, and is coveted by many photographers. It describes the effect found in out-of-focus parts or shapes in an image. Bokeh happens in the parts of a picture that extend beyond the depth of focus. If you want to create your own bokeh images, here are some tips to get you started:
Get Your Camera Settings Right
To create bokeh, you will need a large aperture and a short focal distance. By setting your camera to Aperture Priority mode, you will be able to dictate the exposure of the picture based on the aperture you select. It will need to be large to let in lots of light, something like f/1.8 up to f/4. A large aperture also gives you a shallow depth of field.
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Get Close for Best Depth of Field
For the best bokeh, you will want to get your subject as close to the lens of your camera as possible. By focusing on something close to the camera, you will create a nice blurry background. If you typically shoot in auto-focus, this is a great time to practice focusing in manual mode. You want to be able to control the depth of field in your images, not the camera.
Use Bokeh to Create a Focal Point
Transform an ordinary picture into something amazing by focusing on a specific area of your picture. You will have the nice blur in front of and behind your focal point.
Create Abstracts with Bokeh
If you have a macro lens, you can create incredible abstract images. Using a macro lens will give your smooth textures that you can only get with a macro lens’ depth of field.
Bokeh is an incredibly fun photographic technique that can add new depth and character to your pictures. Enjoy the process of experimenting and creating more dramatic photos.
*All photographs in this post were taken by Lucrecer Braxton
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