Guest post by Jim Harmer from ImprovePhotography.com.
When photographers use shallow depth-of-field, the purpose is usually to make the subject of the photo stand out from the background. Unfortunately, this usually means that the photographer forgets about the aesthetic quality of the area not in focus and pays attention only to the subject. Big mistake. This article seeks to teach photographers how to achieve beautiful bokeh.
Bokeh is the quality of the portion of a photograph that is not in sharp focus. The pronunciation of “bokeh” is debated, but the photo world seems to have settled on the pronunciation “bouquet.” Many photographers do not realize that they can control the aesthetic quality of the bokeh. There are four basic techniques to improve your bokeh: adjusting depth-of-field, choosing the proper lens, creating custom bokeh, and using bokeh to relate with the foreground.
1. Adjusting Depth-of-Field
Image by anton khoff
Because bokeh is the blurry portion of an image, it is directly related to depth of field, which controls how much of the image is out of focus. A low aperture value produces short depth-of-field, and consequently a larger blurry portion of the image. Also, the shorter the focal length, the greater the depth of field. The last consideration in controlling depth of field is the lens-to-focal point distance. A longer distance between the lens and the focal point creates a greater depth-of-field.
Many beginning photographers always push for the lowest aperture available. This is a mistake. Often, the blurry portion of the photo is more aesthetically pleasing if enough detail is left in the background to make out some shapes or objects. The first rule to better bokeh is to determine proper depth-of-field rather than always choosing the blurriest background available.
2. Choosing the Proper Lens
Image by izik
The aperture is a group of several blades which form a circle or octagon through which the light passes to the sensor. Apertures which utilize more blades or have curved blades will produce more circular-shaped light bursts in the bokeh, while apertures with more octagonal openings produce a similarly-shaped light burst. Many photographers prefer the circular bokeh to the more octagonal shapes. Generally, more expensive lenses use more blades and/or utilize curved aperture blades in an effort to produce a more circular bokeh.
3. Creating Custom Bokeh
A few years ago, it became very popular for photographers to create special cut-outs in various shapes to go on a lens. The shape of the cut-out will control the shape of the light bursts in the bokeh. This is a very creative and eye-catching effect as long as it is not overdone. To create this effect, simply punch out a small (approximately the size of a dime) shape in a black piece of paper. Then tape this paper over the front of the lens as if it were a lens cap, with the cut-out precisely in the middle of the lens. When you take a picture, the bokeh will reflect the shape of the cut-out.
4. Relating the Foreground with the Background
Image by Shermeee
Often, the most captivating photographs are those which do something that the viewer did not anticipate. Relating the sharp foreground subject of an image with something in the blurry portion of the image can create a truly creative image. You’ve probably seen this effect in wedding photography when a bride is close to the camera and in sharp focus, with the groom blurry in the background. This technique is even stronger when the foreground not only relates to the background, but when it interacts with it.
Bokeh is one of the most-used photographic techniques, but one of the least focused-on. Applying these four methods to achieving better bokeh will dramatically improve your photography.
Post from: Digital Photography School – Photography Tips.
How to Achieve Better Bokeh–4 Simple Tips
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great article. my only dispute is with the comment on the pronunciation, it is a Japanese word, and since their language has a very predictable syllabary, the word has only one way of being said “bow-keh”.
-www.lightshootedit.com
So simply put, “great brokeh” is a product of the price of the lens and not the quality of the photographer.
I use shallow depth of field in my portraits so nothing draws the eyes away from my subject. “Great brokeh” is an insult to me, because that means I failed.
In photography, bokeh is the blur, or the aesthetic quality of the blur, in out-of-focus areas of an image, or “the way the lens renders out-of-focus points of light..
I like a shallow depth of field in portraits. The way I achieve the shallow DOF is by using my prime 50mm f1.8
I think bokeh is one of those trends right now in photography that can be way overused.
I may be stating the obvious, but I thought that bokeh typically refers to the quality of out-of-focus highlights or other light features, rather then just the amount or type of blur. Bokeh definitely affects the overall qualities of the blurry area, but I think in the context of this article, as demonstrated by the sample pictures, refers more to quality of bokeh on the out-of-focus lights in the background?
Oopss forgot to include the link:
http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-11039241-woman-holding-a-remote.php
I’ve been trying to get it right all the time, but like someone said in the beggining is not how much DOF you give to your picture but also to pay attention to where exactly it is…
Here is my best example:
A few years back, this ‘play’ with bokeh was nice and pretty original, but somehow – and maybe it’s flickrs fault – these “custom” bokeh photos became too common. Or very gimmicky.
I don’t know, maybe it’s just me…. it sure looks like many do enjoy these things
Here is a 50mm f/1.8 wide open attempt. Nothing too fancy I guess – http://www.ilanbresler.com/2008/10/night.html – Starry night in summer
I had a little fun with this on Christmas Eve.
http://jmphotographyonline.wordpress.com/2009/12/24/merry-christmas-to-all-and-to-all-a-good-night/
My bokeh technique has been…luck. It’s fun to learn how it can be controlled and I look forward to experimenting!