Out-of-Focus Effect In Photography: Japanese Blur & Bokeh

Have you ever seen those photos where the background is blurred, and the subject is in sharp focus? Or those photos with the background lights looking like glowing orbs or stars? If you have, you have seen bokeh’s effect in photography.

Bokeh is a word with Japanese origins, meaning “blur” or “haze.” It refers to the aesthetic quality of the out-of-focus areas in an image, especially those caused by circles of confusion. Circles of confusion are the spots of light that appear on the image sensor when a point of light is out of focus. The shape and size of these circles depend on the lens’s aperture, focal length, and distance.

Bokeh can add much interest and depth to your photos and draw attention to your main subject. It can also create a mood or atmosphere in your photos, such as romantic, dreamy, or festive. Bokeh can be achieved with any camera and lens as long as you know how to control the depth of field and the aperture of your lens.

In this blog post, we will show you how to create beautiful bokeh in your photos and share some tips and tricks to make the most of it. Let’s get started!

What You Need to Create Bokeh

To create bokeh in your photos, you need to have a shallow depth of field. Depth of field is the area in front of and behind your subject that is in focus. A shallow depth of field means that only a tiny part of your image is in focus, and the rest is blurred. A deep depth of field means that most or all of your image is in focus.

The depth of field is determined by three factors: the aperture, the focal length, and the lens distance. Here is how they affect the depth of field and the bokeh:

• Aperture: The aperture is the opening in the lens that controls how much light enters the camera. The aperture is measured in f-stops, such as f/1.4, f/2.8, f/4, etc. The smaller the f-number, the larger the aperture, and vice versa. A large aperture lets in more light, creating a shallower field depth and more bokeh. A small aperture lets in less light, creating a deeper field depth and less bokeh. You must use a large aperture, such as f/2.8 or more comprehensive, to create a bokeh in your photos.
• Focal length: The focal length is the distance between the lens and the image sensor, measured in millimeters. The focal length determines how much of the scene you can capture and how magnified your subject appears. A short focal length, such as 18mm or 35mm, gives you a wide-angle view, and a long focal length, such as 85mm or 200mm, gives you a telephoto view. A long focal length compresses the perspective, creating a shallower field depth and more bokeh. A short focal length expands the perspective and creates a deeper depth of field and less bokeh. To create a bokeh in your photos, you must use a long focal length, such as 50mm or longer.
• Distance: The distance is between the lens and the subject and between the subject and the background. The closer you are to your subject, the shallower the depth of field and the more bokeh you get. The farther you are from your subject, the deeper the depth of field and the less bokeh you get. The same applies to the distance between the subject and the background. The closer the background is to the subject, the less bokeh you get. The farther the background is from the subject, the more bokeh you get. To create bokeh in your photos, you must be close to your subject and have a distant background.

How to Create Bokeh in Your Photos

Now that you know what you need to create bokeh in your photos, here are some steps to follow:

1. Choose a subject that you want to highlight in your photo. It can be a person, an animal, a flower, or anything else you find interesting.
2. Choose a background with some points of light or contrast, such as street lights, candles, fairy lights, or colorful objects. These will create the bokeh shapes in your photo.
3. Set your camera to aperture priority mode and select a large aperture, such as f/2.8 or wider. If you have a manual mode, you can adjust the shutter speed and the ISO to get the correct exposure.
4. Use a long focal length, such as 50mm or longer. If you have a zoom lens, zoom in to the maximum focal length.
5. Get close to your subject, and ensure enough distance between the subject and the background. You can use a tripod or a stabilizer to avoid camera shake.
6. Focus on your subject and take the photo. You should see a shallow depth of field and a blurred background with bokeh shapes.

Tips and Tricks to Make the Most of Bokeh

Here are some tips and tricks to make the most of bokeh in your photos:

• Experiment with different apertures, focal lengths, and distances to see how they affect the depth of field and the bokeh. You can also use your camera’s depth of field preview button to see how the image will look before you take the photo.
• Use a lens with a wide maximum aperture, such as f/1.4 or f/1.8. These lenses are also called fast lenses, and they can create more bokeh than lenses with smaller maximum apertures, such as f/4 or f/5.6.
• Try to use a lens with a rounded aperture rather than a polygonal one. The shape of the aperture affects the shape of the bokeh. A round aperture creates a round bokeh, while a polygonal aperture creates a polygonal bokeh. You can check your lens’s number of aperture blades to see its shape: the more blades, the more rounded the aperture.
• Use a smooth and creamy bokeh lens rather than a harsh and busy one. The quality of the bokeh depends on the optical design and the coating of the lens. Some lenses have better bokeh than others, and some lenses have different types of bokeh, such as swirly, cat-eye, or soap bubble. You can read reviews or look at sample photos to see what kind of bokeh a lens has.
• Try to use a background with different colors, shapes, and sizes of light sources rather than a uniform one. This will create more variety and interest in your bokeh. You can also use filters, masks, or DIY methods to create custom bokeh shapes, such as hearts, stars, or letters.
• Use natural light, such as sunlight or moonlight, rather than artificial light, such as flash or LED. Natural light creates softer and more natural bokeh, while artificial light creates harsher and more artificial bokeh. You can also use reflectors, diffusers, or modifiers to soften or enhance the light.
• Try to use bokeh as a creative tool rather than a gimmick. Bokeh can add beauty and emotion to your photos and distract from your subject or message. Use bokeh to complement your subject, not to compete with it. Use bokeh to create a mood or story, not show off your skills or equipment.

Comparing Bokeh: Digital vs. Film

When we talk about the blurry background in photos, known as bokeh, there’s a bit of a friendly competition between digital and film cameras. Bokeh is all about how nice the blur looks, especially the lights that aren’t in focus.

Digital cameras give you much control to create that soft, blurry background. Thanks to technology, you can play around with settings to get the bokeh just right and even tweak it more on a computer later. Digital makes it easier to see what you’re doing and change things as you go.

Film cameras, on the other hand, have their charm. The bokeh they create has a unique feel that many photographers love. It’s like adding a vintage filter that gives photos a warm, nostalgic vibe. Plus, the graininess of film can make the blur look even more fantastic, something digital cameras can’t entirely copy.

Choosing between digital and film for bokeh ultimately depends on what you like best. Digital offers more control and precision, while film gives photos a unique, classic look. Both ways can make your pictures stand out, so it’s all about your style and what you’re trying to capture.

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Conclusion

Bokeh is a beautiful effect that can make your photos more attractive and artistic. The aperture, focal length, and lens distance control the shallow depth of field that results in bokeh. To create a bokeh in your photos, you must use a large aperture, a long focal length, and a close distance to your subject. You can also use different lenses, backgrounds, lights, and techniques to enhance or customize your bokeh. If you use it wisely and tastefully, Bokeh can be a powerful way to express your vision and style.

We hope you enjoyed this blog post and learned something new about bokeh. If you have any questions or comments, please share them below. We would love to hear from you. Happy shooting!