What is bokeh?

Andy

Many folks pm or email me - happy to get them but I try to make the answers public, for two reasons: searchable for future, and also, if you have the question, many others probably do, to! I won't identify you, if you choose to say "yeah that was me" that's up to you

Today's question:

anonymous, somewhat embarrased, pm-er wrote:

What is "bokeh?"

I have seen this mentioned many times recently but it's a term I'm not familiar with. I feel kinda stupid but in all my years in photography I've never seen this.

You're not alone.

So my stock answer is: "I know good bokeh when I see it." BTW it's usually pronounced "bowkuh" but it doesn't really matter how you see it. It's a very subjective thing - influenced by color, light, shadow, lens, subject, background, and photographer. Usually, fast lenses (f/2.8 and faster) give the best bokeh. Usually, higher quality lenses will give creamier, smoother, higher-cholesterol bokeh (think: 50 f/1.0, 85 f/1.2, etc). But you can do it, too, with most lenses. Here are some example shots and my humble explanations.

Here's an example, from Canon's 35 f/1.4 lens. Notice the quality of the OOF area - it disappears into a pleasing blend of colors - really smoothly:



Here's an example from Canon's 70-200L f/2.8 IS, notice the nice separation of main subject and background:


Here's an example from Canon's 100mm f/2.8 Macro. Notice the creamyness of the background, everything just melts away to buttery-smooth nothing-ness. That's really nice bokeh. Shoot wide open, and close up, and you'll get this effect:


Often, bokeh is described in terms of the quality of the OOF specular highlights. A fast lens (opens big!) wide open, will have a nice round opening for that light to come through, and will produce results like this:



OK everyone - let's see your bokeh!

Enjoy (out of focus backgrounds) photography,

DanielB

Here's an example, from Canon's 35 f/1.4 lens. Notice the quality of the OOF area - it disappears into a pleasing blend of colors - really smoothly:




just wanted to throw this in there, but my mom would absolutely DIE for a picture of that. lol.

oh and also. thanks andy i had seen it so many times. i now feel like i'm "in on the secret" :giggle

A.k.A.- intellegent.
lol.

chuckh

Andy wrote:

Many folks pm or email me - happy to get them but I try to make the answers public, for two reasons: searchable for future, and also, if you have the question, many others probably do, to! I won't identify you, if you choose to say "yeah that was me" that's up to you

...

OK everyone - let's see your bokeh!

Enjoy (out of focus backgrounds) photography,

Very nice images Andy as always!!!

Here's a couple:

DanielB

does this qualify as Bokeh??

ginger_55

Yes, DAniel, that is Bokeh.

This is the most pronounced Bokeh I ever got. The first time I used my new 300 mm lens, a long time ago.

That lens is something like an f 5.6, not fast at all.




The really out of focus part is the bokeh. I was very close to the Pelicans. The bokeh, and I didn't know that word either, it kind of scared me as the background there is really a mess, very busy. This was such an improvement, but not what I expected at all.

ginger

I say bokeh is the out of focus part around the in focus main subject. Some is more pleasing than others. I have gotten terrible bokeh shooting through trees at a sunset type setting. Just godaweful terrible stuff, and with this same lens, and with my now 400 mm.

docwalker

Some examples of Bokeh.





I love it as I have found it useflul to get rid of bad backgound elements and save shots.

Phil U.

I found this article on the subject helpful - it goes a bit into the techie side but not too far.

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/bokeh.htm

RichardBrackin

...more bokeh. Canon 135mm F/2.0

Antonio Correia

anderiv

Andy wrote:

OK everyone - let's see your bokeh!

If you insist! ;-)

I've only recently acquired fast enough lenses to get good bokeh, so this is my best so far:

Giphsub

Here are a couple of mine

JimW

Great thread. I love all these out of focus areas, both backgrounds and foregrounds. Here's one of mine, taken with a 4x5 camera with both the front standard and the rear standard all twisted up to throw the plane of focus on a diagonal across her eyes. Lens was a Schneider 210mm.

BeachBill

"Sights of the Season"


This is one I shot last year specificially for a bokeh themed photo contest. It won first place.
Shot with a Canon 30D and Sigma 18-50mm 2.8 at 50mm and f/2.8, using ambient light.

Glenn NK

My favourite link on the topic; although it's entitled Bokeh Test, it demonstrates the difference between good and bad bokeh, and also gets into terminology for different kinds of bokeh; such as "bright edge" bokeh and "double line" bokeh.

It's long, and when I first saw it, I skimmed through it quickly to the photos, then when I went back and read the text, I understood it much better.

http://www.rickdenney.com/bokeh_test.htm

Antonio Correia

70-200 f/2.8 IS L USM

BeachBill

Here is an interesting article on changing the shape of your bokeh to things like hearts or stars or whatever...

http://www.diyphotography.net/diy_create_your_own_bokeh

Joves

Ah here is one of mine.

leaforte

Some Holiday Bokah

Bilsen

It can also be done with a Superzoom
such as the Canon S5 IS:

Phyxius

Bokeh is fun! This was my first shot with the 70-200 2.8. I wanted to see how fast of a shutter speed I could take at ISO 200 F2.8. Needless to say it was love at first click.

Rhuarc

As long as this thread is revived anyway, I need to ask. Could someone show me some examples of really bad bokeh to contrast with the really good?

Glenn NK

Rhuarc wrote:

As long as this thread is revived anyway, I need to ask. Could someone show me some examples of really bad bokeh to contrast with the really good?

I think some of the examples in the link I gave in post 14 are examples of bad bokeh.

LiquidAir

Rhuarc wrote:

As long as this thread is revived anyway, I need to ask. Could someone show me some examples of really bad bokeh to contrast with the really good?

Here is an example of less-than-ideal Bokeh. See how the lens has turned all the specular highlights into little rings? You can also see a doubling up of all the blades of grass in the background. This is 100% crop from the original frame:

jeffreaux2

I will throw a couple out there.

Taken with my Tamron 28-75 F2.8 lens last year right after I took it out of the box.
Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi ,Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di LD
1/100s f/2.8 at 75.0mm iso200




Canon 50mm F1.8

Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi ,Canon 50mm f/1.8
1/1000s f/1.8 at 50.0mm iso200



Canon 85mmF1.8 Not sur about aperature.....probably F2.0 to F 4.0?

Antonio Correia

20D + 70-200 f/2.8 IS L USM + ST E2 + 430 EX
I like this lens very much.
EXIF

Antonio Correia

20 D + 1.4 mult + 70-200 IS L USM

Antonio Correia

EXIF

Canon 20D + 24-70 f/2.8 L USM

Giphsub

Love that last chess one Antonio

Antonio Correia

Giphsub wrote:

Love that last chess one Antonio

Mike: thumb

Antonio Correia

EXIF clicking on photo, please. With off camera snooted flash.

fashiznitsngrins

Antonio Correia wrote:

20 D + 1.4 mult + 70-200 IS L USM

Love this one man!