Paula's (@brumbe) most recent pic of bokeh had me curious about what YOU'VE shot with bokeh in the background, or as the main subject, either natural or created. I have a few photos with bokeh, but they're mostly by accident, I think! Here's one from the other day. I had used my zoom lens and the sun was shining behind the trees in the background:
@aitch2803 Helen - excellent! What makes the shapes octagonal as opposed to circular? This reminds me of a snow or ice storm. What was the camera pointed at?
@meredithwb you just made my heart jump at the discussion. Thank you for starting this discussion.
I have had bokeh with my dslr before as a background when I am working on depth of field, but I have never been able to quite get my hands around bokeh as a picture. I actually was thinking about how to get it right last night. I actually was walking to work by the huge fountain and the sun was hitting and reflecting lots and lots of little rays of light, so I whipped out the handy bridge point and shoot from my purse (yes, after all the attempts with the dslr) and then focused on the area just above the water and tada. MAGIC! so this is my first solo bokeh photo and I am just excited that I made a goal and made it work.
@meredithwb - it was pointed at a spray of water - how I managed to do it without getting me or the camera soaked I'm not quite sure! And the hexagonal shape is from the lens aperture and the fact that they're more in focus than bokeh usually is (I think!)
what is bokeh? I'm kind of new to this lingo. I can kind of see from the photos here that it's circular lights in the background, but I'd love a formal definition. Thanks!
@becauseican Courtney, one dictionary gives this definition for bokeh: a Japanese term for the subjective aesthetic quality of out-of-focus areas of a photographic image. The photographic world seems to have varying ideas of what constitutes bokeh, however. But what would life be without a good, friendly "discussion" about what is and what isn't? LOL. (No, I'm not saying we need to do that here!!!)
I've always taken it to be (and please understand my take on it is within the past year when I first learned the term!) the out-of-focus background or portion of the photo that lends itself beautifully to the composition, and not just a blurred out background. Your photo definitely has bokeh, glistening off the water!
@6dav1d6 David - I love the concept of your pic, or at least what I think it is. It appears you're trying to "stop" the oncoming lights and whatever is attached to them. This gives me a feeling like something out of "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." Nice pic!
@smevvy Heather, my accidental bokeh seems to come from the light through the trees, too, so I'm right there with you! I am going to try for some "intentional" bokeh over the next few weeks, to see what I come up with. Great job!
@meredithwb Thank you for your definition of bokeh as like Courtney I wasn't sure what it actually was ! I have been guessing over the last few weeks that it is blurred back ground but obviously I was only part right & it is more !!
@msk1p2 Now, if you were on a snipe hunt while photographing this, that would be even better! LOL. (I guess I'd better put a link about that phrase: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snipe_hunt.) Great photo!!! What is that? Is it a Praying Mantis?
@meredithwb yep! it's a small praying mantis! Here's another shot of him so you can see how small he is: http://365project.org/msk1p2/but-theres-more/2011-08-10. I should have called it a snipe hunt...I'm afraid my brother sent me out on one when I was a kid and I'm also afraid to admit that it took me almost an hour before I realised I'd been had!
Wow!!! What great response and terrific and varied photos! Yesterday I thought I could keep up with comments for everyone, but I'm not so sure, so please forgive! If you didn't see it above, @wahyusp posted a link that would probably interest many of you. I'm going to give it a shot: http://diyphotography.net/diy_create_your_own_bokeh.
I think I've found some more photogs to follow - thank you for your great response to this topic. It's one of my favorites. :)
Tweets ahoy!
Join the Group
Pin With Me
here's my bokeh!
I have had bokeh with my dslr before as a background when I am working on depth of field, but I have never been able to quite get my hands around bokeh as a picture. I actually was thinking about how to get it right last night. I actually was walking to work by the huge fountain and the sun was hitting and reflecting lots and lots of little rays of light, so I whipped out the handy bridge point and shoot from my purse (yes, after all the attempts with the dslr) and then focused on the area just above the water and tada. MAGIC! so this is my first solo bokeh photo and I am just excited that I made a goal and made it work.
:D certified bokeh machine!
and the day before
I've always taken it to be (and please understand my take on it is within the past year when I first learned the term!) the out-of-focus background or portion of the photo that lends itself beautifully to the composition, and not just a blurred out background. Your photo definitely has bokeh, glistening off the water!
I am thinking about playing with bokeh once the weather is colder and I run out of "warm" living things to play with :)
http://diyphotography.net/diy_create_your_own_bokeh
and i also really like this one
manual focus in st giles cathedral, edinburgh
Yesterday's bokeh
And a bit here too:
Both by accident rather than any skill :)
And I shot this:
Wow!!! What great response and terrific and varied photos! Yesterday I thought I could keep up with comments for everyone, but I'm not so sure, so please forgive! If you didn't see it above, @wahyusp posted a link that would probably interest many of you. I'm going to give it a shot: http://diyphotography.net/diy_create_your_own_bokeh.
I think I've found some more photogs to follow - thank you for your great response to this topic. It's one of my favorites. :)
Okay, I definitely got a bit carried away here - but I just looove bokeh :)
I love bokeh...never heard of it until I joined 365
oh I could go on and on and on :)
And here is my one "created" bokeh...