I use a Canon Powershot A 550.How can I "catch" bokeh in a picture?I don't really know how to use it for this..
I have here a picture where the background does look a little like bokeh,but this picture it's taken 2 years ago or sth like this(with the same camera).
Do you have some advices for me?
Quality of bokeh REALLY depends on the lens. And really, all bokeh "is" is the quality of the parts that are out of focus... it kinda gets mislabeled/handled/whatever. My 18-200mm lens has nasty bokeh, 50mm f/1.8 has awesome bokeh.
Hey Michelle - you have a few shots with bokeh. The only thing that only "looks like bokeh" is fake bokeh that you add in post processing. The one you posted is a good one, and I also found this one:
Check the settings on both of these, and I think what you'll find in addition to the settings is that you have a close focal point with other things in the background. Whether it is light or objects, the quality of the blur is the bokeh.
If you are wanting to make bokeh with Christmas lights like everyone is doing for the theme this week, I would try shooting something close up with a strand of lights (or your tree if you have one!) about 10 or so feet in the background. You want to have a very low aperture value if you are controlling your settings manually with your camera. Good luck!
Hi Michelle, bokeh is considered as "the way the lens renders out-of-focus points of light". It is the feel of out of focus areas. The best bokeh is really dependant on the individual's preferences. some people like really smooth bokeh where the background is completely out of focus, and then some people like bokeh where you can make almost make out what's in the background.
there are three types of bokeh, bad, neutral, and good. bad bokeh is rough on the edges, there are no circular shapes and the background distracts you away from the main subject. neutral bokeh is considered to be seen when there are distinct little circles coming from points of light in the background. Good bokeh is when there are no sharp edges or lines, and everything that is not in focus is completely smooth and soft.
The shot taken below is what I consider to be neutral bokeh. the background is not harsh but it is not smooth either. you can still sort of make out what it is i nthe background:
I see in the photo that you posted that you actually got some bokeh happening through the points of lights shining through the leaves.
to get bokeh in your shots, look for points of light in the background. This could be distant points of light at night such as street lights/traffic lights, or sometimes light shining through leaves or specular reflections in daylight.
It is usually agreed upon that the faster the lens (wider aperture), the better the bokeh. So a 50mm f1.8 is much better than the standard kit lens 18-55mm f3.5-5.6. This is because as the blades in the lens can open much bigger in a faster lens, the light coming through it is much smoother and appealing to the eye. just keep in mind that the shape and number of blades really doesn't have an effect on bokeh. they define the circle but won't define how the light source interacts with the background.
Your camera is a point and shoot ? If so the only real easy and surefire way to get bokeh with Christmas lights is to put your camera in macro setting. You will need a light source other than the Christmas lights to shoot without flash. The easiest way is to get the Christmas lights as far in the background as you can at least 4-6 feet and get a small object or focal point closer to camera 1-3 feet. focus in on that object in macro mode and your lights should turn to beautiful bokeh. if not move lights further from subject and camera. Hope this helps.
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Check the settings on both of these, and I think what you'll find in addition to the settings is that you have a close focal point with other things in the background. Whether it is light or objects, the quality of the blur is the bokeh.
If you are wanting to make bokeh with Christmas lights like everyone is doing for the theme this week, I would try shooting something close up with a strand of lights (or your tree if you have one!) about 10 or so feet in the background. You want to have a very low aperture value if you are controlling your settings manually with your camera. Good luck!
this is bokeh created with the lights of the xmas tree behind maddy- i shot at a wide aperture of 1.8...
there are three types of bokeh, bad, neutral, and good. bad bokeh is rough on the edges, there are no circular shapes and the background distracts you away from the main subject. neutral bokeh is considered to be seen when there are distinct little circles coming from points of light in the background. Good bokeh is when there are no sharp edges or lines, and everything that is not in focus is completely smooth and soft.
The shot taken below is what I consider to be neutral bokeh. the background is not harsh but it is not smooth either. you can still sort of make out what it is i nthe background:
I see in the photo that you posted that you actually got some bokeh happening through the points of lights shining through the leaves.
to get bokeh in your shots, look for points of light in the background. This could be distant points of light at night such as street lights/traffic lights, or sometimes light shining through leaves or specular reflections in daylight.
It is usually agreed upon that the faster the lens (wider aperture), the better the bokeh. So a 50mm f1.8 is much better than the standard kit lens 18-55mm f3.5-5.6. This is because as the blades in the lens can open much bigger in a faster lens, the light coming through it is much smoother and appealing to the eye. just keep in mind that the shape and number of blades really doesn't have an effect on bokeh. they define the circle but won't define how the light source interacts with the background.
sorry for the long post, hope it helps!