Have you been seeing this term pop up in photography but are wondering what is bokeh? Nevermind that! How do you even say this word?!
Well, it’s pronounced “boh-kay.”
Just kidding, it’s not. It’s actually pronounced “bow-keh”. Think bow-tie and then kettle. Bokeh.
Perfect, now you sound like a pro when saying it, but what does bokeh actually refer to?
WHAT IS BOKEH?
Ever hear a photographer say “look at that bokeh!” Well, what they’re referring to is the dreamy soft background in photos.
More specifically, they’re referring to the quality of the blur (or dreamy soft background) not so much the amount of blur.
Got it? Good!
Certain lenses produce better bokeh than others. And what makes good bokeh? There are two things:
- how soft and dreamy the background looks
- no hard edges in the circles making up the background blur
But why even use bokeh at all? Good photos are supposed to be sharp, not blurry!
WHY USE BOKEH?
Here’s the thing with bokeh. Although the background is blurry, the subject in focus is still meant to be sharp. And the reason we’d want to create an effect like this is to call attention to our subject.
This way, we’re literally showing the viewer what we want them to focus on and they really have no choice. They have to focus on our subject because the rest of the photo is literally a blur.
Take this shot for example:
What did you find yourself looking at? Was it the shiny little mushroom? Awesome! This is the point of using bokeh. To call attention to the subject.
So how exactly do you create this effect?
HOW TO CREATE BOKEH
There’s a few different techniques that will allow you to create bokeh in your photos and when all three of them are combined together, you’ll be so happy with what you’ll see that you’ll want to do a little happy dance!
First of all, you need a lens that has a wide Aperture like f3.5 or less. So, if you have a Canon kit lens like the 18-135 you can certainly start practicing.
A few of my other favourites include the Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM Lens and the Canon EF 70-200 1:2.8 L IS II USM Lens. The first one is much less expensive if you’re looking to add a good bokeh lens to your photography bag.
Here are three ways you can get bokeh in your photos:
1// APERTURE
Use a wide open Aperture like f2 if you can. This will create a shallow depth of field as opposed to a closed aperture like f/16.
Once you have your wide open Aperture set, then be sure to focus on your subject and snap the shot! If you don’t set the focus to your subject, who knows what will turn out sharp!
2// DISTANCE TO SUBJECT
Stand close to your subject. The closer you are to your subject, the shallower the depth of field. The further you are, the larger the depth of field.
Bonus Tip: The more distance between your subject and your background, the better the bokeh.
3// ZOOM IN
Using a telephoto lens works great when wanting to produce bokeh in your photos. The reason for this is because just as zooming in magnifies your subject, it also magnifies the blurred background.
I love little tidbits like this because it helps so much when trying to remember how to create the same effect for next time!
If you don’t have a telephoto lens, then the 50mm should do just fine, especially if you’re standing close.
EXAMPLES OF GOOD BOKEH
This was taken with the Canon EF 70-200 1:2.8 L IS II USM Lens.
See how absolutely dreamy that background looks? So tasty, I love it! Also, notice how the circles creating the bokeh are soft and round? Beauty!
EXAMPLES OF NOT SO GOOD BOKEH
This shot was taken with my Canon kit lens set at a 50mm focal length.
Notice the difference in the quality of the blur from this photo to the hummingbird photo above? First of all, the blur is not soft and dreamy, it’s sharp and harsh. Also, see how the circles really aren’t round? Maybe some of them are. Actually, none of them are, who am I kidding!
But the bokeh in this rock photo isn’t nearly as visually appealing as the bokeh in the hummingbird photo. Easy to spot the difference now right?
Perfect, let’s finish this up!
SUMMARY
- Bokeh is the quality of the background blur in a photo, not the amount of blur.
- We use bokeh to call attention to our subject plus it’s also visually pleasing.
- To create bokeh, use a wide Aperture like f/2, stand close to your subject and zoom in!
- Good bokeh has a dreamy look to it with soft round circles.
- Bad bokeh has a harsh look to it with not round circles.
Fun Fact: the origin of bokeh is Japanese and it literally translates to blur!
Now go share this with your other photography friends. Especially the origins part. They’ll totally be impressed. I know I was when my friend told me.
Also, if you’re a beginner in DSLR photography and you’re looking to improve your skills, make sure to sign up for our FREE 8 Essential DSLR Photography Tips for Beginners.
These are the tips that gave me creative control over my photos. Now, I actually understand how to use my DSLR to get the feeling I want and capture the moment each and every time!
Click here to sign up for the FREE 8 Essential DSLR Photography Tips for Beginners!
Have an awesome rest of your day! Hopefully you can get out and practice getting some beautiful bokeh shots soon.