The Official "Bokeh" Thread!

[Chris_PA]

85L wide open

[brucehunglo]

bokeh ftw
all with the nifty fifty f1.8
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[i like rice]

I think you guys are confusing bokeh with background blur. Bokeh is the term used when the out of focus area is appealing in some manner and helps the overall appeal of the image, such as the trail of street lights fading off to the horizon or the transition from dark to light, etc.

[grimm]

[Chris_PA]

My dog is a damn star!

85L wide open

[GregV]

Originally Posted by i like rice

I think you guys are confusing bokeh with background blur. Bokeh is the term used when the out of focus area is appealing in some manner and helps the overall appeal of the image, such as the trail of street lights fading off to the horizon or the transition from dark to light, etc.

Bokeh refers to the appearance of the background blur (including it's shape as caused by the aperture blades), but does not specifically imply that it must add to the composition of the shot.

[i like rice]

it doesn't specifically have add to the composition of the photo but it still effects the overall image quality. take the examples from the 50 1.8 several posts above. the bokeh is very harsh, degrading the image quality because the background overpowers the focal point.

[RichK]

Here's another. Again, D2x, 300 2.8, and the 1.4TC at 7.1. Not wide open, but a very pleasing background without losing the subject.

[howielong]

Guess its consider "Bokeh"

Nikkor 50mm F/1.4 @ F/1.4

[cszakolczai]

I'm guessing this is as well... Nikkor 50mm wide open @ 1.8 if I remember correctly.

[i like rice]

Originally Posted by cszakolczai

I'm guessing this is as well... Nikkor 50mm wide open @ 1.8 if I remember correctly.

Image input equipment manufacturer: NIKON CORPORATION
Image input equipment model: NIKON D200
Software used: Adobe Photoshop 7.0
Exposure time: 0.003125
F number: 2.8
Exposure program: 1
ISO speed rating: 160
Exposure bias: 2.33333
Maximum lens aperture: 1.6
Metering mode: 2
Light source: 9
Flash: 0
Lens focal length: 50

[TomTomTuning]

Originally Posted by i like rice

I think you guys are confusing bokeh with background blur. Bokeh is the term used when the out of focus area is appealing in some manner and helps the overall appeal of the image, such as the trail of street lights fading off to the horizon or the transition from dark to light, etc.

post up a good example

Bokeh describes the rendition of out-of-focus points of light.

Bokeh is different from sharpness. Sharpness is what happens at the point of best focus. Bokeh is what happens away from the point of best focus.

Bokeh describes the appearance, or "feel," of out-of-focus areas. Bokeh is not how far something is out-of-focus, bokeh is the character of whatever blur is there.

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

[cszakolczai]

Originally Posted by i like rice

Image input equipment manufacturer: NIKON CORPORATION
Image input equipment model: NIKON D200
Software used: Adobe Photoshop 7.0
Exposure time: 0.003125
F number: 2.8
Exposure program: 1
ISO speed rating: 160
Exposure bias: 2.33333
Maximum lens aperture: 1.6
Metering mode: 2
Light source: 9
Flash: 0
Lens focal length: 50

eh close enough... 1.8... 2.8 there around the same right? haha

edit:
I have another shot taken at 1.8 I did, I mixed the 2 up... my bad

[cszakolczai]

Originally Posted by RichK

Here's another. Again, D2x, 300 2.8, and the 1.4TC at 7.1. Not wide open, but a very pleasing background without losing the subject.

Where did you go to get this shot? Its freaking amazing.

[brucehunglo]

Originally Posted by i like rice

it doesn't specifically have add to the composition of the photo but it still effects the overall image quality. take the examples from the 50 1.8 several posts above. the bokeh is very harsh, degrading the image quality because the background overpowers the focal point.

"Smooth, uniform, aesthetically pleasing blur is "good" Bokeh"
http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/bokeh.htm
there he has a good diagram of poor neutral and good bokeh

so in ur opinion the circular points in the bokeh is too sharp in terms of the background? on this one for instance(one of the ones u refer to with the 1.8 lens).


btw rice nice site i like ur coverage work

[i like rice]

Originally Posted by TomTomTuning

post up a good example

Look at Chris' dog shot a few posts up. The reflection bokeh in the water fills the dead space. Your eyes don't wander over to that reflection because the main focal point remains the main focal point.

[i like rice]

Originally Posted by brucehunglo

"Smooth, uniform, aesthetically pleasing blur is "good" Bokeh"
http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/bokeh.htm
there he has a good diagram of poor neutral and good bokeh

so in ur opinion the circular points in the bokeh is too sharp in terms of the background? on this one for instance(one of the ones u refer to with the 1.8 lens).
[IMG.]http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2354/2573290113_ee879dc6da_o.jpg[/IMG]

btw rice nice site i like ur coverage work

Trees usually make for a bad back drop since the patterns and shapes that you get, even with a good lens, are usually odd and harsh. The bokeh in the image you get reflections from the cars, so my eyes tend to wander to the right side of the image instead of looking at the main focal point. Put the same person in front of an ocean or on a clean beach and the image changes drastically. I'm not a portrait photographer so I don't have examples to toss up.

[i like rice]

Here are a few wedding pics from a wedding photographer out in Cali that I talk with periodically




He does a great job in framing his shots and using the oof area to fill in the dead space. Your eyes are drawn to both the focal point and the oof area.

Just a few more shots









Amazing photographer, great use of both natural and artificial lighting.

[RichK]

Originally Posted by cszakolczai

Where did you go to get this shot? Its freaking amazing.

It was taken at the Conowingo Dam in Maryland. During the winter months, 50-100 bald eagles can be seen feeding there. It's quite an experience to not only photograph them, but to just sit and watch.

[brucehunglo]

ok get it :thumbs: