Bokeh/depth of field Photo Thread

[UdubBadger]

well this is the style I was taught....

(not my photos)

[danewilson77]

In the photo with the lighthouse(?), it is my understanding that something in the foreground would need to be in focus. The other pics are def bokeh heavy. Idk though....

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[UdubBadger]

I think it's Big Ben (London, not Rapistburger) in the one you're referring to but I don't quite understand what you mean.

[danewilson77]

I think it's Big Ben in the one you're referring to but I don't quite understand what you mean.

What I mean, is there is nothing in focus in the Big Ben shot. It was my understanding that the subject should be in focus while the background is washed out.

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[danewilson77]

Good read here....

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

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[wsmeyer]

I was under the impression as well that bokeh was not just out of focus but referred to the characteristics of the out-of-focus area.

William.

[UdubBadger]

Well as CW would say thats the difference between a photo and art.

To me artistically the point of that photo is to keep stuff out of focus while maintaining its overall shape/form so its recognizable. It is about creating a feeling about where you are more than an accurate depiction of where you are.

Bokeh doesn't have to do with having a foreground/background, as you can see by the 1st photo there is none there either, it's about the light. Now if this thread was titled DOF, then yes, foreground/background is the main principle we would be seeing and all of those photos on page 1 would then be right on target.

[UdubBadger]

Good read here....

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

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So this basically says that bokeh is just out of focus elements that still retain some sort of their original shape but with a soft blur to it?

Wow, thats very interesting, I must have been looking at the wrong element of bokeh for like 4-5 years now. I always thought it was about the circles of light... maybe I was just surrounded by bad bokeh for a long time.

[wsmeyer]

Bokeh has shape to it. If you have a lens with an odd number of blades it will be circular. Even number of blades will create bokeh in a shape with the same number of sides as blades; 8 blades = octagonal, 6 blades = hexagonal. Also, lenses with light falloff towards the edges will have bokeh with much more pronounced shapes.

William.

[UdubBadger]

that all makes sense. so it's not really the circle light that is the principle of bokeh but more of the overall blury disfigured shapes that make it?