Bokeh

In last month’s photo column, I explained the way aperture could be used to control the way a photo looked. This month, I will show how utilizing bokeh in your images is easy to do.

What is bokeh?

Bokeh is a Japanese word, but it has become a widely-used term among photographers. Bokeh refers to the out-of-focus portion of the photo, and how this can be used in an artistic way to make a pleasing image.

How do you create bokeh?

Using a shallow depth of field and having a large distance between the picture’s subject and the background creates bokeh. The easiest way to achieve the effect is by using a prime lens with a large aperture. The most affordable lens is the 50mm f1.8. Focus on the foreground and use the large aperture to blur out the background. The other way to achieve bokeh is by using a long telephoto lens and zooming in on the subject. To create bokeh in this way, the background should be at least 100m behind the subject.

When should you use bokeh?

Just because something is out of focus does not mean it will look good, of course, as knowing when and where to use bokeh is important. Even though the background is blurred, it should be neither too busy nor completely empty. One application of bokeh is to tell a story; for instance, kimbap may be in the focus in the foreground, and then a person making it could be out of focus in the background. Using bokeh is also great when shooting cherry blossoms in the spring, or colorful leaves during autumn, as you can focus on your subject and then use the natural color for the background.

The final method I will mention is the most popular: using lights in the background to create “balls of light”. The light in the background most often used is from street or car lights, but the light can also sometimes be sunlight glittering on a river during a windy day. When using lights in the background, having a friend pose for the shot works well, and the bokeh lights in the background will make for a beautiful shot.