Bokeh (photography)
Bokeh, pronounced "BOH-kay," refers to the artistic technique in photography that emphasizes out-of-focus areas to enhance the main subject in focus. The term originates from the Japanese word "boke," meaning "blur" or "haze." This photographic effect can be achieved through both traditional camera techniques and modern editing software, allowing photographers to create images with a shallow depth of field. A shallow depth of field blurs the background and foreground while keeping the subject sharp, and this is influenced by factors such as aperture, lens distance, and focal length.
The quality of bokeh is impacted by the lens used, notably its aperture blades, which can determine the shape of light spots in the background. As smartphone technology has advanced, many devices now feature multiple lenses and software that allow users to easily create bokeh effects, making this technique accessible to amateur photographers. The aesthetic appeal of bokeh is particularly pronounced in nature photography, where background colors and textures can complement the subject, enhancing the overall composition.
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Bokeh (photography)
Bokeh (BOH-kay) is the deliberate inclusion of out-of-focus areas in a photograph to enhance the object or area that is in focus. The term comes from the Japanese word boke, meaning “blur” or “haze,” or the word boke-aji, which means “blur quality.” The term was first used in this capacity in a 1997 issue of Photo Technique Magazine. Bokeh can be created with a traditional camera by using lenses and shutter speed at the time a photograph is taken. It can also be achieved using editing software.
Overview
Photographers have long used techniques to affect focus area. In modern times, many smartphones and apps can achieve the effect. The portion of an image that is in focus is called the depth of field. This includes the specific point of focus as well as a zone in front of and behind it that also is in sharp focus. The focus zone is usually one-third in front of the focus (subject) and two-thirds behind it. An image in which all areas from foreground to background are in focus is said to have a deep depth of field. To create an image using bokeh, the photographer uses a shallow depth of field. Narrowing the focus zone blurs the areas behind it and anything between the zone and the camera. The depth of field can be adjusted by the aperture, the distance between the lens and the subject, and the focal length of the lens.
A fast lens can be used to shoot an image with a narrow depth of field. This type of lens is one that can achieve exposure using a low aperture number, such as f/2. The f-number is the ratio of the lens focal length (f) to the diameter of the entrance pupil, or aperture. The number is a fraction, such as f/2 is ½, which is much larger than f/8 or 1/8. A larger aperture (smaller number) allows more light to enter and decreases the depth of field. The photographer can prioritize the focal length in the camera settings to create bokeh. The focal length of a lens, or the maximum magnification, also affects the depth of field. A long focal length reduces the depth of field.
The best bokeh is achieved by choosing the background (and foreground if any) with care. Blurring of a plain background will not provide visual interest and may not appear to be out of focus. A background with color and texture will frame the subject and make it stand out.
Photographers can choose a lens for its aperture to produce specific effects. An example is a person in a swimming pool with light hitting the waves. The photographer can use a shallow depth of field to bring the subject’s face into sharp focus. To alter the shape of the reflected light in the background, the photographer can choose a lens with a specific number of aperture blades. Aperture blades are the sliding blades in a camera that open when the shutter is pressed to allow light through. A lens with more blades—for example nine—will have a more rounded aperture, so the light spots will also be rounder. The aperture of a lens with five blades will be a polygon, and the light spots will appear to be this shape.
The creation of smartphones gave way to increased personal photography. As phones became more advanced, so did their cameras. Dual, triple, and eventually quad camera lenses became the norm for advanced smartphones, which allowed common consumers the ability to create bokeh photographs. For example, in 2007, Samsung offered the limited-release SCH-B710, which had the first dual lens. In 2014, the HTC One M8 was launched and used two sensors. Later, in 2016, LG released the LG G5, which integrated dual cameras. Following this, Huawei launched the P9 in partnership with Leica, with two back cameras that had the ability to create a monochrome effect. Then, in spring of 2016, Apple Inc. released the iPhone 7 Plus, which used dual cameras to detect edges and create a depth map and therefore had the ability to achieve a bokeh effect.
Around the same time, companies like Samsung, Vivo, and Honor also released new phones that had dual front lenses. Other phones, like Google Pixel, used a combination of single lens and machine-learning technology to create depth and thus achieved the bokeh effect. These various camera formations allowed for bokeh images. Many smartphones and applications also featured filters and settings that had the capabilities to create bokeh effects.
Bibliography
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