The Bokeh Effect

Lesson One: Intro to the Bokeh Effect

By: Agata Serge
Introduction to the Bokeh Effect
Bokeh is usually defined as “the effect of a soft out-of-focus background” or “blurred background”
and you are able to achieve it while using fast lens at the widest aperture. By the widest aperture
fast lens I mean at least f/2.8 but I have to admit that for most of my bokeh images I work wth f/
1.4 wide open, simply because it gives the most amazing and satisfying results.

Although bokeh is actually a characteristic of a photograph, the lens used determines shape and
size of an effect you will achieve. There are lenses with more circular shaped blades, that will allow
you to achieve more rounder and softer orbs of out of focus highlights.
Power of Natural Light
Many photographers are in the opinion that natural light is the most powerful and I can entirely
agree to it. Regarding to the bokeh effect itself, available light has incredible strength if you know
how to use it in your advance. I’ve noticed that there are two most visible types of bokeh images:
the ones that are created with harsh strong light (cloudless days) and the ones that are done with
even light (clouds working are huge reflectors that even the light).

HARSH LIGHT: Will allow you to create highlighted orbs on the background.
EVEN LIGHT: Will allow you to have even blurred background.
Power of Natural Light

Even Light Harsh Light

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Best Bokeh Locations
Bokeh images are paradoxically the easiest to arrange in regards to location. You can simply just
go outside your own house and research for a good spot to shoot. Below little cheat sheet:

Best locations for harsh light:

- short trees (head of the person being photographed should be fully “covered” by leaves.
REMEMBER! Light source should be alway behind your subject!)
- green leaves or grass makes great background as direct sunlight reflects from it and creates
great bokeh

Best locations for even light:

-roads (when the subject kneels down, so you can take an image a bit from the top)
-streets (buildings in the background could create interesting bokeh shapes)
The Bokeh Effect
Lesson Two: The Set Up
By: Agata Serge
Booked Images Set Up
As I have mentioned in a previous part, it is relatively easy to find a proper location to create
impressive bokeh effect. With harsh light you will always want to place your model in front of the
bokeh modifier (by modifier I mean something that will create highlighted orbs on the background,
for example short tree with leaves) and the source of light has to be behind both, subject and the
modifier as well. With even light the situation is even easier! You can simply work everywhere and
use everything behind as background.
Equipment
As we already know from the First Part of this Class, to create bokeh images we need to use a fast
lens with wide aperture. But the question is what lens should we pick. Each prime lens with wide
aperture will be a great choice, but there are some hidden gems that you will never even think
about using with your digital cameras. I didn't either, but from for few years now on I've been
working with a friend of mine, Tom Widlak from The Bokeh Factory who specializes in finding such
gems and adapting them to work with modern cameras.

List of the lenses that give the best results in creating bokeh effect:

- Zeiss Planar 50mm f/1.4 - great 50mm lens from Zeiss, sharp with superb contrast and bokeh.
- Zeiss Biotar 50mm f/1.4 - old-school lens from Zeiss from the 50's. Amazing bokeh and picture
rendering but not as sharp as Planar. Works only on mirrorless cameras.
- TBF 80/2 - another lens from the 50's made by The Bokeh Factory for medium format cameras
that I've used on Kiev 60 and film. Great rendering and bokeh and old-school feel.
Power of Natural Light

TBF Zeiss Biotar Zeis Planar

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Extra equipment you might want to consider
Reflectors - to even the light, or to lighten up the face of the model since light source is always
behind the subject and the contrast might be difficult to manage in the beginning.

“Distracters” - how I often call them. You can use various objects and place them in the front of
your lens (not covering the subject of course:) to create extra effects on your images with use of
shallow depth of field. Flowers, other plants and little plastic diamonds are my favourite
distracters.
The Bokeh Effect
Lesson Three: Post Production
By: Agata Serge
HOW TO ENHANCE BOKEH IN POSTPRODUCTION.

There is one great tip I can share with you just for bokeh enhancing in photoshop. While your
image is fully retouched and prepared you can take care of the bokeh as the last step. Simply go to
Filter -> Camera Raw Filter, which allows you to go to Camera Raw program without leaving
Photoshop and all the changes are going to be applied to a new layer on your psd file. Try to use
CLARITY option on the right bottom. It will apply to the whole image, but when you will go back to
Photoshop you can mask it so only the part with the background will the applied with clarity. Try to
use it gently and don’t use it to much, because it is easy to make it look fake!
Color Correction
I am mostly known from my black and white images, but for the photographs with bokeh I tend to
use color a lot and I love to play with it! Not so long ago I have started to love one great option in
Photoshop, which is Selective Color in Adjustments. Simply because you are able to adjust each
color separately! You can also save your own presets and apply them to your future images. I use it
mostly to check in which color direction should I go.