A photograph can communicate the visual detail of a scene in a way difficult to capture in words. After all, they don’t say for anything that a picture is worth a thousand words.
The Japanese are an incredible people with a rich culture and beautiful art. They have a unique approach to everything from poetry to photography. Bokeh is a style of Japanese photography that allows the world to fade away while bringing one specific subject into perfect clarity down to the last detail.
More specifically, bokeh photography is defined as a photography effect achieved by shooting a subject with a fast lens set to the widest aperture. You’ll then wind up with a soft, out-of-focus background that’s slightly blurred and produces an aesthetically pleasing effect. The faster the aperture, the better your bokeh will turn out, so ideally, your camera lens should have an f/2, f/1.8, or f/1.4 aperture.
The size and the shape of the bokeh are determined by the shape of the blades that make up the aperture of the lens. If your lens has more circular-shaped blades, the resulting bokeh effect will be rounder and softer. Contrary to that, a lens with more hexagonal blades will result in hexagonal bokeh.
This gallery has a curated collection of bokeh photography that truly captures the beautiful details of life, great and small. Use them to get familiar with the bokeh style photography or inspiration for your next photoshoot.
Showcase of Stunning Bokeh Photography
Polaroid Photos Bokeh
Photographed by Joanna Malinowska
Microcosmos
Photographed by Benjamin Balázs
Motor Speedway Lights
Photographed by Derek Thomson
Bokeh Plants in Bottled Water
Photographed by Nietjuh
Rainy Street in Evening
Photographed by Todd Diemer
Out of Focus Tram in Bokeh
Photographed by Burak K
Bokeh Daisy Flowers
Photographed by jrydertr
The Essense of Cool
Photographed by Dustin Diaz
Flowers in Bloom Bokeh
Santa Candle Decoration Bokeh
Photographed by Ylanite Koppens
Fungi in Forest
Photographed by Krzysztof Niewolny
White String Light Bokeh
Photographed by Kei Scampa
Send a Little Love My Way
Photographed by Sibel
Woman Holding Fireflies
Photographed by Matheus Bertelli
Bokeh Bubble
Photographed by John Spade
Close-Up Photo of Mushrooms
Photographed by Visually Us
Cuddly Bear & Bokeh Lights
Photographed by Akshar Dave
Vintage Globe Bokeh
Photographed by Artem Bali
Traffic at Night
Photographed by JJ Ying
Professional Headphones Bokeh Background
Photographed by Alphacolor
Man Playing Guitar
Photographed by Austin Neill
Multicolored Bokeh Christmas Tree Lights
Photographed by Tim Mossholder
White Summer Dream
Photographed by Honeycorn
City Skyline Bokeh
Photographed by Lon Christensen
Photographer at Night Bokeh
Photographed by Ryan Pendleton
Deep-Fried Scorpion Bokeh
Photographed by Yubo Mojao
What is Bokeh Photography?
Bokeh photography is about the visual appeal of the blur in the parts of an image that are not in sharp focus. This technique is used to draw attention to the subject by creating a soft, pleasing background.
Bokeh is achieved by using a shallow depth of field, typically with a fast lens at a wide aperture. The shape and quality of the bokeh depend on the lens design and aperture shape. Photographers use bokeh to add depth and a sense of atmosphere to their images.
Related Topics
Top