In the world of photography, few aesthetic techniques are as sought-after and recognizable as bokeh. This effect, which produces beautifully blurred out-of-focus areas in an image, is more than just a technical trick; it is a fundamental tool for artistic expression. The word itself is a direct borrowing from Japanese, and its meaning goes beyond simple “blur.” This article will explore the artistic significance of bokeh, delve into the fascinating origin and meaning of the Japanese term, and explain how you can achieve this effect in your own photography. We will also address common questions in a comprehensive FAQ section.
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1 Understanding Bokeh: More Than Just Blur
1.1 What is Bokeh?
In photography, bokeh is the qualitative aesthetic of the blur produced in the out-of-focus parts of an image. It is crucial to distinguish this from the general concept of “depth of field.” While depth of field refers to the extent of the sharp area in a photo, bokeh describes the look and feel of the blurred areas that fall outside this zone. This blur is not a flaw but a creative choice, often used to isolate a subject from its background or foreground, making the subject stand out sharply while rendering the rest of the image in a soft, often dreamlike, haze.
Bokeh is typically most visible around small, bright background highlights, such as specular reflections from water or distant city lights at night. These highlights are transformed by the lens into soft, shapely discs or other forms that define the character of the image. However, it’s important to note that bokeh encompasses the quality of blur across the entire out-of-focus region, not just these bright spots.
1.2 “Good” vs. “Bad” Bokeh
Photographers often speak of bokeh in qualitative terms like “good” or “bad,” which are subjective judgments of how pleasing the blur is to the eye.
- Good Bokeh: This is generally described as blur that is smooth and creamy, where the out-of-focus areas blend seamlessly without distracting edges or hard shapes. Lenses that produce good bokeh help the subject pop and create a gentle, non-intrusive background that enhances the overall mood of the photograph.
- Bad Bokeh: This refers to blur that is harsh or distracting. It can manifest as double lines, nervous textures, or hard-edged polygons that draw the viewer’s attention away from the main subject. The quality of bokeh is primarily determined by the design and optical aberrations of the camera lens.
2 The Japanese Origin and Etymology of “Bokeh”
2.1 The Japanese Roots
The term bokeh originates from the Japanese word “boke” (暈け/ボケ), which is a noun that means “blur” or “haze.” This noun itself is derived from the Japanese verb “bokeru”.
The richness of the Japanese language is evident in the different kanji characters used to write “bokeru,” each adding a unique nuance:
- 暈ける: This spelling specifically refers to something being blurry, hazy, or out-of-focus. This is the most direct linguistic root for the photographic term.
- 惚ける and 呆ける: These spellings carry meanings related to a mental haze, such as being befuddled, childish, senile, or “playing stupid.”
This connection to a mental state highlights the conceptual depth of the term; bokeh isn’t just a visual blur, but one that can evoke a feeling or mood.
2.2 From “Boke” to “Bokeh”
The journey of the word into the English lexicon was a deliberate one. The Japanese term “boke” began to be used by English-speaking photographers in the late 1990s. Its popularization in English is widely credited to Mike Johnston, who was the editor of Photo Techniques magazine. In 1997, he commissioned three papers on the topic for the May/June issue. To ensure English speakers would pronounce it correctly—with two syllables, “bo” as in “bone” and “ke” as in “Kenneth”—he altered the spelling to “bokeh.”. This small change helped standardize the term and its pronunciation in the English-speaking photography world.
2.3 Related Japanese Words
Understanding the root word “bokeru” also opens up a family of related terms in Japanese:
- Boke-aji (ボケ味): This phrase translates to “blur quality,” directly referring to the aesthetic nature of the bokeh in a photograph.
- Bokashi (暈かし): A related term meaning intentional blurring or gradation. This is a noun form of the transitive verb bokasu (暈す), which means “to make something blurry.”
- Jisaboke (時差ボケ): The Japanese term for jet lag, literally meaning “time difference fog.”
- Nebokeru (寝ぼける): A verb describing the actions of someone who is half-asleep or nodding off.
3 How to Achieve Bokeh in Your Photography
Creating a pronounced bokeh effect relies on several key factors, all related to achieving a shallow depth of field.
- Use a Wide Aperture Lens: This is the most critical factor. Bokeh is created by using a lens with a wide maximum aperture (e.g., f/1.4, f/1.8, or f/2.8). A wide aperture (represented by a small f-number) allows more light to enter and results in a thinner plane of focus, blurring the background and foreground more aggressively.
- Lens Focal Length: Telephoto lenses (typically in the 85mm to 200mm range) are excellent for compressing a scene and making bokeh more prominent. They are a favorite for portrait photography for this very reason.
- Distance Matters: To maximize blur, position your subject relatively close to your camera while ensuring there is a significant distance between your subject and the background.
- Aperture Blade Design: The physical construction of the lens’s diaphragm influences the shape of the bokeh. Lenses with more aperture blades (often 9 or more) and blades with curved edges will produce bokeh highlights that are more circular and natural-looking, rather than polygonal. Some specialized lenses even feature apodization filters to create exceptionally smooth bokeh.
4 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1 What does bokeh mean?
Bokeh refers to the aesthetic quality of the blur in the out-of-focus areas of a photograph. It is not the blur itself, but how pleasing that blur appears to the viewer.
2 How do you pronounce “bokeh”?
The word is pronounced as two syllables: BOH-kə or BOH-kay. The “bo” sounds like “bone,” and the “keh” sounds like “Kenneth,” with equal stress on both syllables.
3 Is bokeh just for background blur?
No, while it is most commonly discussed in the context of background blur, bokeh can apply to any out-of-focus region of an image, including the foreground.
4 Can I create bokeh with any camera?
Yes, the principle of creating bokeh is based on optics, not the camera type. However, cameras that allow you to use lenses with wide apertures (such as DSLRs, mirrorless cameras, and some advanced compact cameras) will have a much easier time producing a strong bokeh effect. Many modern smartphones now also have “Portrait Mode” which uses software and dual-camera systems to simulate a bokeh effect.
5 What is the opposite of bokeh?
The opposite of a bokeh-rich image with a shallow depth of field is an image in deep focus, where objects at multiple distances from the camera are all in sharp focus.
6 Why is the shape of bokeh sometimes hexagonal or star-shaped?
The shape of the out-of-focus highlights is determined by the shape of the lens’s aperture. When a lens is stopped down (i.e., not at its widest aperture), the aperture blades close to form a polygonal shape. This polygon is then rendered in the bokeh. At the lens’s widest aperture, the aperture is perfectly circular, resulting in rounder bokeh balls.
7 Are there lenses made specifically for good bokeh?
Yes, some lenses are specially designed to produce pleasing bokeh. Notable examples include the Nikon DC-Nikkor series (DC stands for “Defocus Control”) and the Sony STF 135mm f/2.8 lens (STF for “Smooth Trans Focus”), which uses an apodization filter to create exceptionally smooth background blur.
Conclusion
Bokeh is a beautiful and powerful technique that elevates photography from simple documentation to artistic storytelling. Its name, deeply rooted in the Japanese language for “blur,” perfectly captures its essence. By understanding its origins and the technical methods to achieve it, photographers can intentionally use this tool to create more compelling, professional, and emotionally resonant images. Whether you are using a high-end DSLR or a smartphone, mastering the art of bokeh opens up a new dimension of creative possibilities.
I hope this comprehensive article has been informative. Does understanding the origin of the term “bokeh” change how you perceive this effect in photographs?