Tag Archive for 'Bokeh'

Watch out for the background

This entry is part 4 of 8 in the series Photography tips

In photography, “bokeh” is the “blur”, or “the aesthetic quality of the blur” in the out-of-focus areas of an image. The term comes from the Japanese language and means “blur” or “haze”.

An aesthetic background makes your subject stand-out and  makes your image all the more appealing. Three things that can help you create bokeh :

  • use a telephoto lens or a macro lens
  • open up the lens (use a low f-stop – f5.6 or less)
  • get as close to your subject as possible – the depth of field is reduced the closer you are to your subject
  • make sure the background is as far behind your subject as possible

Here I used a 60 mm macro lens and was no more than 20 cm from the subject. The background was a good 5 metres behind the subject. The aperture was set at f 5.6.

Check out this “Bokeh Challenge

Fruticose lichen on a branch

This entry is part 9 of 32 in the series Favourite shots

 

Read more about lichen here :  Wikipedia

Fly on a dandelion stem

This entry is part 6 of 32 in the series Favourite shots

A fly hatching from a dandelion stem?

Empusa pennata (silhouette of female)

This entry is part 11 of 32 in the series Favourite shots

Etymology of Empusa

Argiope bruennichi – Wasp spider

This entry is part 10 of 32 in the series Favourite shots

 

dsc_4343_medum.jpg

More from Wikipedia

Life in a meadow

This entry is part 2 of 32 in the series Favourite shots

Mantis religiosa (European mantis)

This entry is part 13 of 32 in the series Favourite shots

 

dsc_2265_medium.jpg

Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni)

dsc_4086_medium.jpg

 

Money spider at sunset (Linyphiidae)

This entry is part 14 of 32 in the series Favourite shots

This shot is one of my favourites. It was taken just as the sun was setting in the “Bois de Saint-Cucufa” near Paris. The last of the sun’s rays making the spider stand-out against the background.

 

Spider waiting for its mate

Nière

This entry is part 29 of 32 in the series Favourite shots

Matriarch in the cold