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Lately, I’ve been slightly obsessed with photos that are both in and out of focus. By blurring certain objects, you call attention to only what you want and as a result you create a fuzzy background. There’s actually a word for this – it’s bokeh.
As Lifehacker states:
“The term bokeh is an anglicized version of a Japanese word used to describe the portion of a photograph that is out of focus behind the area of principal focus in a picture. When you see a portrait that has a creamy soft background and a nice crisp focus on the person being photographed, you are seeing bokeh. The shape of the highlights–sometimes round, hexagonal or other geometric shapes–is determined by the shape of the aperture in the lens.”
Though you can read more about bokeh on any number of photography websites, the concept can best be explained and appreciated by examples. Only then can you understand this amazing technique. It’s how a cup of tea turns into a magical elixir, how a city street becomes a movie scene, and how Christmas comes alive.
I hope you enjoy 25 of my favorite bokeh photos from around the web!
