The bokeh effect is a technique where only the foreground is in the focus of the camera. The background is blurred, emphasizing the beauty of the central part of the composition. This effect is especially good for portraits and original subject pictures.
Bokeh is loved by both beginner and professional photographers alike, as it makes the image look powerful and three-dimensional. Another reason for the attractiveness of such pictures is their similarity with natural visual perception. The human eye focuses on the most important elements, leaving the surroundings “blurred”.
A variety of decorations can be used as a backdrop in the room: garlands, tinsel, Christmas trees, drapery, a wall with posters, etc. If there are large windows or floor-to-ceiling glazing, a city panorama can be the backdrop. The choice depends only on your imagination.
Today we are going to share the secrets of how to make a beautiful Bokeh effect indoors using any type of camera!
Universal Bokeh tips
- Composition of the shot. For the bokeh effect to be beautiful the central object has to be close enough to the camera. For example, if you are shooting a man, give preference to a portrait from the shoulders. The model mustn’t be embarrassed by close-ups — the app to get rid of pimples RetouchMe will help to remove pimples and other skin imperfections. The result will be a perfect portrait.
- Background. You can choose any background, but most expressive photos are those with a combination of light and dark elements, and reflections. The bigger and brighter the objects in the background, the further they should be positioned, but when shooting indoors, the background is usually composed of small objects. For example, ordinary lights could be just 0.5–1 meters behind the model’s back. In practice, it’s better to find the optimal degree of blur by controlling the position of a person or an object in the frame.
How to do Bokeh on a camera with manual settings
The most beautiful bokeh effect comes out on cameras with manual settings. It can be a digital camera or a reflex camera. To blur the background you will need to adjust two parameters.
- Aperture. You will need to open it as much as possible. Depending on the camera model, choose a value from 2.2 to 4.0. If you can open the aperture even wider, use it. If necessary, you can take the picture and adjust the expressiveness of the bokeh right away.
- Focal Length. The higher this parameter, the clearer the foreground and the blurrier the background. You can choose variable focal length lenses or fixed focal length lenses with a maximum setting of 50 or longer.
How to make bokeh on a digital camera
Compact digital cameras can’t boast a variety of manual settings. You can’t set the necessary parameters yourself, but you can do it on the sly. Step away from the model a few feet away, use the optical zoom to get the crop you want, press the shutter button halfway (autofocus) and take the picture.
You can blur the background even with the simplest camera. It is important to have good artificial or natural light in the room, as digital “soap operas” have short shutter speeds and low light intensities.
How to make a bokeh on your smartphone
You will need a modern gadget with a double or triple rear camera. Since smartphones use digital processing rather than optics to create bokeh, the results may not be perfect. A professional photographer may notice that the background is not evenly blurred or the model is not separated from the background, but for the average user, these small imperfections are invisible.
To achieve the Bokeh effect, use the appropriate camera settings. In some smartphones, you can set the necessary parameters during shooting, in others, you can do it during the processing of the finished photo. As with digital soap cameras, it is desirable to shoot in good light, with a sufficiently contrasting background.
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