{"id":585,"date":"2025-11-13T04:37:14","date_gmt":"2025-11-13T05:37:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kartramail.com\/?p=585"},"modified":"2025-11-20T15:38:15","modified_gmt":"2025-11-20T15:38:15","slug":"ive-been-wrong-about-bokeh-all-these-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kartramail.com\/index.php\/2025\/11\/13\/ive-been-wrong-about-bokeh-all-these-years\/","title":{"rendered":"I’ve Been Wrong About “Bokeh” All These Years"},"content":{"rendered":"
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I was wrong. Bokeh is far more important, useful and beautiful than I’d thought.<\/p>\n

Frequent readers may recall that I’ve often written, “\u2026bokeh is overrated.”<\/em> I was wrong and I’m happy to admit it. What made me turn back from the Darkside? An article I read on Tamron’s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Mea Culpa<\/strong>
\nAll single guys have known a friend at work who had an “unattached cousin.” Is she pretty? <\/em>they’d ask their coworker. The answer was always a guiltless, She has a GREAT personality!<\/em><\/p>\n

Somewhere along the line, during my 300+ years of experience in the photo industry, my simple little monkey brain equated “sharp” with “pretty” and “bokeh” with “personality.”<\/p>\n

Is the lens sharp<\/em>? Well, it has buttery bokeh<\/em>. You get the picture, albeit sometimes fuzzy.<\/p>\n

Why ? Oh, I could blame insipid TV romcoms, or say that I’d been misled by well-meaning self-proclaimed experts, or even plead insanity. But the truth is this: although I was using bokeh intuitively as a creative tool, I never recognized it as such. I’d leveraged its power without totally understanding its full potential.<\/p>\n

It’s not the biggest mistake I’ve made since first taking up a pen for Shutterbug<\/em> in 2004, but undoubtedly it’s one of the most regrettable.<\/p>\n

Then I stumbled across an article that was published on Tamron’s website<\/a>. The first few paragraphs, including the definition of bokeh, were completely consistent with my understanding of the technical and mechanical aspects of bokeh. So I read on.<\/p>\n

Wow. I learned a lot. Next, I went back to a few of my old images and tried to understand the bokeh milieu a bit more deeply.<\/p>\n

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What is Bokeh<\/em>?<\/strong>
\nHere I turn the podium over to Tamron. I cannot write it any clearer or make it more understandable than Tamron wrote it here: How to Create Beautiful Bokeh Effects: Using Bokeh to Capture Stunning Photos<\/em><\/strong><\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Tamron’s article explains:
\n\u2022 What bokeh is and how it enhances photo composition and subject focus
\n\u2022 The key camera settings and lens choices that affect bokeh quality
\n\u2022 How to control depth of field using aperture, focal length, and distance
\n\u2022 The different types of bokeh (foreground, background, bokeh circles) and how to use them
\n\u2022 Scene-by-scene techniques for using bokeh in portraits, landscapes, street, and macro photography<\/p>\n

Pronunciation<\/strong>
\nPermit me a personal pet peeve: “bokeh” is pronounced “bow ke” with equal<\/em> emphasis on the two syllables. The “bow” sound is pronounced like the device used to shoot arrows. The “ke” phoneme is pronounced like the “ke” in “ketchup” or “kettle.” Not “kay” as in the name. It’s definitely not “bow ca” as in Boca Raton. And it’s not the same sound as the word used to describe a bunch of flowers.<\/p>\n

Self-Analysis \u2013 How I’ve Been Using Bokeh<\/strong>
\nHere is how I have been using bokeh intuitively; in other words, subconsciously, as a serendipitous accident. Coulda done better if I’d knowed what I was a doin’.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Subject Isolation<\/strong>
\nSeparate the subject from the background \u2013 that’s the mantra of portrait photographers. In this shot I successfully subdued all background distractions. Didn’t think of it as bokeh at the time.<\/p>\n

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Emphasize Sharpness<\/strong>
\nHere the bee is sharp, but appears even sharper against a completely out-of-focus background and<\/em> foreground.<\/p>\n

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Shift Center of Interest<\/strong>
\nThe real story is the arrangement of red berries in the back. Making them indistinct makes them even more interesting.<\/p>\n

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Establish Location<\/strong>
\nClearly in an urban environment, the veteran pigeon stands proudly on a public street in foul weather. (Fowl weather?) The buildings are not sharp but they’re unmistakably big-city buildings. To me the backdrop says, “city city city.”<\/p>\n

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Create Abstractions<\/strong>
\nAlthough this IR (Infrared) image is already complex, the bokeh lends substantial texture and abstraction to the context.<\/p>\n

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Lead the Viewer’s Eye<\/strong>
\nThe wavy branches in the backdrop practically force viewers to follow the branch to the singular red leaf.<\/p>\n

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Key Design Element<\/strong>
\nHere, the cone flower is just another cone flower, but the bubbles behind it are the vital design elements.<\/p>\n

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Basic Guide to Capturing Photos with Creamy Bokeh (VIDEO)<\/a><\/p>\n

Tamron Reinvents the Zoom-to-300mm Category with New 6X Zoom that Starts at 50mm<\/a><\/p>\n

REVIEW: Tamron’s Amazing 90mm f\/2.8 Di III Macro<\/a><\/p>\n

Tamron Redefines Versatility: New 50-400mm Lens Zooms From 50mm \u201cNormal,\u201d Focuses to 9.8 Inches<\/a><\/p>\n

Latest Tamron Zoom Creates New Genre: Ultra-Wide Closeup Photography<\/a><\/p>\n

What\u2019s a \u201cNormal\u201d Lens? And Why Is My 18mm Lens \u201cEquivalent\u201d to a 28mm?<\/a><\/p>\n

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Creative Resources<\/strong>
\nPhotographers, both amateurs and pros, are a lucky bunch. We have tons of valuable resources a button press away. Much of the content is hosted by camera, lens and accessory manufacturers. Tamron is a leader in this category.<\/p>\n

Tamron’s FREE Photo Master Class series at Tamron University<\/a> is a collection of educational lessons led by renowned professional photographers.<\/p>\n

Check out Tamron’s Blog<\/a> and sign up for Tamron’s newsletter<\/a>. You can also register your lenses and find out if you qualify for Tamron VIP Club<\/a> membership. If you’d like to handle a Tamron lens or consider buying one, click the official Tamron Dealer Locator<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2014Jon Sienkiewicz<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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