| Author | Thread |
|
|
10/18/2006 03:16:34 PM · #51 |
You guys will get multiple answers to those questions as nobody can agree what bokeh truly is. However like with any other challenge if you hit the voter over the head with your theme (in this case bokeh) you'll do well. Now what does hitting the voter over the head mean? Simple, make it as obvious as humanly possible so that there is no mistaking there is bokeh. In reality bokeh is present any time you have something blurred in the photo but not every voter is going to give you credit for achieving bokeh if it doesn't "look" like bokeh. So if possible shoot something where the background has "specular" highlights as those will produce the most obvious bokeh "rings" or circles of confusion as they are technically called. Short of that shoot something where the background has shapes that when blurred look like blobs as those will probably out score ones with more uniform blurred backgrounds.
ETA: Shadow DOF is the "range" of what is "in-focus" where as bokeh deals with what is out of focus. You can have both in the same shot but they are different things entirely.
Message edited by author 2006-10-18 15:22:41.
|
|
|
|
10/18/2006 03:45:46 PM · #52 |
Originally posted by yanko:
Not that bird again! That was the photo that put me on the path to challenging you. I hate that bird. :P |
That is a laughing Kookaburra...and he is laughing at you and your antics....if I were you...I would be scared...mmmmuuuwwwaahhhh!!
|
|
|
|
10/18/2006 03:46:23 PM · #53 |
Originally posted by magenmarie:
Ok, call me dumb.....but, since I"m still new, I'm gonna ask this. :) Is the only way to acheive bokeh to have a very large aperture? From what I can tell, on my lenses, I can't seem to get an aperture under about a 5. Is that enough for bokeh? I'm confused!
edited to try and be less confusing.* |
whatever your aperture you will maximize the shallowness of your DOF by having your subject at the minimum distance your lens will focus. The DOF is a factor of the ratio between the distance between you and your subject over the distance between you and the background.
shallow DOF = dist you-subject / dist you-background.
The smaller that number the less DOF you will have.
|
|
|
|
10/18/2006 03:53:09 PM · #54 |
You can have a great image with the best lighting you can think of and perfect use of shallow dof, but the bokeh can still suck. And so can a butt-ugly pic have beautiful bokeh. So now you know how I will vote this one. :)
|
|
|
|
10/18/2006 03:53:40 PM · #55 |
Originally posted by magenmarie:
Ok, call me dumb.....but, since I"m still new, I'm gonna ask this. :) Is the only way to acheive bokeh to have a very large aperture? From what I can tell, on my lenses, I can't seem to get an aperture under about a 5. Is that enough for bokeh? I'm confused!
edited to try and be less confusing.* |
you can get as low as 4 if you zoom out. your lens has a variable largest apeture depending on your focal length, 4 at 70mm and 5 at 300mm. but to answer you question yes. you can get bokeh at those apertures actually you can get bokeh at very small apertures as well depending on where your subject is in relation to the background.
also front bokeh generally did badly last time for what that is worth.
Message edited by author 2006-10-18 15:54:45. |
|
|
|
10/18/2006 04:00:28 PM · #56 |
@ Yanko - well said.
@ magenmarie - just to tag on to what Dr. Sneezy said (which is absolutely correct), you should set your aperture as wide as your lens will allow. The other factor we haven't mentioned yet is focal length. longer focal lengths (i.e., more zoom) will amplify the effect.
so your set up might look like this:
In plain english - wide aperture, zoomed-in lens, you are close to the subject, and subject is far away from the background. And like Yanko says, if your background has lots of specular highlights (christmas lights work very well) the effect is amplified yet again.
Clear as mud?
edited to add: please don't be jealous of my spectacular mouse-artwork in that diagram. it's a gift.
Message edited by author 2006-10-18 16:02:15. |
|
|
|
10/18/2006 04:02:42 PM · #57 |
Oh BoKeh how I have missed you ...
:-P
Message edited by author 2006-10-18 16:02:55. |
|
|
|
10/18/2006 05:02:31 PM · #58 |
Just to give hope, the last Bokeh blue ribbon was taken at f/4.0. Don't ask me how I know that...
|
|
|
|
10/18/2006 05:04:42 PM · #59 |
I didn't read this thread at all except the OP and title. But I do have an opinion.
I have seen a lot of duplicate challenges lately it seems. or maybe I am just remembering them more since they are xxx II or xxx III. With a technically oriented challenge I think this is a good thing. People can apply what they learned the first time through and hopefully improve the second time around. Especially if they are somewhat close together so a lot isn't forgotten.
However on the other types, for example the color ones or non technically oriented ones, I think it is better to wait longer periods of time between them. Frequently in the challenge suggestion threads the 'thousands' of challenge suggestions is mentioned. If there are that many, why do we repeat so often? If there are that many surely there is more diversity. |
|
|
|
10/18/2006 05:04:50 PM · #60 |
Originally posted by DrAchoo:
Just to give hope, the last Bokeh blue ribbon was taken at f/4.0. Don't ask me how I know that... |
Yeah, well I dare ya to try to get away with foreground bokeh :-P
|
|
|
|
10/18/2006 05:12:55 PM · #61 |
Originally posted by Pedro:
edited to add: please don't be jealous of my spectacular mouse-artwork in that diagram. it's a gift. |
I love those blobby bits!!!
|
|
|
|
10/18/2006 05:15:48 PM · #62 |
Originally posted by Judi:
Originally posted by Pedro:
edited to add: please don't be jealous of my spectacular mouse-artwork in that diagram. it's a gift. |
I love those blobby bits!!! |
I can never find bubbly background paper at the photo supply store
|
|
|
|
10/18/2006 05:18:49 PM · #63 |
Originally posted by scarbrd:
I can never find bubbly background paper at the photo supply store |
It's not bubbly...it's blobby! LMAO!!
|
|
|
|
10/18/2006 05:22:21 PM · #64 |
| At last! I can redeem my lowest score. :) |
|
|
|
10/18/2006 05:31:03 PM · #65 |
Originally posted by levyj413:
At last! I can redeem my lowest score. :) |
Why did ya find blobby background paper?
|
|
|
|
10/18/2006 05:31:06 PM · #66 |
Originally posted by Judi:
Originally posted by scarbrd:
I can never find bubbly background paper at the photo supply store |
It's not bubbly...it's blobby! LMAO!! |
blobby - bubbly - whatever!
;-) |
|
|
|
10/18/2006 05:39:38 PM · #67 |
Originally posted by Alienyst:
I didn't read this thread at all except the OP and title. But I do have an opinion.
I have seen a lot of duplicate challenges lately it seems. or maybe I am just remembering them more since they are xxx II or xxx III. With a technically oriented challenge I think this is a good thing. People can apply what they learned the first time through and hopefully improve the second time around. Especially if they are somewhat close together so a lot isn't forgotten.
However on the other types, for example the color ones or non technically oriented ones, I think it is better to wait longer periods of time between them. Frequently in the challenge suggestion threads the 'thousands' of challenge suggestions is mentioned. If there are that many, why do we repeat so often? If there are that many surely there is more diversity. |
I agree entirely. The only way we are going to learn (those who need to that is) is to try and improve on past efforts. Repeating technical challenges frequently sounds the right way to go.
|
|
|
|
10/18/2006 08:03:26 PM · #68 |
Yanko, DrAchoo and Pedro, THANK YOU. YOu all gave very useful info. I especially LOVE the blobbies. ;) That diagram really helped.
I love this site. I love all of you guys!!! :) You all rock my FACE off!
Magen |
|
|
|
10/18/2006 10:38:39 PM · #69 |
Show The Voter Where the Bokeh Is, Girl
|
|
|
|
10/19/2006 03:18:31 AM · #70 |
How's this one? This is Bokeh right? Taken too early for this challenge but, how do you think it would do?
Message edited by author 2006-10-19 03:18:53.
|
|
|
|
10/19/2006 10:56:44 AM · #71 |
Originally posted by Sheryll:
How's this one? This is Bokeh right? Taken too early for this challenge but, how do you think it would do? |
fixed thumb
Yes, technically this has nice bokeh - it's even and smooth ('milky' seems to be the ideal texture synonymous with 'good' bokeh). The only thing about DPC though is that you really need to bash voters over the head to score well, and having lots of well defined spheres (the 'circles of confusion' that Yanko mentioned) like in Gordon or Grigrigirl's photos above will likely score higher.
If you look at the previous Bokeh challenges, there are lots of photos like yours that scored well - I'd guess this would end up in the upper middle part of the pack. Just a guess though...whadda I know, anyway? ;)
P
edited to add:
 this one of MAKs is also a fab example.
Message edited by author 2006-10-19 10:58:05. |
|
|
|
10/19/2006 10:59:09 AM · #72 |
Yeah, spray some water around the background... that's a sure way to get some high votes :-)
|
|
|
|
10/19/2006 10:59:27 AM · #73 |
This is one of my first images with my new camera. I was very happy with DOF and bokeh, but the flower is just a tad out of focus. Not sure how it would score.
Edit: no processing done on it either to clean it up.
Edit 2: Well, it doesn't have the circles, so maybe its just good DOF and no so great on the bokeh. Guess it wouldn't score too well.
Message edited by author 2006-10-19 11:10:38.
|
|
|
|
10/19/2006 11:09:15 AM · #74 |
Originally posted by fotomann_forever:
Show The Voter Where the Bokeh Is, Girl
|
This one has strong bokeh. It is a good shot of the dog and has the blurred circles I hear people talking about when they like their bokeh. Simply my opinion here, but the bokeh on this is actually too strong. What I mean by that is, when I view bokeh, I like to see a progression of the image going out of focus. A transition if you will. Here I get the sharpness of the dog followed by strong bokeh and no (or too little) transition between the two. But, judging from my scores, what do I know ;)
It is a good image to show the bokeh circles.
Message edited by author 2006-10-19 11:09:50.
|
|
|
|
10/19/2006 11:11:16 AM · #75 |
Originally posted by Pedro:
this one of MAKs is also a fab example. |
Wow, that is a great bokeh shot. Nice job MAK.
|
|
Home -
Challenges -
Community -
League -
Photos -
Cameras -
Lenses -
Learn -
Help -
Terms of Use -
Privacy -
Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2025 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 08/13/2025 05:11:19 PM EDT.
