Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/06/21
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]The word "Bokeh" comes from the two katakana characters "bo" and "ke" which mean "out-of-focus blur" Bo ke have been transliterated from "boke" to "bokeh" so that English speaking people will pronounce it correctly. Photo Techniques, May/June 1997 issue. "A PRIMER ON BOKEH" 1. What is Bokeh 2. Notes on the terminology of Bokeh 3. A technical view of Bokeh Back issues available from the publisher: Preston Publications 6600 W. Touhy Niles, IL 60714 - 4588 (847) 647-2900 However... I personally think that Bokeh is an "art" word. What is "art" to one person is "trash" to another. I firmly believe that "good Bokeh" to one person makes an "ugly photograph" to another. I like many lenses because of the way I photograph. Different people photograph differently. A LUGger, awhile back, reported that he was disgusted with any photograph that had a single silver molecule out of focus. My point is that asking someone to describe Bokeh is akin to trying to define art. You'll have to take photographs the way you take them, with the lenses you choose, and look at them yourself. Make up your own mind. Even though Preston Publications has tried to describe different kinds of Bokeh, it seems to me to be very nebulous. It's in the mind of the viewer. FWIW Jim