Re: [Leica] Bokeh.. bah!

["Steve LeHuray" <icommag@toad.net>]

Juan Buhler writes: 

> Hi Ted!
> 
> I agree with you, you can be an excellent photographer and not
> care/know/be aware of bokeh.
>
> What I don't agree with is the implied sugestion that you cannot be a
> good photographer if you care about bokeh, or that talking about bokeh
> denotes someone who is a wannabe photographer. I think Johnny is
> probably the best evidence that that's not true (and he got rid of the
> Nokton because of its bokeh, right JD?)  I think I've even read here
> someone referring to it as "believing in bokeh". That's silly.
>
> Time is wasted in many ways on this and most other photo lists. I
> don't think a discussion about bokeh is one. Now, a discussion about
> discussing bokeh probably is.
>
> j
>
Juan, even though I may run the risk of getting on Ted's bad side, I think I
have to agree with you. I only became aware of the term 'Bokeh' a few years
ago when I joined the LUG and I now have a new appreciation for the Out Of
Focus, (OOF) areas of a photograph. And there does seem to be a difference
in the look of the OOF from one lens to another, so much so that I now
always prefer my Summilux 50/1.4 over my current model Summicron 50/2.0 not
for the extra f. stop but for the overall look and especially the OOF,
(Bokeh) area.

One area where I have really noticed Bokeh in a big way is in TV commercials
and feature films. I often find myself enjoying the cinematography more than
the movie itself.

Well, hopefully Ted will still buy me that Scotch when I see him at the
Leica workshop in October.

sl


> On Tue, 24 Jul 2001, Ted Grant wrote:
>
>> Hi Juan,
>> You're right, as I'm always learning something about photography although
>> I've been doing it professionally for 50 years come this September 17th. But
>> I never heard reference of the bokah thing until someone came up with it on
>> the LUG some years ago.
>>
>> I thought, "well that's interesting I'll have a look."  And you know what? I
>> looked at hundreds of prints and slides from over the years and not one of
>> them would've been improved from some "silly effect" called bokeh! It's just
>> a an effect created by some lenses over an other.
>>
>> Will it make a major difference to the photograph? Not bloody likely, unless
>> one is into artsy fartsy back ground picture taking! Even then, not likely
>> will 99% of the viewers, photographers and non even notice, nor pay any
>> attention to the out of focus background.
>>
>> It's a no big deal thing that keeps raising its stupid head on the LUG and
>> as far as I'm concerned it still falls into the "who cares" category when it
>> comes to a working photographers efforts!
>> ted
>> Ted Grant Photography Limited
>> www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant
>>
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