Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/01/02

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Subject: [Leica] Bokeh -- Technique, Style, Tool
From: "Gregory Rubenstein" <gcr910@msn.com>
Date: Thu, 03 Jan 2002 04:55:55 +0000

Been watching the OoF area/Bokeh war and agree with Ted and Sal. Fill frames 
with interesting stuff. Minimize OoF areas. Sometimes OoF areas do prove 
pleasing and helpful, other times . . .

In my experience, whether it's Leica, Nikon, Hassleblad, Sinar or whatever, 
there's the main point: the image in or darn near the plane of focus. I do 
my darndest to make the entire frame/print/transparency work with the 
intended message/feeling of the image.

Guess what I'm trying to say, and saying badly as I re-read this, is that I 
photograph people, places, things, etc. OoF areas ain't my primary concern 
though they are part of my images -- no way 'round that. I try to create 
images strong enough to overcome any attention or distraction by or in -- 
okay -- Bokeh-enized areas.

Probably my favorite use of OoF areas/bokeh goes back to my Nikon 500mm 
mirror days. With sports, scenery and even some portraits I learned how to 
do interesting stuff with that mirror lens. T'was fun; I worked that 
quirkiness, though I never ever went out to shoot OoF areas or Bokeh. The 
aberrational OoF areas, or Bokeh, served as a tool for use in the mirror 
arsenal of image creation -- nothing mystical; just a technique, style or 
tool used better and more effectively by some than others.

Greg Rubenstein
gcr910@msn.com

P.S. A gratuitous anecdote: A local art school has run in its student 
newspaper a column titled "Who Farted." Featured there are 
incomprehensibilities from art critics 'round the planet about often equally 
indecipherable topics. Don't recall any Bokeh yammering, but shall check to 
see if the column still runs. If it does, expect me to submit some of we've 
been reading here about Bokeh. Alert me on- or off-list if you'd like your 
name(s) included or deleted before submission.


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