Achieving Quality Bokeh
Get good bokeh by shooting at the largest aperture possible (smaller f/#s) while getting close to the subject. Obviously, this is not a static distance, or aperture because you can only get so close to things like wildlife, yet you can still photograph wildlife from a distance with quality bokeh. Remember, bokeh depends a great deal upon the type of lens you are using, and as with most things, the better the lens, the better the bokeh. Typically, fixed, or “prime” lenses and fast aperture pro-model zoom lenses will allow you to get good bokeh.
Test Your Bokeh
Would you like to see if your lens will produce good bokeh? If so, read on and follow along with your camera and best lens.
Step One – Setup
Set up an object at eye level, with space between it and background with some color. For this experiment, I set up Chewbacca on my tripod, using the Christmas Tree I recently put up in my living room. The colors from the lights are perfect for this, but I digress. I placed the tripod roughly 5 feet in front of the tree with nothing else between the two.
Step Two – Camera
Next, I set my camera to Aperture Mode, then dialed the aperture to its widest (For me, this was f/2.8). I then stood as close to Chewbacca as possible where the camera could still find and lock in focus.
Step Three – Snap
Lastly, I snapped a picture of Chewbacca. He was completely in focus, while the background was soft, fuzzy, and pleasing to the eye. The circular reflections should be round and soft, with no hard edges.