Bokeh (from the Japanese word “boke,” meaning blur) describes the aesthetic quality of the out-of-focus areas in an image or video, particularly how background lights and shapes appear when a shallow depth of field is used. It’s influenced by lens design, aperture shape, and depth of field.
Bokeh is a stylistic tool. It adds a cinematic, aesthetic quality to footage. Good bokeh can draw attention to your subject, create mood, and add softness or elegance to the frame. Harsh or distracting bokeh, on the other hand, can hurt image quality.
Achieve bokeh by using a fast lens (with a wide aperture like f/1.4–f/2.8) and placing your subject far from the background. Different lenses create distinct bokeh “signatures,” making it a key creative choice. It is ideal for interviews, portraits, and product shots.
Use a wide aperture – Select low f-stops (e.g., f/1.4, f/2.8) to create shallow depth of field for smooth bokeh.
Mind the lens choice – Prime lenses and certain optics produce more pleasing bokeh than others.
Enhance with lighting – Place small background light sources (fairy lights, streetlamps) to create beautiful bokeh highlights.