[rodi]

Originally Posted by M_Six

From what I've been reading, there is a difference between bokeh and out-of-focus (OOF) areas. Bokeh should have minimal, if any, straight lines showing. Or in other words, straight lines, even if they're fuzzy, indicate "bad" bokeh. Dave's bird pic is what would be considered awesome bokeh as the trees in the background show no definition whatsoever. The "mrbokeh" site has some shots, like the subway station, that really aren't bokeh at all; just OOF areas.

For the purpose of this contest, it probably doesn't matter. But hard core bokeh fans will argue the point to death. And as bokeh is really in the eye of the beholder, I guess there is no true standard.

very true.
but then he has shit like this:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrbokeh...57600057720789
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrbokeh...57600057720789

[1sikbmr]

Does this count?? I'm new at this

Edit: I will upload a new picture

Please don't count that other one as a submission

[Litos]

Originally Posted by 1sikbmr

Does this count?? I'm new at this



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

i dunno what you did to that picture, but it doesn't feel right to me.

[1sikbmr]

Originally Posted by Litos

i dunno what you did to that picture, but it doesn't feel right to me.

Like what?? i have no clue what I'm doing a little help would be appreciated

[Litos]

this really ain't the thread for it, but there are 5 black spots on the "roof" of that building in the background that aren't consistent with anything.

and that brown/black "thing" that's coming off the bird's back. appears to change texture after it hits the roof top of the building.

just looks weird......

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by rodi

very true.
but then he has shit like this:...

The guy really likes bokeh light points. I think they're fun also.

Some lenses, particularly at small aperture, gives nice stars, but then it's hard to get bokeh due to the small aperture. Anyway, I think any of that works and wouldn't worry about some straight-line test.

Dave

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by 1sikbmr

Does this count?? I'm new at this

Yeah, that counts, but the bokeh is very light, such that you can make out the background. If you'd shot that image wide open, then the bokeh would be stronger. Also, if you'd used a longer focal length and shot wide open, then you'd have smoother bokeh that took the background out of recognition. As you have it, we see what's back there and it simply looks OOF. Where OOF ends and bokeh begins is kind of a judgement call. You could leave this in the contest (in my opinion) but you might want to work to throw the BG more strongly OOF so that it's harder to tell what's there.

You can see mine with the bird for an extreme example with a bird and totally smeared BG and the other examples in this thread and those that Rodi linked us to. Use your longest lens wide open and move in nearer to the minimum focus distance to maximize the effect.

Rodi and I "cheated". He used a tilt-shift lens to get a really advanced example that most of us can't duplicate because we don't have that type of lens lens. My case is much the same, because I used a $6000+ 500mm lens known to have some of the nicest bokeh on the planet.

Still, you can do nice stuff with almost any telephoto lens or shorter lenses with wide apertures. This is one reason that many photogs use wide aperture lenses for their portrait work.

Here's a link to an image that's similar in concept to yours, taken with a 70-200mm f/4, but up close and wide open to maximize bokeh. I'm not posting the image here to avoid confusion with my offical entry:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcstep/...57623046971785


Dave

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by Litos

this really ain't the thread for it, but there are 5 black spots on the "roof" of that building in the background that aren't consistent with anything.

and that brown/black "thing" that's coming off the bird's back. appears to change texture after it hits the roof top of the building.

just looks weird......

Almost looks like the faked blur you hate so much.

[Chewy734]

yeah, that bokeh looks whack. Not saying it was faked, because I can probably convince myself of every oddity that I see, but it's just really... weird.

[cooh23]

Here's mine, Glassy-licious? lol

[M_Six]

^^^^^Great colors.

[Activ]

Whoa some really great submissions already! Keep them coming

[Mr Tonka]

here is mine...

"Dead Wood"

[Chewy734]

man, lots of nice photos! This is going to be a tough competition.

[SS e93]

Originally Posted by Litos

wow - looks like i made it just in time.


here's mine


"Timeless" - taken today at 5:22PM lol

What lens did you use for this?

[1sikbmr]

Originally Posted by dcstep

Yeah, that counts, but the bokeh is very light, such that you can make out the background. If you'd shot that image wide open, then the bokeh would be stronger. Also, if you'd used a longer focal length and shot wide open, then you'd have smoother bokeh that took the background out of recognition. As you have it, we see what's back there and it simply looks OOF. Where OOF ends and bokeh begins is kind of a judgement call. You could leave this in the contest (in my opinion) but you might want to work to throw the BG more strongly OOF so that it's harder to tell what's there.

You can see mine with the bird for an extreme example with a bird and totally smeared BG and the other examples in this thread and those that Rodi linked us to. Use your longest lens wide open and move in nearer to the minimum focus distance to maximize the effect.

Rodi and I "cheated". He used a tilt-shift lens to get a really advanced example that most of us can't duplicate because we don't have that type of lens lens. My case is much the same, because I used a $6000+ 500mm lens known to have some of the nicest bokeh on the planet.

Still, you can do nice stuff with almost any telephoto lens or shorter lenses with wide apertures. This is one reason that many photogs use wide aperture lenses for their portrait work.

Here's a link to an image that's similar in concept to yours, taken with a 70-200mm f/4, but up close and wide open to maximize bokeh. I'm not posting the image here to avoid confusion with my offical entry:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcstep/...57623046971785


Dave

Thanks so much for your help. I tried that with another setting and this is what I got.

http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/2811/img0167aw.jpg

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by 1sikbmr

Thanks so much for your help. I tried that with another setting and this is what I got.

http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/2811/img0167aw.jpg

Yeah, that's the idea.

[- Paul -]

Yorkshire Wildlife Park_090411_0550 by PRotography EU, on Flickr

[dcstep]

Nice Paul, but you have to pick one.

[- Paul -]

Originally Posted by dcstep

Nice Paul, but you have to pick one.

done

[Litos]

Originally Posted by icyhot e92

What lens did you use for this?

check post #2938: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...=71214&page=74

[signes]

Originally Posted by dcstep

Common yellow-throat warbler:


Common yellow-throat warbler by dcstep, on Flickr

Wow, amazing shot. Such a smooth background...