In its simplest photographic definition bokeh refers to the out of focus areas of a picture. Mostly the meaning is applied to photographs where there is a specific subject in the immediate foreground. Not always a close up or macro, but not really a landscape either where some of the photo might not be in crisp focus. Bokeh is a product of shallow depth of field which is achieved by a wide aperture relative to the length of the lens.

One of the most dramatic uses of bokeh is to separate your subject from the background. Especially if the background is very busy. Rendering it smoothly out of focus makes things really pop –

Joyeuse by Kristen Smith

One of my favorite bokeh techniques is to echo the main subject exactly. Your imagination can easily fill in the missing detail because it resembles the sharp subject so much. The echo reinforces the main idea, but also gives your brain something to play with. The trick is to utilize an aperture that will simultaneously allow you to recognize the out of focus object and leave it fuzzy. I love this technique –

Vinca by Kristen Smith

I also love how bokeh can create atmosphere in a photo – mostly a gauzy, dreamy effect. It doesn’t work in all circumstances, but if you are working in the right light it is beautiful. With this kind of image, the subject most often is the bokeh itself with the sharply focused parts playing supporting roles only.

Birch by Kristen Smith

The digital age is a real help when experimenting with bokeh because you can see your shot immediately and use live view and depth of field preview to fine-tune each one. Get to know your lens by shooting objects at different apertures and focal lengths then studying the effect. Think about what kind of photo you want to make and how bokeh can emphasize your photo’s intent.

Got any good bokeh shots? Feel free to add them in comments or join the Photography.ca forum and start a thread.

For more of Kristen’s outdoor photography and other articles visit wickeddarkphotography.com

Haunting the Obscure by Kristen Smith

There are some general guidelines you should follow when shooting burial grounds.  The first thing to remember is to be respectful.  These places represent lives and history and often sorrow.  If there are mourners or visitors present, give them space.  Don’t crash a ceremony.

Also don’t touch or move anything with respect to the graves themselves.  If one is damaged or fallen over, leave it.  Sometimes branches or other debris fall on monuments and I always leave those as well, unless it is photographically in the way.  I also avoid climbing over anything I don’t have to like walls or gates. And I never remove anything from a gravesite and I can’t imagine doing so.

Angle of Repose by Kristen Smith

My main interest is in old cemeteries.  Luckily in New England we have the oldest European cemeteries in the country and I’m never short of subjects.  Whatever your particular interest is, find ways to accentuate what you find interesting.  It might be particularly moving epitaphs, or artwork and common decorative motifs or maybe just finding stones of people with your name.  Personally I like to show the overall structure and character of a cemetery as well as highlight some of the oldest or most interesting headstones.  Decaying stones are always terrific subjects; lichen, cracks, weathering and even outright destruction can make for really interesting images.

Harriet Obscured by Kristen Smith

I will admit that after years of shooting in cemeteries it does get tougher to come up with original compositions.  Sometimes approaching a grave yard in a different season helps, like winter.  Sometimes it means getting there at a certain time of day so that carvings are brought up strongly with shadows. Sometimes it means finding unusual perspectives and including other things like walls and gates in my compositions.  Frequently I use different post-processing techniques to bring out what I want in a photo.  This doesn’t always mean black and white or sepia, but I do use them since they especially suit the older burial grounds I haunt.

Keeping Watch by Kristen Smith

So don’t be afraid to step into that cemetery near your house.  Explore it respectfully, photograph it creatively and walk away with a sense of history.

Kristen Smith is a New England photographer whose cemetery work can be found in her Graven Images Gallery

First ‚œ get close! ‚So many times I see ‚Ëœclose-up‚„ pictures that include way too much in the frame. ‚Like a flower image that shows other flowers, leaves, a fence, the dirt etc. ‚That‚„s not a close-up. ‚The reason good close-up and macro photos are so magical is that they show us a world we might not ordinarily notice. ‚Here‚„s what to do, find out how close your lens will focus and then try and stick to that as much as possible. ‚My ZD 12-60mm lets me get a couple inches from my subject and does a good enough job that I can sometimes leave my macro lens at home.

Ice Crystals by Kristen Smith

Second ‚œ isolate! ‚Close-up photographs are much more effective when the subject is clearly separated from the rest of the scene. ‚You can do this in two ways, first by choosing a subject that doesn‚„t have anything near enough to be in the frame with it. ‚So pick that flower or mushroom that doesn‚„t have any friends. The second way you can isolate your subject is by opening your lens to a large aperture. ‚Doing this limits your depth of field and creates an out of focus background also known as bokeh. ‚Of course sharp focus on your main subject is critical, so be careful. ‚Watch the shutter speeds and use a tripod if necessary.

Chicory Blossom by Kristen Smith

Third ‚œ surprise! ‚Show me something different. ‚Oh gee, another flower picture. ‚Yay. ‚How about a bug? ‚Yawn. ‚A leaf? ‚Zzzzz. ‚Sorry, I‚„m not really dumping on any of these things, but haven‚„t we all seen a million of them? ‚I‚„m just as guilty of it. ‚After a while they‚„re all the same and it takes an effort to bring something different to the world of close-up photography. ‚Find it. ‚Whatever it takes, find something unusual about an everyday object or something you hardly ever see photographed. ‚Try new angles, perspectives, juxtapositions, play with depth of field, background, color combinations; anything to help your image break free of sameness.

Broken Cork by Kristen Smith

So that should get you started. ‚Get close, isolate and surprise me! ‚Feel free to post comments with links to your best close-up photos or share them on the‚forum.

My Website = www.wickeddarkphotography.com and I’m based in New Hampshire, USA