Bokeh: Post your 'WOW' shots

[deednets]

Most people mistake quantity (degree of throwing the background out of focus) with quality (how smooth the background looks, independent on how much out of focus it is.

Originally, the term bokeh as invented in Japan had to do with QUALITY only.

How often do I hear people: I want more bokeh! I love the bokeh of this f1.2 lens (i.e. no background whatsoever, just a big smear)....

One of my pet peeves - I had to get it in here. Sorry

Quality matters in certain instances, like 100 f4 or thereabouts. Maybe 50mm f2, but in most other situations quantity is a pretty good substitute, enough bokeh will nearly always look “good”

Regarding "good": there is of course an argument to be made for intent and context. A blurred out background could mean that it's irrelevant if a photo has been taken in Cancun or at the Campuan Bridge. Note: if you know that bridge, you would know ...

Specular highlights and in front-rear defocus tends to make a difference as well.

But you DO get what I am trying to say here right?? The Campuan Bridge thing??



Deed

You mean ridge? I would be more excited about gunung batur or the monkeys from the sanctuary stealing food from naive tourists

Nope, I meant the Campuan Bridge, the old bridge next to Murni's Warung. I have had the odd kopi manis there since 1986. And have also met Antonio Blanco and his wife when he was still alive. So in short: I have visited Indonesia for now 39 years, speak Indonesian well enough to get by and will be back in late July this year. Batur is often a matter of simple luck. And since you mentioned the monkeys: on Batur - or Gunung Batur, if you like, those monkey had figured out that the banana in white toast has to be taken with a large ... so they simply eat the banana and why not and then throw the toast away ... I think they are onto something, right??

The Campuan Ridge is a bit of an acquired taste as it can be quite busy, but even then typically is time for a chat, here is a photo taken of a painter who had been doing this tiniestest atmosphere-rich painting for most of his life.





Should have blurred out the background right?? ;-)

Deed

 

[SafariBob]

I think the background works better here than the other photo. I do think the gaze works well. I do not think the smile is genuine. I would probably have given him more space or a sense of where he is looking. it's an appropriate level of bokeh because he is largely in focus and the rest is blurred out, so there is subject separation. Both of these photos are environmental portraits, so if anything, I would probably want less bokeh and less subject separation.

Deed

You mean ridge? I would be more excited about gunung batur or the monkeys from the sanctuary stealing food from naive tourists

Nope, I meant the Campuan Bridge, the old bridge next to Murni's Warung.

the ridge on the bridge then. a bit like the Oscar Wilde statue in Dublin.

Should have blurred out the background right?? ;-)

I think it's a problematic background that is not well managed. it's a nice facial expression, in the capture the moment sense, but I am slightly unsure if it's genuine. Ambigious can be good sometimes, as long as one avoids uncanny valley.

If it was a friend of mine, I would consider it a great photo.

Deed

--
Cold Spring Hot Spring. Lamassu. Safari Bob

https://www.instagram.com/seetheamericas/

 

[deednets]

I think the background works better here than the other photo. I do think the gaze works well. I do not think the smile is genuine. I would probably have given him more space or a sense of where he is looking. it's an appropriate level of bokeh because he is largely in focus and the rest is blurred out, so there is subject separation. Both of these photos are environmental portraits, so if anything, I would probably want less bokeh and less subject separation.

Deed

You mean ridge? I would be more excited about gunung batur or the monkeys from the sanctuary stealing food from naive tourists

Nope, I meant the Campuan Bridge, the old bridge next to Murni's Warung.

the ridge on the bridge then. a bit like the Oscar Wilde statue in Dublin.

Should have blurred out the background right?? ;-)

I think it's a problematic background that is not well managed. it's a nice facial expression, in the capture the moment sense, but I am slightly unsure if it's genuine. Ambigious can be good sometimes, as long as one avoids uncanny valley.

If it was a friend of mine, I would consider it a great photo.

Deed

You read a lot of stuff into those shots. In both cases I had spent an hour, first shot and roughly 2 hours with the painter. The Indian man has a little manufacturing business to make pasta in Jodhpur. I thought he was an exotic flower in a country where pasta dishes aren't the main fare when it comes to food. The photo was one of a series over that time and he was a naturally funny character, but what do I know about genuine aye?

With that painter I had a long chat about the different characters that played a role over the decades, like Ari Smit, Han Snell and Antonio Blanco. This can take time. If you are as familiar with Ubud or Campuan as you seem to be, you may also know Oka Wati and Harry Chew. Won't bore you with any non-genuine pics, but let me tell you that photography, the way I shoot is more of an afterthought, like it comes up in conversation and I then may take some shots at the end. I have a couple of portfolios on my phone that I sometimes show people before I take some shots. So whatever non-genuine you read into my pics here, it's possible, but unlikely considering the time frames that lead to those shots. Also bear in mind, that with both characters it wasn't a one-off conversation. If you know those places, you will know that you stop and have another chat when you pass by again.

Will leave it at that, but unless you're a psychologist, don't read too much into my shots. Most of the time I don't take pics of people, but simply enjoy company and cross-cultural exchange.

You know Campuan? I was talking about the old bridge covered in vines over that deep valley, should you have a chance, walk down those layers of levels in Murni's Warung into this mini-abyss, very exotic location it is, right next to the old bridge. Those Instagram spots are close, a few hundred meters away, but much higher up.

Deed

 

[SafariBob]

should you have a chance, walk down those layers of levels in Murni's Warung into this mini-abyss, very exotic location it is, right next to the old bridge.

next trip will be a Komodo cruise I think. Bali has lost a bit of the 1970s hippie charm it once had, but I have made a note of your recommendations.

i do like your second photo. I don’t think i am a better photographer, both of these would probably be keepers for me too. I am just a bit critical after having experience in reportage. You get used to trying to control everything, which also takes away part of the charm of a photo.

--
Cold Spring Hot Spring. Lamassu. Safari Bob
https://www.instagram.com/seetheamericas/

 

[Jefenator]

If you want more detail in the background, why not just use smaller apertures?

I find that blur artifacts & stopped-down detail are usually not so interchangeable.

--

Jeff Addicott

Explore Jeff Addicott’s 600 photos on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

 

[deednets]

should you have a chance, walk down those layers of levels in Murni's Warung into this mini-abyss, very exotic location it is, right next to the old bridge.

next trip will be a Komodo cruise I think. Bali has lost a bit of the 1970s hippie charm it once had, but I have made a note of your recommendations.

i do like your second photo. I don’t think i am a better photographer, both of these would probably be keepers for me too. I am just a bit critical after having experience in reportage. You get used to trying to control everything, which also takes away part of the charm of a photo.

 

[SafariBob]

should you have a chance, walk down those layers of levels in Murni's Warung into this mini-abyss, very exotic location it is, right next to the old bridge.

next trip will be a Komodo cruise I think. Bali has lost a bit of the 1970s hippie charm it once had, but I have made a note of your recommendations.

i do like your second photo. I don’t think i am a better photographer, both of these would probably be keepers for me too. I am just a bit critical after having experience in reportage. You get used to trying to control everything, which also takes away part of the charm of a photo.

Never visited Komodo itself as I try to avoid places where, well, where cruise ships go. But have been to both Padar and Rinca. I negotiated a local boat in Labuan Bajo, if you speak some Indonesian, you can get a maybe a little bit more interesting trip for about a quarter of the usual commission loaded losmen and hotel rates. Padar in particular is imo best experienced in low numbers as you really walk on a ridge with little to no alternatives.

i do believe Rinca is good. For me, in terms of wildlife, it’s not such an amazing destination that it’s worth a trip in itself, and if I go, I sort of have to do it one and done.

The hippie vibe from the 70s? So you must have an extra 10 years on me regarding Indonesia travel? That explains your critical views. The pasta maker was looking at a friend of mine when I took that shot. In all the others he was looking straight at my camera. There are still some places in Bali, that have that old vibe by the way, but would never talk about those on an online forum. Not everything needs to be on Instagram.

Must check out where you live, are you in your 80s?? 70s??

I am in my 40s. The 1970s hippie charm lasted longer on Bali than many other places, but the luxury hotels in nusa dua and so on killed it in the early 2000s. Even full moon party is probably more authentic now if it’s still the same. Maybe perhentian has still kept the magic.

Deed

 

[deednets]

should you have a chance, walk down those layers of levels in Murni's Warung into this mini-abyss, very exotic location it is, right next to the old bridge.

next trip will be a Komodo cruise I think. Bali has lost a bit of the 1970s hippie charm it once had, but I have made a note of your recommendations.

i do like your second photo. I don’t think i am a better photographer, both of these would probably be keepers for me too. I am just a bit critical after having experience in reportage. You get used to trying to control everything, which also takes away part of the charm of a photo.

Never visited Komodo itself as I try to avoid places where, well, where cruise ships go. But have been to both Padar and Rinca. I negotiated a local boat in Labuan Bajo, if you speak some Indonesian, you can get a maybe a little bit more interesting trip for about a quarter of the usual commission loaded losmen and hotel rates. Padar in particular is imo best experienced in low numbers as you really walk on a ridge with little to no alternatives.

i do believe Rinca is good. For me, in terms of wildlife, it’s not such an amazing destination that it’s worth a trip in itself, and if I go, I sort of have to do it one and done.

The hippie vibe from the 70s? So you must have an extra 10 years on me regarding Indonesia travel? That explains your critical views. The pasta maker was looking at a friend of mine when I took that shot. In all the others he was looking straight at my camera. There are still some places in Bali, that have that old vibe by the way, but would never talk about those on an online forum. Not everything needs to be on Instagram.

Must check out where you live, are you in your 80s?? 70s??

I am in my 40s. The 1970s hippie charm lasted longer on Bali than many other places, but the luxury hotels in nusa dua and so on killed it in the early 2000s. Even full moon party is probably more authentic now if it’s still the same. Maybe perhentian has still kept the magic.

Deed

Perhentian Kecil and Perhentian Besar were 2 islands I visited last in 1989, but that is in a different country, similar language though.

Rinca you could combine with Padar??




Pulau Padar




Labuan Bajo




Komodo monitors on Rinca

Deed

 

[SafariBob]

Love the padar photo reminds me of the view from the top of Santiago in Galapagos, or Reinebringen in Lofoten.

 

[4Photos]

Most people mistake quantity (degree of throwing the background out of focus) with quality (how smooth the background looks, independent on how much out of focus it is.

Originally, the term bokeh as invented in Japan had to do with QUALITY only.

How often do I hear people: I want more bokeh! I love the bokeh of this f1.2 lens (i.e. no background whatsoever, just a big smear)....

One of my pet peeves - I had to get it in here. Sorry

Quality matters in certain instances, like 100 f4 or thereabouts. Maybe 50mm f2, but in most other situations quantity is a pretty good substitute, enough bokeh will nearly always look “good”

Regarding "good": there is of course an argument to be made for intent and context. A blurred out background could mean that it's irrelevant if a photo has been taken in Cancun or at the Campuan Bridge. Note: if you know that bridge, you would know ...

Specular highlights and in front-rear defocus tends to make a difference as well.

But you DO get what I am trying to say here right?? The Campuan Bridge thing??



Deed

*** EXCELLENT photos Deed ***

Just to my taste. The background is smooth, but still recognizable, not smashed into obliteration with an f1.2 lens. Thats what I meant in my post with QUALITY of background blur, versus QUANTITY of background blur.