7 minute read

Get Beautiful Bokeh

Bokeh is beautiful – and that’s true no matter which subject you decide to use it in. But what is it? Bokeh describes the out-of-focus areas of a picture, in the foreground or the background.

In portraits, a backdrop full of smooth bokeh helps the subject stand out, adding impact. In landscapes and architectural images, blur can isolate striking features and intricate details. In still life and floral photos, it can help to reveal sumptuous texture, and in sports and wildlife pictures it declutters a scene and places dramatic subjects center stage. Best of all, it’s easy to create blur wherever you want to create impact with your X Series camera. All you need to do is use the right settings and apply a few modifications to your technique.

Use the Right Exposure Mode

Getting blur into your pictures means controlling the aperture of the lens and this means you need to be in the right exposure mode. You could use the Program mode to start with, but we’d recommend you shoot with Aperture Priority – selected by setting A on the top-plate dial – as you’ll be able to set the aperture to whatever setting you want by using the aperture ring on the lens.

If your X Series camera doesn’t feature a top-plate dial like this, you can select Aperture Priority by choosing A on the shutter speed dial and setting the aperture on the lens.

Use the Widest Aperture

Setting the aperture is how we control how much of the scene is sharp and how much is blurred. All other things being equal – that is, in terms of the subject’s distance from the camera and the background, and the type of lens you’re using – the widest aperture will give you the shallowest depth-of-field, so the most blur.

The widest aperture is indicated by the lowest F number, which could be something like F1.4, F2.8, F5.6, and so on. Set the aperture to the lowest F number, but remember that this can vary depending on the lens you’re using. If it’s a zoom lens, it may have a variable aperture, so the maximum F number is lower when zoomed out than when it’s zoomed in. A good example of this is the XF18-55mmF2.8-4 lens.

Focus as Close as You Can

Something else that affects depth-of-field – and the amount of blur you can get in a shot – is how close you focus on the subject. For instance, frame a portrait at three feet, and then at six feet, using the same aperture and you’ll have more depth-of-field at six feet, and the background will look more in focus.

Made 3ft from subject using X-T4 camera and XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR lens set to F4 at an equivalent focal length of 55mm.

Made 6ft from subject using X-T4 camera and XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR lens set to F4 at an equivalent focal length of 55mm.

One thing to watch out for is the minimum focusing distance of the lens – that’s the distance between your camera and the closest point at which it can bring a subject into focus. If your subject falls within this distance, you won’t be able to get them sharp.

When the depth-of-field is very shallow, as it is when using a wide aperture and focusing close to the camera, focusing accuracy is vital. You may only have a fraction of an inch to play with, which could mean just the subject’s eye is sharp, or just the tip of a flower’s petal. Therefore, make sure you use the right focusing method to keep what you want in focus.

Change Your Lens

Okay so far? Good, because there are few more things you can do to increase the amount of blur in your pictures. The focal length of the lens you’re using will also have an effect on the depth-of-field, and thus the amount of blur produced. Shoot at a short focal length, like 18mm, and you’ll produce less blur than at a longer focal length like 90mm. So, if you want plenty of blur in your photos, try to use longer focal lengths where possible. The only restriction is how far you can get away from the subject and still be able to frame them as you want, as well as being able to talk to them if it’s a portrait!

Move Your Subject Away From the Background

Here’s a technique tip that has nothing to do with the settings on your camera, but more with how you set up a picture. Say, for instance, you’re photographing a person standing in front of a distracting fence. If they stood two feet from the fence, it may still be visible no matter what the depth-of-field your exposure settings and focus has achieved. But move the person further from the fence and it will look more blurred in the resulting pictures. Of course, to keep the framing and the focusing distance the same, you’ll need to step back, too.

In this way, you’re not changing the depth-of-field, just giving the parts of the scene that you want to blur more space to fall out of focus. The further from the subject they are, the more blurred they’ll be!

Watch Out When Using Wide Apertures

Sometimes you won’t be able to use the widest apertures to make a shallow depth-of-field. This is because the prime function of the aperture is to control the amount of light that enters the camera during an exposure. The very wide apertures that you’d use to create blur let in lots of light, so to make a good exposure, the shutter speed needs to rise.

At a certain point, such as on bright and sunny days, the shutter won’t be able to open and close fast enough to stop the picture overexposing and being too bright.

To fix this, you can lower the ISO setting to the minimum and, if it’s still too bright, fit an ND filter. This type of filter covers the lens and reduces the amount of light entering the camera, so you can use lower shutter speeds and still get a good exposure.

See the Light

When you’re all set up, a great way to create a beautiful bokeh effect is by having your subject positioned in front of small lights. These could be Christmas tree lights, or those in the city at night – it could even be bits of light visible through foliage, or sunshine reflecting off water. But as these areas blur they’ll turn into flat discs of light, giving any shot an extra sparkle!

Pick a ‘Fast’ Lens

Though you can use the tips above to increase the blur produced by any lens you have, there’s no doubt that picking the right lens from the start will help you out. There are plenty of lenses with big maximum apertures available for your X Series camera – such lenses are known as ‘fast’ lenses because they let in lots of light, enabling you to shoot with faster shutter speeds.

XF18mmF1.4 R LM WR

This versatile wide-angle lens is ideal for popping in your bag, or keeping on your camera all the time, and offers a fast F1.4 maximum aperture that gives lots of background blur.

Photo © Ben Chrisman

Photo © Ben Chrisman

Photo © Ben Chrisman

XF35mmF1.4 R

Offering a perspective that’s close to that of the human eye, this great all-around lens has a big F1.4 maximum aperture so you can get loads of bokeh when you want it.

XF50mmF1.0 R WR

At F1.0, this lens offers the widest maximum aperture of any FUJINON X Series lens, so it’s capable of creating big, beautiful bokeh with ease. With an equivalent 35mm focal length of 76mm, it’s also a perfect choice for portraits, so if you want the ultimate in subject separation, this is the one to go for.

XF56mmF1.2 R

This high-quality short telephoto lens is ideal for portraits and, with its large aperture, for superb bokeh effects, too. Subjects will really stand out from the background when you use it wide open.

XF80mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro

A must-have lens for close-ups, like florals, food, and still-life photography, this dedicated macro lens will introduce you to a whole new world in photography – and it can be used for flattering portraits, too.

XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR

Offering a constant F2.8 aperture throughout the zoom range, this standard zoom lens is an ideal general-purpose model that can be used in all conditions, while still giving a very shallow depth-of-field.

XF50-140mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR

This is a fast-aperture telephoto zoom that’s perfect for portraits and other shallow depth-of-field situations, no matter how you frame your subject. With weather-resistance and Optical Image Stabilization, it’s ready for all situations, too.

Explore the full XF lens lineup here, or contact your nearest FUJIFILM Authorized Dealer for more information.