Upcoming L.E.N.S. Challenge-all about bokeh

The challenge for this Saturday's
The LEarning Never Stops Photo Challenge is bokeh.

I heart bokeh. Everyone needs a little bokeh in their life....

Need a translation? Need an example? Here are two I pulled from the blawg...

In non-technical blog-speak, bokeh effect is a blurry background. See on the photo above- the grass-like plants are in focus in the front, and the background is all blurry and out-of-focus.

Here's another example- I focused on the yummy snack, getting real close to it- I actually had my camera setting on 'aperture'- the little 'A' button on the top left of my nikon. My camera then chose the shutter speed for me. I like either/or scenaros, it just simplifies things for me...

Before I found out about the aperture setting...I learned a neat little bokeh trick- use your micro setting on your camera, it's usually a button with a flower on it. Get in close to a subject and make sure you are focused just on the subject- you might have to play a little tug-of-war with your auto-focus...I did with the grass picture above. If you are focused on the closest thing, the background will be blurry. If no blur, try getting closer to the subject and re-focusing.

Here are links to better, more professional descriptions of bokeh, how to get it and how your aperture settings work-

Now you are armed, so get out there and capture some great bokeh!

See you Saturday, July 17th for a Bokeh-Fest!