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Friday, April 2, 2010

Friday Photo Shoot Out: Bokeh

"Bokeh" is, I guess, the out-of-focus parts of a photo, the ones that so often make the focussed parts stand out better. More of a technical trick than a visit to my town.
I didn't have time to gather any new material this week, but my archives from last spring, my first digital spring, are full of close-ups that have bokeh. And they're all from my town. From my very yard, in fact.
Great cherry season last year. This year the blossoms are not yet this far along.
The plum is going wild again. Really, it makes far too many plums. Anybody want some jam? This particular tree I hacked at severely because its branches scrape my bedroom wall when it's windy. It is still covered in white flowers.
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For other Shootouts, click here. Have a great holiday weekend!
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18 comments:

GingerV said...

Its all that we can ask for that the photo was taken in your town.... we have strayed before and I think the change does us good. your white flowers look just like mine. Mine were out in natural growth forest so 'plums grow in the wild' I suppose that at one time all fruit grew wild thats why the first man were called 'hunter gatherers.... have a great weekend.

Kim, USA said...

Like your photos they are great for bokeh. See the sign of spring everything is blooming. Happy Easter!

My Bokeh

Bagman and Butler said...

Beautiful work, Nan. By the way, I loved your zebra post yesterday...there is far more to the zebra than I ever knew!

Argent said...

And now I have a new word - bokeh. These are lovely pics too.

Barry said...

Stunning examples of bokeh, Nancy. The final photo of the plum blossoms is very delicate and beatifically photographed.

Jessica said...

These are beautiful! You did a wonderful job on this one. I think it's okay to stray to these technique types sometimes. I feel like a I learned a lot and was really challenged.

NanU said...

It really is ok to stray away from "My Town", and I don't hesitate to show photos of elsewhere when I'm travelling. I'm just in a rotten mood for various reasons, and up comes a topic that I would love to have the time to really get into, but it was a close thing to have time just to dive in the archives.

Chef E said...

I love you shots! I feel guilty sometimes about not showing my town, but the peeps are Jersey peeps, lol, and in a Jersey bar, with Jersey Open mic people, so I guess that counts! I should get outside more, but we do not have much plant life in my HOA, and that is sad...

Suburban Girl said...

Oh...the one with the bug is sooo cool. Not that I really like bugs, but pics of them are fine.

Pauline said...

Well done, Nan. I tried to get a shot like that of plum blossom last spring. At least now I know how I should be able to do it. The blur adds to the delicacy of the bloom I think.

Heather said...

These are absolutely beautiful and really share the hope of Spring!

farmlady said...

These photos are all beautiful but I really love the purple iris.
Isn't this an interesting technique. I had never heard of Bokeh and yet I had quite a few photos with blurred images. I must learn more about it and do some experimenting.
Lovely photos. Happy Easter.

Jama said...

I love that first photo, you managed to catch that red bug among the flowers, so awesome. Closeup make great bokeh.

Kerry said...

So lovely! Every one of them. (Your yard must be very pretty.) Happy springtime!

Sarah Sullivan said...

Perfection hon...just amazing bokeh here!! Loved every shot.

J9 said...

That first shot is really nice!

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

The white plum flower is very bokeh indeed. Looks like a bride in the middle of attention, and all the bridemaid blurred behind.

This reminds me about 30 years ago, my friend's wedding photographer was smearing petoluem jelling round the edges of his lens to create a circular blur ring.

Unknown said...

the first two are fantastic!! this has been a fun topic and a learning one!