This can be done both during shooting and during processing.
Using camera settings
To do this, you need a camera that allows you to set the settings manually.
- Set the aperture to a low value to open it as wide as possible. Shallow depth of field allows you to make one object the focal point and blur everything else.
- Adjust the shutter speed, which is the amount of time the camera shutter stays open while shooting. A fast shutter speed can be 1/1000 second, and a long shutter speed up to one second. The shorter it is, the less clear the image is.
- Adjust the manual focus and try to focus on different parts of the subject, comparing the result.
- Change the distance between the camera, the subject and the background. The farther the background is, the more blurry it will be.
- Use lenses with special attachments to create the bokeh effect.
In Photoshop
Upload a photo to the editor. Find in the Filter settings – Blur Gallery – and select the desired tool:
- Field Blur allows you to manually set the focus on any object and blur the rest. The amount of blur can be adjusted by dragging the Blur slider on the toolbar.
- Motion Blur can help you create the illusion of speed by adding blur in one direction. To adjust its degree, drag the Distance slider.
- Path Blur allows you to create defocus in different directions by pointing them with arrows.
In Lightroom
Open an image and switch to Develop mode. On the toolbar, click on the brush and use it to select the desired areas. If necessary, finish retouching using the Clarity and Sharpness filters.
With the help of special programs
To do this, select the appropriate mobile application or online photo editing service, for example:
- Auto Blur Background. The mobile application contains dozens of tools, allowing you to adjust the degree of blur and areas of the image to which you want to apply the technique.
- Removal.ai. The online tool includes many editing functions: adjusting the scale, noise, brightness, adjusting the blur level, adding shadows.
- Real Bokeh. The application contains ready-made bokeh templates and filters for photo processing.
picmonkey. Online editor and app for smartphones where you can choose from several types of blur and complete it using special settings. - insta bokeh. Suitable for Instagram users, offering to immediately create beautiful shots with one of the built-in bokeh templates.
Conclusion
The bokeh effect is one of the effective design tools. To make it work for you:
- clearly define the task that he will perform;
- choose the places where you will use it;
- take high-quality pictures;
- edit images with professional editors or applications.