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bokeh

BOH-kay /ˈboʊkeɪ/

nounC1

artisticprofessional

The aesthetic quality of the blur produced in the out-of-focus parts of an image, especially as rendered by a particular lens.

Refers specifically to the subjective quality and appearance of the blur (e.g., 'creamy' or 'harsh'), not just the fact that the background is out of focus.

The story behind the word. The term comes from the Japanese word 'boke-aji', which translates to 'blur quality'. In 1997, Mike Johnston, the editor of Photo Techniques magazine, decided to introduce the term to the English-speaking world. He added an 'h' to the end to ensure English speakers would pronounce it as 'boh-kay' rather than 'boke' (rhyming with 'broke').

Word relationships

blur: 'Blur' is any lack of sharpness in an image, whereas 'bokeh' refers specifically to the artistic quality of the out-of-focus background blur.

sharpness: 'Sharpness' is the clarity of detail in an image, which is the physical opposite of bokeh's soft blur.

Commonly confused with

out-of-focus: 'Out-of-focus' is a technical state of a lens, whereas 'bokeh' is the artistic character and appearance of that out-of-focus area.

Collocations

creamy bokeh
swirly bokeh
bokeh effect
background bokeh

Example sentences

"The lens's nine rounded aperture blades produce a beautifully soft, circular bokeh that makes the subject pop." A review of a high-end prime lens.

Memory hook

Think of a 'bouquet' of soft, colorful, blurry flowers in the background of your photo. Bokeh is the beautiful background blur.

When not to use

Do not use 'bokeh' to describe a simple motion blur or a camera shake; it must be a depth-of-field blur.

Fun facts

You can create custom-shaped bokeh (like hearts or stars) by placing a cardboard cutout with a small shape over your camera lens.

Related words

aperture, focus, macro

Explore more words

aesthetic, photogenic, landscape, scenic, subjective, cinematography