Quick answer: Bokeh is the aesthetic quality of the out-of-focus areas in a photo — especially how a lens renders blurred points of light into soft, round orbs. It is not the same as the amount of background blur (that’s shallow depth of field); bokeh describes the character of that blur, and “good” bokeh looks smooth and creamy rather than harsh or busy.
Bokeh is one of the most talked-about looks in photography — those dreamy portraits and twinkling light orbs everyone loves. But it’s also one of the most misunderstood terms. Getting it right starts with your camera settings, so it’s a natural companion to the rest of our camera settings guides.
This guide explains what bokeh actually is, how it differs from depth of field, exactly how to get more of it, and how to tell good bokeh from bad.
Table of Content
What Is Bokeh?
Bokeh (from the Japanese boke, meaning blur or haze) is the visual quality of the out-of-focus parts of an image. When a background is thrown out of focus, small points of light — street lamps, sun through leaves, water sparkle — turn into soft glowing discs. The size, shape, and smoothness of those discs is the bokeh.
The key thing to understand: bokeh is about quality, not quantity. How much of the background is blurred is controlled by depth of field. How that blur looks — buttery smooth or hard and distracting — is bokeh. You can have lots of blur with ugly bokeh, or a little blur with lovely bokeh.
Bokeh vs. Depth of Field
These two get mixed up constantly, so it’s worth being clear:
| Depth of field | Bokeh | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | How much of the scene is in focus | The look and quality of the out-of-focus areas |
| Measured by | Amount (shallow vs deep) | Character (smooth vs harsh) |
| Controlled by | Aperture, focal length, distance | Lens design and aperture blades |
A shallow depth of field is what separates your subject from the background; bokeh is what makes that separated background look beautiful.
How to Get More Bokeh
To get lots of soft, pronounced bokeh, you want a very shallow depth of field. Four factors stack together:
| Factor | Do this | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Aperture | Open wide — f/1.8, f/2.8 | The biggest lever; more blur and bigger bokeh orbs |
| Focal length | Use a longer lens — 85mm, 135mm | Longer lenses render larger, softer backgrounds |
| Subject distance | Get close to your subject | The nearer you focus, the shallower the depth of field |
| Background distance | Put lots of space behind the subject | The farther the background, the more it melts away |
Put simply: a fast lens wide open (a cheap 50mm f/1.8 is the classic “nifty fifty” for this), a subject close to you, and a distant background will give you gorgeous bokeh. Fairy lights, dappled sunlight through trees, or a wet street at night behind your subject turn into those signature glowing orbs. Because a wide aperture also lets in a lot of light, keep an eye on the rest of your exposure triangle so the shot doesn’t blow out.
Good Bokeh vs. Bad Bokeh
Not all blur is created equal. The difference comes mostly from lens design — particularly the shape of the aperture:
Good bokeh is smooth and creamy. Out-of-focus highlights are soft-edged circles that blend gently into the background, with no hard outlines.
Bad (or “busy”) bokeh has hard-edged or double-lined highlights, bright rings around the orbs, or an “onion ring” texture inside them. It draws attention to itself instead of quietly supporting the subject.
Aperture blades matter. More rounded blades produce rounder, more pleasing highlights. Fewer, straighter blades can render orbs as visible pentagons or hexagons when you stop down.
Cat’s-eye bokeh is when orbs near the edges of the frame get squashed into lens shapes. Some photographers love it; it’s a lens trait, not a fault.
Fast prime lenses are usually prized for their smooth bokeh, which is why portrait photographers invest in lenses like an 85mm f/1.4. But you don’t need expensive glass to start — the humble 50mm f/1.8 delivers lovely bokeh for very little money.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is bokeh in photography?
Bokeh is the aesthetic quality of the out-of-focus areas of a photo, especially how a lens renders blurred points of light into soft, round orbs. It describes the character of the blur — smooth and creamy versus harsh and busy — rather than how much of the image is blurred, which is depth of field.
What is the difference between bokeh and depth of field?
Depth of field is how much of the scene is in focus — shallow or deep. Bokeh is the look and quality of the parts that are out of focus. A shallow depth of field creates the background blur that separates your subject, and bokeh describes whether that blur looks smooth and pleasing or hard and distracting.
How do I get more bokeh in my photos?
Use a wide aperture such as f/1.8 or f/2.8, a longer focal length like 85mm or more, get close to your subject, and place plenty of distance between the subject and the background. A fast prime lens wide open with a distant background full of small lights produces strong, glowing bokeh.
What lens is best for bokeh?
Fast prime lenses with wide maximum apertures give the best bokeh. Popular choices include a 50mm f/1.8 (an affordable starting point) and portrait lenses like an 85mm f/1.4. Lenses with more rounded aperture blades render smoother, rounder out-of-focus highlights, which is a big part of pleasing bokeh.
What is bad bokeh?
Bad or “busy” bokeh has out-of-focus highlights with hard edges, bright rings, double lines, or an onion-ring texture, and it draws attention to itself instead of supporting the subject. It’s caused mainly by lens design, and it can make an otherwise sharp photo feel distracting or nervous in the background.