The bokeh effect is a style of capturing out-of-focus lights in the background of shots. When you watch a video and see those soft light orbs blooming in the background—that’s the bokeh effect. Bokeh is a common camera trick that looks dazzling, but if you don’t know how to pull it off properly, you can miss out on the brilliant appearance it brings to videos. Don’t worry; this guide isn’t to scare you away from the titular lighting effect. Instead, the guide below will show you how to achieve the bokeh effect in a video perfectly.
Wide Aperture
The key to achieving bokeh in-camera is by shooting with a wide aperture. As many professionals know, the lower your f-stop, the wider your aperture. Likewise, the wider your aperture is, the more light enters the camera, resulting in a shallower depth of field. Achieving the bokeh effect is a balancing act, but after your first attempt, it will feel straightforward. Knowing how F-stop and aperture levels impact your footage is essential for any video production, whether you’re trying to create a bokeh effect or not.
Subject Location
Learning how to achieve the bokeh effect in a video requires understanding how close your subject should be to the background. For creating shallow depth of field and capturing stunning bokeh, pull your subject away from the background. By positioning the subject close to the camera, you can focus on bringing details out in the foreground while the background softens, creating the bokeh effect.
Post Bokeh
You can capture bokeh effects in-camera with a skillful eye and professional videography equipment. Additionally, if you realize the shot needs such an effect during post-production, finding a solution is easier than you might realize. Various video editing software options such as Filmora give you the tools for optimizing video images for the bokeh effect. Thanks to video editing software featuring bokeh effects tools, you can find a quick solution if you fail to achieve the aesthetic on set.