Challenge 2, Day: What is Bokeh?

When i picked this challenge i had an idea of what Bokeh was (and I loved it) but I am realizing I had no idea.  So I thought i would try my best to explain what it is a give you a few examples with what I have taken so far.

Now i am just learning what it is so you can learn with me.

Bokeh describes the quality of out of focus points of light.  It is the "blurry" part of the image rendered by the camera lens. The blur you often see in a good photograph is really the depth of field.  The distance between the nearest and farthest objects in a scene that appear acceptably sharp in an image.   Bokeh is the quality or the feel of the background or foreground blur and the reflective points of light.

Here are some good Internet articles on Bokeh.

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/bokeh.htm
http://mansurovs.com/what-is-bokeh

I am sure I will have much more to talk about and learn as i go along.

This shot is actually an image i took this spring. I think there is a technical name for this type of bokeh but i am not sure.

 In my research I learned of ways to make a creative Bokeh.  There is a site that shows you how to make a Bokeh filter.

So armed with my fancy snowflake filter in 103 degree weather, I took to the streets in pursuit of the right shot.

Here are a few that i took.

Normally, you'd focus in on a subject and allow the background to show through but in all of these I just let the filter do its thing.  In order to really see the snowflake, I had to blur out all of image.  These are flowers outside of the Children's hospital at 165th and Broadway.

 These are just pictures of the leaves of a tree near my apartment. The filter comes through with the points of light, which is why you see the snowflakes where you would normally see balls of light.  Its a fun new trick.

I know this has all been so technical but I love to learn it so I hoped maybe you would too.

Enjoy.