Examples of Bokeh Effect in Photography: 3 Practical Examples You Can Actually Shoot

The Best Examples of Bokeh Effect in Photography Start With Real Scenes

Let’s skip the dry definitions and go straight to the fun part: real examples of bokeh effect in photography. Then we’ll unpack how each one works so you can repeat it, not just admire it.

Think of bokeh as the character of the blur in your out-of-focus areas. Same way two singers can hit the same note but sound totally different, two lenses can blur a background in very different ways. Some give you creamy, smooth bokeh. Others create busy, nervous bokeh that distracts from your subject.

Below are three core situations that give you the best examples of bokeh effect in photography: portraits, city lights at night, and close-up/near-macro shots. Around those three, we’ll spin off several more real examples you can steal.

Example 1: Portrait With Background Lights (The Classic Bokeh Look)

If someone asks you for a textbook example of bokeh effect in photography, show them a portrait with a sharp subject and a background full of soft, glowing light circles.

Imagine this: your friend is standing about 8 feet in front of a row of string lights. You shoot at a wide aperture (say f/1.8), focus on their eyes, and suddenly the lights behind them turn into big, buttery orbs. That dreamy background is one of the best examples of how bokeh can turn a normal scene into something cinematic.

How to shoot this portrait bokeh example

You don’t need fancy gear, but a lens that opens to at least f/2.8 helps a lot.

Try this setup:

• Subject distance: Place your subject relatively close to you (4–8 feet away).
• Background distance: Put the lights far behind them (at least 10–20 feet if you can).
• Aperture: Use the widest aperture your lens allows (f/1.4–f/2 for fast primes, f/2.8–f/4 for kit zooms).
• Focal length: Longer focal lengths (50mm, 85mm, 100mm) exaggerate background blur.
• Focus point: Lock focus on the eyes.

This is one of the simplest examples of bokeh effect in photography: 3 practical examples could all be portraits with different backgrounds, but this light-string version is the easiest to start with.

Real-world variations of this portrait bokeh example

You can repeat the same idea in different settings:

• Holiday lights portrait: Stand your subject in front of a Christmas tree or outdoor holiday display. The tiny bulbs behind them become colorful bokeh balls.
• Wedding reception portrait: During the evening reception, use the decorative lights, candles, or chandeliers as bokeh in the background while the couple is in focus.
• Sun-through-trees portrait: In late afternoon, place your subject with the sun filtering through leaves behind them. The little highlights between leaves become bright bokeh spots.

All of these are real examples of bokeh effect in photography that rely on the same formula: bright points of light, a wide aperture, and good distance between subject and background.

Example 2: City Lights at Night – Turning Streets Into Abstract Bokeh Art

If portraits aren’t your thing, nighttime city streets give you some of the best examples of bokeh effect in photography without needing a human subject at all.

Picture a busy downtown street after dark: traffic lights, car headlights, neon signs, and storefronts. Now set your focus manually to something close, or even intentionally defocus completely. The entire scene melts into a pattern of colored circles and blobs. That’s bokeh as pure abstraction.

How to shoot bokeh with city lights

You can treat this as either a creative background for a subject or as the subject itself.

For abstract bokeh-only shots:

• Switch to manual focus.
• Twist the focus ring until the lights become large, soft circles.
• Use a wide aperture (f/1.4–f/2.8) and a moderate focal length (35–85mm).
• Handheld is fine if your shutter speed is fast enough; raise ISO as needed.

For subject + city bokeh:

• Place a person or object a few feet in front of you.
• Let the city lights sit far behind them.
• Focus on your subject; let the background lights fall out of focus.

These examples of bokeh effect in photography show how you can use busy, cluttered city scenes and turn them into soft, colorful backgrounds that don’t compete with your subject.

More real examples using city bokeh

You can get creative with props and angles:

• Silhouette with bokeh background: Expose for the bright background and let your subject fall into silhouette, surrounded by circles of light.
• Through-the-window bokeh: Shoot a subject inside a café, with the street lights outside forming bokeh behind them through the glass.
• Rainy window bokeh: Focus on raindrops on a window. The city lights behind the glass become smeared, glowing bokeh shapes, adding mood and storytelling.

Urban scenes are constantly changing, which makes them great for building a collection of real examples of bokeh effect in photography over time.

Example 3: Close-Up and Near-Macro – Bokeh as a Backdrop for Tiny Subjects

The third of our main examples of bokeh effect in photography: 3 practical examples wouldn’t be complete without close-up work. You don’t need a true macro lens to get beautiful bokeh behind small subjects.

Think of a single flower, a cup of coffee on a table, or a ring at a wedding. When you get physically close and open your aperture, the background melts away into color and tone. That blur helps tiny details stand out and feel important.

How to shoot this close-up bokeh example

You can try this with a 50mm lens, a macro lens, or even a telephoto zoom:

• Get close: Move physically closer to your subject while still being able to focus.
• Separate subject and background: Position your subject several feet in front of any background elements.
• Use a wide aperture: f/2.8 or wider is ideal; even f/4 can work on longer lenses.
• Watch the background colors: Bokeh doesn’t have to be lights. It can be soft washes of green from grass, warm tones from wood, or pastel colors from distant flowers.

This is a subtle example of bokeh effect in photography, but one you’ll use constantly in product, food, and detail photography.

Real-world variations of close-up bokeh

Here are a few everyday scenes that make great examples:

• Engagement ring on a textured surface: Focus on the diamond, let fairy lights or candles in the background blur into warm bokeh.
• Latte art in a café: Focus on the foam pattern, let the rest of the café become a soft, cozy blur.
• Spring flower in a garden: Focus on one bloom, let the rest of the garden turn into a pastel bokeh wash.

These are small, intimate examples of bokeh effect in photography, but clients and viewers love them because they feel cinematic and intentional.

Beyond the Big Three: More Real Examples of Bokeh Effect in Photography

The title promises examples of bokeh effect in photography: 3 practical examples, but once you understand those three, you can spin off endless variations. Here are a few more situations where bokeh really shines:

Concerts and live events

Stage lights and spotlights are perfect sources of bokeh. Focus on the performer, and let the background lights blur into colorful halos. This works especially well with long lenses like 70–200mm at f/2.8.

Sports and action

Telephoto lenses used at wide apertures (f/2.8–f/4) can blur crowds and backgrounds into soft color, making the athlete stand out. The circles from stadium lights are another example of bokeh effect in photography that most people don’t realize they’re seeing.

Everyday street photography

Even in daylight, you can use bokeh to simplify chaos. Focus on one person or object, and let pedestrians, cars, and signage fade into a soft, non-distracting background.

Nature and wildlife

A bird on a branch with a distant forest behind it, shot with a long lens at f/4, often produces gorgeous bokeh. Sunlit patches between leaves become little bokeh highlights.

These are all real examples that build on the same foundation: wide aperture, distance between subject and background, and careful focus.

How to Control Bokeh: The Three Big Variables You Actually Need

So far we’ve focused on examples, not theory. But to repeat these examples of bokeh effect in photography whenever you want, you only need to remember three variables.

1. Aperture

Wider apertures (smaller f-number like f/1.4, f/1.8, f/2.8) give more blur and stronger bokeh. Narrower apertures (larger f-number like f/8, f/11) reduce blur and make the background more recognizable.

2. Distance

There are two distances that matter:

• Distance between you and your subject
• Distance between your subject and the background

Get closer to your subject and push the background farther away, and you’ll see a stronger bokeh effect, even with slower lenses.

3. Focal length

Longer lenses (85mm, 135mm, 200mm) compress the scene and enhance background blur. That’s why many of the best examples of bokeh effect in photography are shot with portrait or telephoto lenses.

For deeper reading on optical principles like aperture and focal length, photography departments at universities such as MIT and Harvard often publish accessible resources on light and optics.

Bokeh Trends in 2024–2025: What Photographers Are Doing Now

Bokeh hasn’t gone out of style; it’s just evolving.

• Smartphone portrait modes: Modern phones simulate shallow depth of field using software. While it’s not optical bokeh in the strict sense, it’s pushing more people to look for that background blur look. Many camera makers now market lenses specifically around their bokeh quality.
• Vintage and character lenses: More photographers are hunting for older lenses with interesting bokeh “flaws” – swirly backgrounds, cat-eye highlights, or soap-bubble circles – to stand out from the ultra-clinical look of modern glass.
• Video and content creation: With short-form video booming on platforms like YouTube and TikTok, creators are using wide-aperture lenses to get that creamy bokeh behind talking-head videos. The same principles you use in still photography apply directly to video.

If you’re curious about how our eyes perceive blur and focus, organizations like the National Eye Institute provide background on human vision that can help you understand why bokeh feels so pleasing.

FAQ: Real Examples of Bokeh Effect in Photography

What is a simple real-world example of bokeh effect in photography?

A very simple example of bokeh effect in photography is a portrait in front of holiday string lights. Focus on the person’s eyes with a wide aperture, and the lights behind them will turn into soft, glowing circles.

Do I need an expensive lens to get good bokeh?

No. Fast prime lenses (like a 50mm f/1.8) are relatively affordable and produce very nice bokeh. Even kit lenses can create background blur if you zoom in, open to the widest aperture, and keep your subject far from the background.

Are there examples of bokeh effect in photography without lights in the background?

Yes. Bokeh doesn’t require visible light sources. A single flower in focus with a smooth green blur of grass behind it is another example of bokeh effect in photography. The background doesn’t have to be circles; it can be soft color and tone.

What are some of the best examples of bokeh in everyday life?

Some of the best examples include portraits in cafés with blurred backgrounds, city streets at night with car headlights turned into orbs, engagement rings with candlelight bokeh behind them, and kids playing in a park with trees turned into a soft green wash.

Is smartphone portrait mode real bokeh?

Optically, no – it’s simulated using depth maps and software blur. But visually, it mimics many examples of bokeh effect in photography created with traditional cameras. It’s a great way to learn how background blur changes a photo, even if the underlying process is different.

For more background on how cameras and optics interact with vision and perception, educational institutions like Stanford University and government-backed resources such as USA.gov can point you to reliable learning materials.

If you remember nothing else, remember this: every time you see a sharp subject popping off a soft, dreamy background, you’re looking at a living, breathing example of bokeh effect in photography. Take the 3 practical examples here—portraits with lights, city nights, and close-up details—and go recreate them. Once you’ve nailed those, you’ll start spotting bokeh opportunities everywhere you look.