[Leica] Re: Bokeh controversy

["David Kieltyka" <daverk@email.msn.com>]

From: Henry Ambrose <henryambrose@home.com> wrote:

> This is the only reason OOF areas (bokeh) matter. Positive
> & negative, yin & yang, this & that - something to show
> that some other area of the picture is sharp. If the
> content of the picture is good it'll be a good picture, if
> it's not it won't.
>
> Little circular donuts or harsh double lines won't detract
> from a good photo. Let's get right to the chase - you PREFER
> some look over another and now you have time on your hands
> to contemplate each lens. Guess what - - they all have bokeh
> and you have little control over it.
>
> Read Merklinger's article on it and learn lots about why it
> works the way it does.
>
> Then give up!
> And make pictures.
>
> :^)

That about covers it, I'd say. As much as I like to yak about bokeh, usually
in direct proportion to the degree of annoyance I detect from other people
when the topic is broached <g>, when I've got a camera to my eye it's rarely
among the things I'm thinking about. If the subject of the photo stands out
then the out-of-focus areas are doing their job. (DOF is something I'm
definitely thinking about.) If the out-of-focus areas are *meant* to draw
attention...well, I'll let someone else build their career around blur. I'm
just a happy snapper with the occasional artistic yen. :-)

- -Dave-