Kathy Libby Photography
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Bokeh

5/29/2020

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Picture
When I first started out in photography, I thought one of the objectives was to get everything in focus and sharp. Then, I learned of a term called “bokeh”. Basically, bokeh is an artistic rendering of an image where part of the picture is blurred. It allows you to focus on the subject. When I learned how to do this, I immediately fell in love with the resulting pictures.

This photo of a rose bud was, recently, taken on the grounds of the Hereford Inlet Lighthouse. I decided to use a wide aperture (f/1.8) on my camera to take this image. I wanted, as much as possible, to focus JUST on the rose buds. I wanted the leaves to fade away and for the resulting image to have a dream-like quality to it. I wanted the image to be soft.
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For me, this image works this way. It is the opposite of what I do, most of the time, with my landscape images. For them, I 
​usually want as much in focus and sharp as possible. Thus, I use a higher aperture for landscapes. It’s a creative choice.

​Tell me, in the comments, what you think of “bokeh.” Does this image work for you? Do you like the blurry look around the rosebuds, or would you have liked to have seen everything in focus?

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Enjoying Nature

5/14/2020

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This image was taken on a trip to Ricketts Glen State Park, PA. One of the benefits of taking pictures of landscapes is getting out in nature. Ricketts Glen was my first real hiking trip and boy, I was not prepared for how strenuous I would find the trek! I am not in shape, and this trip proved it to me. LOL

The State Park boasts 22 named 
waterfalls. See, that’s what attracted me to the location. I love waterfalls and thought this would be a perfect location to practice my photography. So, I loaded up my gear and headed on the hike. My only other hiking experience was during a recent trip to Acadia National Park. I was able to handle a trail that was labeled a “moderate” trail. That being the case, I figured, if I took my time and was careful, I should be able to handle Ricketts Glen State Park! HA!

I was in over my head. See, something that I didn’t consider was that I found the first part of the trail to be easy. That was because it was all downhill. Lol You know the saying, “what goes up must come down?” Well, the opposite was true. What goes down must go back up! Steps were made from some big, WET (slippery) boulders. One after another. The full loop was over 7 miles. Down and Up!!

The waterfalls were beautiful, but by the end of the trail, I didn’t care at all about the falls. I wasn’t taking pictures. I just wanted it to be over! Lol

As I said, in the beginning of this, one of the benefits of taking landscape pictures is getting out in nature. You also get to experience new locations. I love every adventure I’ve been on—including Ricketts Glen State Park! I would like to return there someday—just not soon. Lol 

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