# Black&White Challenge: As much BOKEH as possible!



## gk fotografie

Welcome!

This summer there will be a total of 3 special summer editions of the Black&White Challenge, each lasting approximately one month instead of 14 days.

This challenge is a fun thing, no competition, no prizes, but all about learning to 'see, think and create' in black and white, not just randomly converting color photos. Every digital photographer and film photographer can participate with as many photos as desired during each challenge.


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## Photo Lady




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## jcdeboever




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## jcdeboever




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## jcdeboever




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## zulu42




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## Photo Lady

Photo Lady said:


> View attachment 192731 View attachment 192732


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## Photo Lady




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## smoke665

Fooling around with the old Legacy Asahi Takumar 135mm F2.5. The wind was blowing a little to much, and the light wasn't right to capture the beautiful balls this thing can create, but still always amazes me at the creamy quality of the OOF areas, both behind and in front of the focal plane.


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## jcdeboever

smoke665 said:


> Fooling around with the old Legacy Asahi Takumar 135mm F2.5. The wind was blowing a little to much, and the light wasn't right to capture the beautiful balls this thing can create, but still always amazes me at the creamy quality of the OOF areas, both behind and in front of the focal plane.
> View attachment 192764
> View attachment 192765



Nice, I'll have to break out my XT2 and the Tiar 135 2.8


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## smoke665

jcdeboever said:


> Nice, I'll have to break out my XT2 and the Tiar 135 2.8



Go for it!!!!! The nice thing about the old manual lenses without focus or contacts for camera settings, is that it really makes you slow down and think through the shot.

JC those two little beauties you posted are great!!! They just look like they could/would be a handful (Sugar & double helping of Spice, & everything nice). LOL


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## smithdan

Like smoke sez, this challenge is a great excuse to rummage around in the lens drawer.  Takumar 135's maybe later,  for starters Comrade Z's helios 44-2 on front of a Hanimex doubler.  Weird how the aberrations appear to wrap around the edge of the stained glass window hanging.


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## smoke665

@smithdan that is one crazy Bokeh!


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## jcdeboever




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## jcdeboever




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## zulu42




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## zulu42




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## Tropicalmemories

To go for the max bokeh bonanza I used a wide aperture portrait lens focused as close as possible on a Venetian blind, with building lights in the distance.


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## Photo Lady




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## smithdan




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## Photo Lady




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## charlie76

My new 14mm Nikon lens has the most ridiculously shallow DOF I've ever seen...so here is some serious "bokah" (or whatever it's called).  My girls found some fish guts at the river last weekend and the D850 totally nailed the focus.


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## otherprof

zulu42 said:


> View attachment 192751


That is an interesting use of bokeh in composition!


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## zulu42

otherprof said:


> zulu42 said:
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> View attachment 192751
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> That is an interesting use of bokeh in composition!
Click to expand...


Thank you. That's what is so great about these challenges: so many experimental images being created that would have never been...
It doesn't have to be a great image today. The experience expands technique and it will help down the road.


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## jcdeboever




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## Soocom1




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## photoflyer

So this was shot at max aperture of f 8.  But, it was taken from about 3 meters away with a 400mm + 1.4 TC on a 1.6 crop.

This the foreground:





And this is the background, 30 meters away:





Thank goodness for bokeh.


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## zombiesniper

Red Winged Black Bird Male by Trevor Baldwin, on Flickr


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## smithdan

..last one from the Helios/2x setup


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## Soocom1




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## Photo Lady




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## jcdeboever




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## Photo Lady




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## Photo Lady

these are fun to practice


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## Soocom1

Photo Lady said:


> View attachment 192968


Happy happy happy.....


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## Photo Lady

Soocom1 said:


> Photo Lady said:
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> View attachment 192968
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> Happy happy happy.....
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yes thank you. he is 11 yrs old and always happy...


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## zulu42




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## Photo Lady




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## jcdeboever




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## jcdeboever




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## acparsons

The Watcher



DSC_4819 by Machiavelliar, on Flickr

Lady Jane



DSC_4875 by Machiavelliar, on Flickr

Eye of the Hookah



DSC_4882 by Machiavelliar, on Flickr


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## smithdan




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## jcdeboever




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## jcdeboever




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## sleist




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## Photo Lady




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## Photo Lady




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## smithdan




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## sleist




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## Photo Lady




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## mjcmt

Shot with a Fuji X100T fixed lens camera. The lens is a 35mm equivalent lens in 35mm film, so I had to focus as close as possible wide open to get as much bokeh on these backyard Ironweed flowers.


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## Photo Lady




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## smithdan




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## SquarePeg

_CAT4215 by SharonCat..., on Flickr


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## zulu42

^


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## Photo Lady




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## zulu42




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## zulu42




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## smithdan

Two more to finish the "lens of the week", the SMC Takumar 135 f2.5.


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## johngpt

opening creeper blossom

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## johngpt

I noticed the start date for this fortnight theme began 07 June. Here's one from the 8th when I was able to get back to the newly reopened botanic garden.




crumbling rose at the botanic garden 08Jun20.

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## gk fotografie

johngpt said:


> I noticed the start date for this fortnight theme began 07 June. Here's one from the 8th when I was able to get back to the newly reopened botanic garden.
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> crumbling rose at the botanic garden 08Jun20.
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This challenge lasts even a fortnite *x 2 *so, until July 4th!  No worries, you still have enough time to catch up with all other participants...

Gerard


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## johngpt

berries and bokeh

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## Photo Lady




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## jcdeboever




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## jcdeboever




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## jcdeboever




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## johngpt

yellow bird of paradise, morning walk

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## Photo Lady




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## zulu42




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## zulu42




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## jcdeboever




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## Photo Lady




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## johngpt

Photo Lady said:


> View attachment 193386


So often we tend to think of bokeh as the rounded specular highlights, but it can be any blur that is 'pleasing.'
I like this smooth, creamy and pleasing background blur Elizabeth.


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## jcdeboever




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## Photo Lady

johngpt said:


> Photo Lady said:
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> View attachment 193386
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> So often we tend to think of bokeh as the rounded specular highlights, but it can be any blur that is 'pleasing.'
> I like this smooth, creamy and pleasing background blur Elizabeth.
Click to expand...

YES I like that type of bokeh the best of all.. but just trying different things.. thank you so much John..


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## mjcmt

Turntable cartridge


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## zulu42

^great subject! Neat shot


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## johngpt

wildflowers near the park

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## Photo Lady




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## johngpt

Oo, sparkles!


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## Tropicalmemories

johngpt said:


> wildflowers near the park
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Your Helios  creates some crazy bokeh!


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## zulu42




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## gk fotografie

(Fuji X-E1 + Tamron f/8 - 500mm mirrow lens)

View attachment 193514


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## gk fotografie

(Fuji x-E1 + Tamron f/8 - 500mm mirror lens)

View attachment 193515


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## gk fotografie

(Fuji X-E1 + Tamron f/8 - 500mm mirror lens)

View attachment 193516


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## jcdeboever




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## gk fotografie

(Fuji X-E1 + Tamron f/8 - 500mm mirror lens)

View attachment 193550


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## Photo Lady




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## jcdeboever




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## SquarePeg

johngpt said:


> yellow bird of paradise, morning walk
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Love this!  Please post it in color on another thread.


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## johngpt

SquarePeg said:


> johngpt said:
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> yellow bird of paradise, morning walk
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> Love this!  Please post it in color on another thread.
Click to expand...

That's so nice of you!
Is there somewhere in particular that would be best?


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## SquarePeg

johngpt said:


> SquarePeg said:
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> johngpt said:
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> yellow bird of paradise, morning walk
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> Love this!  Please post it in color on another thread.
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> Click to expand...
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> That's so nice of you!
> Is there somewhere in particular that would be best?
Click to expand...


You could start a thread or check in the Themes forum.  I’m pretty sure there’s a bokeh thread and probably a few others that are applicable.


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## SquarePeg

jcdeboever said:


> View attachment 193556



Very cool photo


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## Mike Drone

I want to participate in this challenge but I only have one roll of film exposed and I need to shoot another roll of film because I like to make full use of the Patterson tank and chemicals.  Maybe Ill shoot a roll tonight, definitely by tomorrow. Nice photos everyone!


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## jcdeboever

SquarePeg said:


> jcdeboever said:
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> View attachment 193556
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> Very cool photo
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Thanks. It was intended.  I was trying for a couple hours while drinking my morning coffee.


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## SquarePeg

_CAT4391 by SharonCat..., on Flickr


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## zulu42




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## zulu42




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## Photo Lady




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## johngpt

desert willow

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## Photo Lady




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## gk fotografie

View attachment 193703


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## Photo Lady




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## gk fotografie

View attachment 193781


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## zulu42




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## zulu42




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## SquarePeg

zulu42 said:


> View attachment 193809



Love the creativity!  You don’t see moon with bokeh very often.


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## zulu42




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## johngpt

zulu42 said:


> View attachment 193843


Fine work zulu!


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## johngpt

botanic garden flower 08Jun20

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## Mike Drone




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## jcdeboever




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## gk fotografie

View attachment 193867


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## JBPhotog

Nikkor 105mm F1.4E, 40 shot Bokeh pano.


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## zulu42




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## zulu42




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## jcdeboever




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## jcdeboever




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## zulu42

Slipping in a final shot for this challenge from 7/4. Another inspirational challenge. Thank you @gk fotografie


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## Photo Lady




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## Space Face

Took this a wee while back when I was playing about with a new 50mm f/1.4 I got.


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## Photo Lady

Little Baby Baltimore Oriole

 can you find him within the Bokeh ? I cannot believe I did..lol


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## Photo Lady

Black Berries on the vine.. waiting to ripen..


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## Photo Lady

I really love B

 lack & White so sorry for all the postings..

 I really love Black & white..so  sorry for my additional postings..


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## Photo Lady




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