How to Create a Bokeh Effect

The “Bokeh effect” refers to the quality of the blurring in the out-of-focus portion of a photograph – for example, when a streetlight in the background just looks like a fuzzy white ball. The name comes from the Japanese “Boke”, which means blur or haze. Technically, Bokeh occurs every time the background of a photo is blurry, but people usually distinguish between “good Bokeh” which is soft, round, and pleasing to the eye, and “bad Bokeh” – which is just blur.

It can be tricky to achieve this look using your camera, so this video tutorial will show you how to create a Bokeh effect on a regular photo using PaintShop Pro.

Check out our Bokeh Picture Tubes for PaintShop Pro! This collection includes 18 different color shades to choose from and they are simple to use – click once to add a single bokeh element; or click and drag to add multiple elements. If you want to give them a try, download this free sample of a white and a grey Bokeh picture tube.