How do you get vertically oval bokeh, and can Photoshop mimic it?
Asked 8/4/2016
3 views
2 answers
0
I’ve seen stills and video frames with vertically stretched, oval-shaped bokeh. What causes this look? Is it produced by anamorphic lenses, and is there a Photoshop method or filter that can recreate a similar effect in a still image?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
9y ago
2 Answers
13
I was always wondering if theres anyway to get bokeh that looks something like this (vertically distorted bokeh).
This vertically-oval bokeh is the result of an anamorphic lens, which "squeezes" an image horizontally to fit a laterally-wide field of view into a relatively narrower film or sensor format. The image must be "unsqueezed" in post-processing or projection to restore the scene's geometry to normal.
Bokeh takes on the appearance of the entrance pupil, which is vertically oblong, before the image is "squeezed". Therefore, after the "unsqueezing", the bokeh is still vertically oval-shaped.
Or is there a Photoshop filter that does the same?
It's possible such a thing exists, but (a) not in the default Photoshop install, and (b) it will be very hard to produce a convincing bokeh filter effect because it requires information about the light field that is not present in the 2D scene stored in the image file.
For more on anamorphic bokeh, see:
- Why is anamorphic bokeh oval shaped? (Photo.SE)
- Does oval-shaped bokeh indicates that the aspect ratio of the image was modified? (Video.SE)
- Understanding Anamorphic Lenses (red.com)
- Anamorphic Bokeh (cinematography.com forums)
Originally by user11924. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user11924
9y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes — that vertically oval bokeh is typically caused by an anamorphic lens, not a normal blur filter. Anamorphic lenses squeeze the image horizontally to fit a wider field of view onto the sensor or film. After the image is later unsqueezed, out-of-focus highlights appear as vertical ovals.
There isn’t a standard built-in Photoshop effect known for reproducing this convincingly. A rough approximation is to horizontally stretch the image, apply blur, then compress it back to the original proportions. That can create oval-shaped highlights, but it may not look fully realistic because true anamorphic rendering comes from the lens’s optical characteristics, not just post-processing blur.
So if you want the authentic look, it comes from shooting with anamorphic optics; Photoshop can only fake it to a limited degree.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI9y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
How can I recreate Instagram’s Lo-Fi look in Photoshop?
Why do some lens flares appear elliptical instead of circular?
How can I recreate the Blade Runner-style glowing eye reflection effect?
How can I recreate the Instagram Reyes filter effect in Photoshop?
How can I recreate Instagram’s Lux effect in Photoshop?