[Peanut]

This week's challenge is BOKEH, an effect that I love and have been having some fun with lately! Here's some stunning examples of bokeh:

100 Beautiful Examples of Bokeh

As this week's challenge runs through to Christmas Eve which is when my family's biggest celebration is, I thought I'd choose the winner on Sunday evening if that is okay with everyone?

I look forward to seeing your entries!

The rules:
One photo per person which has been taken this week (starting TUESDAY). Everyone is welcome to join in. Competition will start Tuesday with submissions ending SUNDAY 23RD.

If you wish, please note your rating after your image:
Rating 1 Beginner (just got my camera)
Rating 2 Amateur (learning about settings)
Rating 3 Hobbyist (have a good grasp of the theory)
Rating 4 Semi Pro (improved well beyond when I started)
Rating 5 Pro/serious hobbyist (I'm well experienced and have been doing this for quite a while)

All images must be up by next SUNDAY at (9pm EDST, 8pm EST, 7.30pm CST, 6pm WST) for inclusion.

Remember the EB rules state images within posts must be smaller than 500 (wide) x 470 (high) pixels and 100kb.

Challenge history for the winner:

Christmas - Peanut
Food - rbat
Portrait - elle-M
Macro/close up - ILBB
Rule of Thirds - mummy26
Vanishing point - rbat
Patterns in nature - Jupiter123
Fun - Silverwattle
Seven - mummy26
Texture - ILBB
At Home - elle-M
Nostalgia - rbat
Reflection - Bryden
Half - Nut
Spring - millie71
Antique - elle-M
Tells a story - Ev
Postcard - raven74
Favourite things - winkwink
Long exposure - rbat
Wings - silverwattle
Sweet - rbat
Light - Skepticaemia
Wild - Mecurial
Moody - BeagleBoy
In the eye of the beholder - cat
Symmetry - JamieLee85
Serenity - winkwink
Out Of Place - Peanut
Water Drop Shot - blue4me
One - Raven74
Black & White Portrait - rbat
Red - Luckyseven
Suggestive - Abbygirl
Mostly Black/Mostly white - PrincessPinkenIt
Autumn - Superman+4Sisters
Capturing Action - Peanut
Black and white perspective - Abbygirl
Shadows - winkwink
Props - Jalex
Numbers - apocketfull
Circle - mummy26
Coke - rbat
Abstract - mummy26

This post has been edited by Peanut: 17/12/2012, 08:21 PM

[~Kee~In~Hawaii~]

Awesome, so glad this is the challenge Peanut, since you put your Christmas bokeh shots up I have been playing around trying to capture it for the fun of it and now I can do it for a reason (other than messing around). Playing with Christmas lights has almost put me in the Christmas spirit a little

[Peanut]

I'm glad its helped bring in a little Christmas spirit my friend, you deserve some happiness!

[mummy26]

Changed entry below

This post has been edited by mummy26: 22/12/2012, 01:34 AM

[mummy26]

OK, I can't edit my post for some stupid reason and I'm changing my entry to this one

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28286225@N02/.../in/photostream

(Will edit the above post when it finally allows me to)

[rbat]

Looks like we have a Christmas theme yet again


Merry Christmas by rbat75, on Flickr

[Peanut]

Here's mine, admittedly not the greatest and a total rush job but its a busy week! I'll be back this evening (not Monday as usual) to judge the winner, should be an easy one this time LOL!


Rocky Road!

This post has been edited by Peanut: 23/12/2012, 12:07 PM

[tickly_rain]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tickly_rain/8...tream/lightbox/

I took a few, but the two better ones were a bauble or shortbread so nothing original sorry!

This isn't great, a bit noisy but I didn't really read the cut off time / day so have run out of time! Oops!

Merry Christmas everyone!

[~Kee~In~Hawaii~]

Only just noticed the cut off time too ... oops! This is one of the first shots I took - never even attempted this before but have had fun messing about. I had planned on taking more this morning but I got my Christmas present from DH early - a 12ft inflatable pool (we are planning on building a house with a full inground pool at some point so I've been waiting patiently) so today has been taken up with setting it all out and filling it up. Now it's time to swim!

This is my clay model Santa, he's such a cutie and it's nice to have him out this year to cheer me up a little.

Santa Bokeh

[Peanut]

Thanks for coming up with an entry ladies, despite this being a VERY busy week!

Mummy26, another high calibre image from you. I'm fascintated by the different sizes of the bokeh and how some of the larger ones appear almost as if they have an oily surface, which I presume is just smaller glitter? How on earth did you do that?

Rbat, throw some words on top and you have a perfect christmas card right there! Beautiful composition, silvery colour and glittery bokeh!

Tickly_rain, is that a bauble made by little hands? Its so cute and they are my favourite ones of all (my tree is quite literally groaning under our handmade decorations)! Nice bright bokeh to offset the bauble!

~Kee~In~Hawaii~, lovely DOF and bokeh in your photo and a good use of the rule of thirds too! I hope that you have a nice Christmas despite your recent loss.

With no further ado, this weeks winner is Mummy26 with her tight control on the DOF and unusual bokeh!

I hope that you all have a lovely Christmas my fellow photography fanatics!