Sofia, our host for this challenge, writes: “The term bokeh was first used to distinguish normal motion blur from the blur obtained when things are out of focus. It literally means blur in Japanese. The Nikon website, after a more complex and technical explanation reduces it to simply this: ‘bokeh is the pleasing or aesthetic quality of out-of-focus blur in a photograph’.” The picture above is of a very young fern, its leaves all rolled up. The soft focus background draws attention to the inward curl, like tiny arms hugging its own precious new life.
I like how the background blur in this closeup of a dewdrop on some beard lichen reminds me of neuron pathways in the brain. (I do wish the drop were in sharper focus, though.) The bokeh background feels very Zen-like to me. It’s what happens when you are calmly mindful of the thing right in front of you, while the background fades into a peaceful blur. Here’s a gallery of my nature close-ups with bokeh backgrounds:
scillagrace 
Simply wonderful. The grass curve one really caught my eye, unique.
Thanks, Sofia! Great theme. 🙂
Beautiful gallery, Priscilla. I especially love the caterpillar on the leaf. Great examples of bokeh.
Thanks, Patti!
Loved your gallery Priscilla – the caterpillar is my favorite as well.
Thanks, Tina. Yeah, the monarch caterpillar was an exciting discovery … he was hidden very well. 🙂
Oh my gosh Priscilla what amazing examples you’ve shared with us today. My favorite is the frog. Is that a web coming out of the spider’s mouth??
Thanks, Anne. Yes, that’s part of the spider’s web. In the original shot, there’s an insect wrapped up for lunch off to the left.
Great catch!
All gorgeous examples, so much so that I can’t pick a favorite. 🙂
janet
Thanks, Janet!
Fantastic photos, but that frog is a favourite
Thanks! Yeah, he’s pretty special. He was quite well hidden.
Fantastic examples of both macro photography & bokeh 😃
Thanks, Jez! Maybe technically it’s just close-up photography because I don’t have a macro lens?
Beautiful! I like that last one in particular.
That last one is a budding Mayapple. It looks a bit like a wrapped up vampire to me! Thanks for visiting this post.
Beautiful pictures Priscilla!
Thanks, Sylvia!