Best Apps for Creating Bokeh Effects on Phones

 

Photography is an art that lets us write with light and to take a picture of something simply means to capture light at a given moment in time. The Bokeh effect, however, is created by the combination of light and the properties of a lens. Although Bokeh is actually just a blur, creating this effect with a Smartphone camera requires skill, patience, and preparation. On the other hand, both Android phones and iPhones provide support for a large number of apps, that enable Smartphone photographers to create Bokeh effects effortlessly.

In this article, we are going to explore some of the best apps for creating Bokeh effects on your photos, but we will also show you how you can produce the effect on the pictures you take with your Smartphone.

How to Capture Bokeh Effects with a Camera on Your Phone

Most cameras on Smartphones have an incredible depth of field which allows them to capture crispy sharp images. Furthermore, most phone cameras don't allow you set the focus manually, which basically means that most Smartphone photographers must rely on AutoFocus. However, devices such as the Samsung Galaxy Note 8, Lenovo K8 Note or iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 enable its owners to enjoy the benefits of the shallow depth of field and let them choose the focus area of their photos manually.

Each of the Smartphones we just mentioned features a dual camera setup which improves the device's ability to capture images with a shallow depth of field. For example, iPhone 7 owners can easily create the Bokeh effect, because the Camera app on the device features a mode that adds depth to photos.

As a matter of fact, taking a photo with a blurry background isn't so much different than taking any other picture with an iPhone 7, because all you need to do is open the Portrait mode in the Camera app, and snap a picture. The phone will save two versions of the photo, so you can compare the image with and without Bokeh.

The background blur you can create with built-in features on any Smartphone is rudimentary, which is the reason why camera apps that offer Bokeh effects are a better option even if you have a Smartphone with a dual camera setup. If you don't have a device that lets you create the Bokeh effect with its camera you should consider using some of the apps featured below.

7 Best Apps for Creating Bokeh Effects on Photos

The apps we included on this list will enable you to add blur to your photos or create a shallow depth of field, thus creating a smooth Bokeh effect, that highlights the subject of your picture.

1. AfterFocus

Price: Free

Availability: Android , iOS

Post-processing your photos with AfterFocus is a simple, and yet a creative process that will enable you to blur the background of an image. Selecting the focus area on a photo can be accomplished within seconds, and the app also provides a plethora of background blur effects that allow you to emphasize the subjects of your photos or even add motion blur. The Bokeh effect is also on the long list of features AfterFocus offers, which means that you can add colorful spots of light to the background of your photos effortlessly. The app lets you share your photos on all of the most popular social media networks.

2. Bokeh Lens

Price: $0,99

Availability: iOS

If you are looking for an app that will allow you to have fun while creating incredibly realistic Bokeh effects, then downloading the Bokeh Lens is one of the best choices you can make. Even though you can't take photos with this app, its selection tool will provide you with a remarkable level of precision. A magnifying glass enables the app's users to precisely define the focus area and thus create photos that look like they were taken with a professional photo camera. Bokeh Lens is a remarkable tool that lets you create nearly perfect Bokeh effects, but it lacks any other photo editing options.

3. Real Bokeh Light Effects

Price: $0,94

Availability: Android, iOS

Besides offering more than thirty different Bokeh shapes, this app also features 33 lens flare effects that can be used to create photos filled with light. Each Bokeh shape can be optimized by changing the color or opacity and in addition, the app's users can draw their own Boheh shapes. Tiny, Small, Medium, Large and Mixed preset Bokeh sizes are available, so you can decide which size you are going to use in each photo you edit with this app. The app also lets you remove any unwanted effects, while you can also save your images in full resolution and share them on Instagram, Facebook or anywhere else.

4. Bokeh Simulator

Price: Free

Availability: Android

Unlike most apps, that provide preset Bokeh effects, the Bokeh Simulator mimics the experience of creating a Bokeh effect with a real camera. The app calculates the camera's depth of field and creates the background blur based on the aperture, lens and camera values. Furthermore, you can use options such as a sensor, optical converter or the distance of the model to create your own custom-made Bokeh effects. All adjustments are displayed in the preview, which allows you to see how the image will look like before you save it. The app also offers guides that can assist inexperienced photographers to learn how to use the Bokeh Simulator.

5. Insta Bokeh

Price: Free

Availability: iOS, Android

The Insta Bokeh app offers numerous Bokeh effects, but the app also features a camera with four different modes. Romantic Sky, Tender Night or Dream World camera functions enable you to choose your favorite Bokeh effect and blend it into your shot before you take the photo. Insta Bokeh lets you adjust the opacity of the effects you choose to apply to your pictures and also allows you to drag, rotate or drop Bokeh effects on your photos. Despite many advantages the app provides, it lacks even the basic photo editing tools, which means that you must use more than just one app to edit your photos.

6. Bokeh Photo Editor

Price: Free

Availability: iOS

iPhone owners in need of an app specialized for creating amazing Bokeh effects can hardly make a mistake by choosing to install the Bokeh Photo Editor. All effects the app provides can be added with a single tap and the free version of the app contains 60 different effects. Furthermore, changing the opacity or brightness of Bokeh effects you apply to pictures can be easily changed. The Premium versions of the app can be purchased for $2,99, and it contains over 200 effects that can be used to increase the quality of the pictures you want to share on your social media accounts.

7. Tadaa SLR

Price: $3,99

Availability: iOS

Creating the Bokeh effect with Tadaa SLR app requires a little bit of time, but the results you will be able to achieve will make the effort worthwhile. In order to define the areas you want to keep in focus, you must first enable the Mask and Edges features and then use your finger to paint over these areas. Once you've selected the focus area, head over to the Blur and Bokeh tab where you can experiment with Range or Aperture sliders if you want to achieve the best effect. Despite being incredibly fun to use, Tadaa SLR has its limitations.

Besides bokeh effects, you can add more effects, such as black and white, vignette , double exposures to your photos with some photo editors on your computer. If you want to add these effects with little efforts, you can try Wondershare Fotophire. There are more than 200 photo effects preset in the Photo Editor tool. Beside the photo effects, you can also remove the unwanted objects from your image , split the background and foreground and change the image background .