This didn't work out quite the way I wanted, but I'll keep trying. I was hoping for more butterfly shaped bokeh. I spent a couple of hours checking out YouTube clips and trying different shapes and settings. I'm having trouble getting the lighting and focus right and would appreciate any tips and feedback.
That would certainly seem a brave attempt! I wouldn't know where to begin getting "shapes" other that adding a "bokeh brush" to my Photoshop assortment and "painting them in"!
This is an adorable shot, Merrelyn! I've tried making my own custom bokeh shapes using black construction paper and it was a disaster. I couldn't get the shapes to look anything like what I wanted so I decided I would purchase a bokeh shapes kit and then try again. Concerning tips on lighting and focus, I'm not sure how much help it will be to you but for bokeh shots like this I always use my macro lens and usually with an aperture of f/2.8. For lighting I usually use two light stands and depending on the subject, soft umbrella reflectors. :-)
@gaylewood Thanks Gayle, I used paper a paper punch for my shapes. For this one I put the cut out behind my UV filter. I tried again this morning with my macro lens and construction paper tube and was happier with the result, still trying to decide if I'll upload it. I haven't bought any lighting gear as yet, so I'm making do with torches and lamps.
@merrelyn Maybe before I buy the bokeh shapes kit I'll try a paper punch for the shapes. I cut them out by hand with an exacto knife and as I said, it was a disaster. It always looks so easy in the tutorials. :-)
Since you mentioned torches...yes, I sometimes also use a flashlight to provide extra light. It's always funny to me how my photo setups usually start out simple but by the time I'm finished I've been through so many different lighting arrangements, different subjects, and crazy ways of holding things up or propping things up. If I end up with a photo I like, it's all worth it but it sure is frustrating to spend hours on a particular shot I have in mind and for one reason or another, it never quite works right. Then I just remind myself the reason I'm doing this project is to continue learning as much as I can about photography. :-)
Since you mentioned torches...yes, I sometimes also use a flashlight to provide extra light. It's always funny to me how my photo setups usually start out simple but by the time I'm finished I've been through so many different lighting arrangements, different subjects, and crazy ways of holding things up or propping things up. If I end up with a photo I like, it's all worth it but it sure is frustrating to spend hours on a particular shot I have in mind and for one reason or another, it never quite works right. Then I just remind myself the reason I'm doing this project is to continue learning as much as I can about photography. :-)