Struggling with this. My challenge was to create an image with shaped bokeh. I can just about manage bokeh, but shapes. Arg!
I put a piece of paper in front of the lens with a little flower cut out. In de background fairy lights. I focused on the vase, hoping to create a flower bokeh. First my camera couldn't focus, it kept searching. Then I switched it to manual focus, but then it didn't create a bokeh. I cut a bigger flower, a smaller one, nothing worked. Nope. Nada. Not today. So here is today's picture, a bokeh, that should have been a flower bokeh.
I like this effect even if it's not what you're after. Don't know if this will help or not, but I'm taking an online class called Capture the Holidays. (CY365.com) The first lesson is Capture Lights. This was a tip by the instructor May be it will help.
How To Photograph Shaped Light Bokeh
Posted by Katrina Kennedy on Dec 7, 2011 in Blog, DecemberDaily, Photography | 6 comments
Do you love photographing the lights of Christmas?
The blurred look in the background of a photo is called bokeh. Adding twinkle lights gives bokeh a unique, artistic look. Your camera’s aperture determines the size of the circular light effect. The wider your aperture (smaller the f/ number), the larger the circle of light.
Christmas tree bokeh
Create the best bokeh by using:
A wide aperture (small f/ number)
Distance between your subject and the lights; the greater the distance the larger the bokeh circles will be.
A longer focal length (the mm number on your lens)
The more lights, the more glowing circles you will have. Multi-colored lights work especially well.
Get even more creative by creating shaped bokeh! A black piece of paper and a few easy steps are all you need!
Create Shaped Bokeh
With your black paper, cut a circle about 3 inches larger than your lens. You want to have enough to fold it around the lens.
Using a craft knife, cut a heart no larger than 1/2 inchin the center of the circle. You want the heart to be smaller than the size of your camera’s aperture.
No craft knife? You can also fold the paper circle in half, cut half a heart, then reopen the circle. A paper punch can work as well.
In manual mode expose for your subject, using spot metering. You will need to then overexpose one stop, as the paper will block some of the light into your lens. You can also give this a try inaperture priority mode.
Using Auto Focus (AF), push the shutter halfway down to focus on your subject.
Switch your lens to Manual Focus (MF).
Place the black paper over the front of your lens. Secure it with a rubber band , tape, or hair scrunchy. Center the heart.
Shoot!
Beautiful bokeh, it is a challenge to create different shapes, I remember getting quite frustrated with it and results were still hit and miss but quite a fun exercise. The description above Islam superior to my brief explanation 😄
@randystreat thanks Kathy, for the info. I tried it again tonight, several times and in several ways, but I just can't get it, so @roseolivia, before I get frustrated, I'll leave it a couple of days and try again later :-)
How To Photograph Shaped Light Bokeh
Posted by Katrina Kennedy on Dec 7, 2011 in Blog, DecemberDaily, Photography | 6 comments
Do you love photographing the lights of Christmas?
The blurred look in the background of a photo is called bokeh. Adding twinkle lights gives bokeh a unique, artistic look. Your camera’s aperture determines the size of the circular light effect. The wider your aperture (smaller the f/ number), the larger the circle of light.
Christmas tree bokeh
Create the best bokeh by using:
A wide aperture (small f/ number)
Distance between your subject and the lights; the greater the distance the larger the bokeh circles will be.
A longer focal length (the mm number on your lens)
The more lights, the more glowing circles you will have. Multi-colored lights work especially well.
Get even more creative by creating shaped bokeh! A black piece of paper and a few easy steps are all you need!
Create Shaped Bokeh
With your black paper, cut a circle about 3 inches larger than your lens. You want to have enough to fold it around the lens.
Using a craft knife, cut a heart no larger than 1/2 inchin the center of the circle. You want the heart to be smaller than the size of your camera’s aperture.
No craft knife? You can also fold the paper circle in half, cut half a heart, then reopen the circle. A paper punch can work as well.
In manual mode expose for your subject, using spot metering. You will need to then overexpose one stop, as the paper will block some of the light into your lens. You can also give this a try inaperture priority mode.
Using Auto Focus (AF), push the shutter halfway down to focus on your subject.
Switch your lens to Manual Focus (MF).
Place the black paper over the front of your lens. Secure it with a rubber band , tape, or hair scrunchy. Center the heart.
Shoot!