Maximise the Bokeh Effect with Shapes

[wilswong]

This thread is a continuation of a comment that came from Angela from my the other picture sharing thread so I share my experience in "How I did it thread" as well.

The picture in question:

Originally Posted by Angelb

Fantastic shots. You captured the flames really well, I especially like the first one. I like the star-lights in the Impala shot.

Hi Angelb, the star effect is fashioned out from those art and craft foam paper using the Bokeh Masters Kit as an example.

Step 1: Just take the 50mm F1.8 Prime lens, press the 52mm UV filter onto the foam paper to get an impression and cut it out.

Step 2: Next fashion any shape that you want like a heart, a car, a star burst, arrows and cut the shape out.

Step 3: Fit the filter over the 50mm lens, select the lowest Aperture setting you can find (mine is 1.4) and then shoot an object near to the camera but has interesting blobs of light such as Christmas decorative lights or for the more challenging, fireworks in the background to derive nice bokehs. The more spread out the bokehs the more defined are the shapes.

Here's another of my example using another star shape.



The Steps that I took to take this

Step 1: I place the bulb lantern (yes it is those incandescent light bulbs filled with fuel and a wicker to become a simple lantern) between the camera and a single blob of light

Step 2: Put the foam cut out on top of the lens filter of the 50mm

Step 3: Use the largest aperture you can find. I was using the Nikkor 50mm F1.4 circa 1985 (that means no auto exposure).

Step 4: Look through the view finder (I find live view is NOT accurate at all in such situation) and focus on the wicker. You can either do this manually or auto focus and then switch it to manual focus to 'lock' the focusing. This way, the camera do not need to hunt everytime you press the shutter button.

Step 5: Ensure that the bokeh with the resultant star shape is to your liking and can match with the flame in terms of colour (it is really an artistic taste IMHO...can be of different colour)

Step 6: Try to get the fastest shutter speed possible. Aperture@ F1.4 and with the intensity of the light from the flame it is fairly easy to achieve. As metering will tend to over expose in dark situations, EV -1 is quite ok too.

Step 7: wait for the flame to merge with the bokeh and create the illusion of a shooting star through burst shots (not too much or else will cause too much shake) and capture

To get a bigger bokeh, then one has to get as big an aperture as possible (small F value) OR place the background lights as away as possible.

Another example, here's the picture sample from Bokeh Masters using their 'envelope' shape using a Macro lens to take R2D2.

[windrider86]

wow, i would have never thought of that. Thanks for the new ideas that are now running around in my head!

[Jonsan]

No you won't have more energy.........

[wilswong]

To Pittising,

Thanks for the message you sent me to clarify what has happened.

I guess going by words is ain't gonna cut it since we as photographers know that a picture is more than a thousand words, it actually gave as the 'Eureka' moment.

I took this from blog.epicedits.com as the author uses the Bokeh Masters Kit.




Here are two before and after pictures so that one can understand fully what has happened. I fashioned my discs using foam paper instead of buying the Bokeh Master and cut out a star shape to use at this outdoor arts event.

Normal Bokeh: Before I put on the disc



After putting the star disc



Hope is clearer now?

[wilswong]

By the way, the bokeh method is also in DPS and they had a competition.

Win a Bokeh Kit: Competition

[wilswong]

hi Ms Windrider86,

Once you stop the ideas running and doing it, perhaps can share it here

Those who are interested but are a bit busy perhaps can support Bokeh Masters Kit. (No...i am not an agent for them).

Otherwise, can get your kids to do some art and crafts.