portrait with bokeh

[studysession]

I have been wanting to practice both portrait photography and using bokeh disks. So I combined both with an outing around the city.

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How I took the picture:
Star Shaped Bokeh Disk
Camera Model Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XSi/450D
Lens EF50mm f/1.8 II
Flash Type OFF
ISO Speed 200
Tv(Shutter Speed) 1/20
Av(Aperture Value) 1.8
White Balance Auto
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[putnamlbj]

I like the way this one has great DOF and that you used the rule of thirds.

[studysession]

Thank you for the compliments!

[homank76]

Is there a reason why you chopped the top of his head off compared to the lower body?

[studysession]

Other than going for something different, no reason at all. The ones where I got the entire head did not have the look I wanted so I went with this one.

[homank76]

I can accept that, but what were you going for?

[studysession]

This was mostly practicing using the bokeh disks on something more than just Christmas lights. In the process, I really liked this particular photo.

The lights in the background look like stars. I want to try and get the same type of shot but down in DC before night fall when it warms up at one of the memorials.

[homank76]

I've never shot Canon...Nikon user...

Doesn't Canon offer a cheap lens like Nikon does for around $200 American in the 35mm or 50mm lens with an aperture of 1.8? This would be a lot better then disks.

[studysession]

In the comments I put that i was using the Canon Lens EF50mm f/1.8 II
So I was using the lens you mentioned other than I only paid $98 shipped brand new. I like using this lens for portraits.

You set it to the lowest aperture and then put the disk on the end of the lens. Focus on an object close to you and then all the lights in the background will have the shape of the disk that you put in front of the lens.

I mostly seeing what I could do with bokeh -
bo•keh noun /bōˈkā/
The visual quality of the out-of-focus areas of a photographic image, esp. as rendered by a particular lens.

Bokeh is an adaptation from a Japanese word meaning blur. In photography this term is used to describe the quality of the areas in the picture which are not in focus.

[studysession]

Here's the bokeh kit I started with:
Bokeh Masters Kit

Since then I have made my own with some of my own shapes. I find it a lot of fun see what shapes I can make the lights in the background of my shots become.