Starbursts

[Narginia]

Hello! Im not sure I am posting in the right place but I cant seem to find an answer about if this is normally acheivable with camera settings or if it needs to be added in post processing. Im trying to acheive the starburst look on my Christmas tree pictures but I can not acheive it. I have seen the effect on other long shutter speed shots like freeway ones... But I cant find a decent tutorial nor have I been able to acheive it with my camera ( I am very aware this could be operator error (; ) Thanks for the help in advance!

Here is a link to an example

christmas lights on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

[zona5101]

That effect can be most easily achieved with a filter, a star filter. I am sure it can be done in post processing as well. In a star filter there is a cross hatch grid of black lines. The number of crosses will determine the number of star points.
example: 58MM STAR 4PT 2MM FILTER - Tiffen.Com

[Edsport]

Try taping a piece of string in front of the lens in a cross shape. I think nylon string is the best. I'm not sure if it will work for what you want but it do work on stars in long exposures...

[Rolling Stone]

I thought I read somewhere here that if you set your aperture to the highest numbers, you can get some nice starbursts. I could be wrong, but worth a try.

[natek313]

Originally Posted by Rolling Stone

I thought I read somewhere here that if you set your aperture to the highest numbers, you can get some nice starbursts. I could be wrong, but worth a try.

Yes, this is true; small aperture will start to give lights that "starburst" effect.

Also, I hear you can achieve similar results by putting a piece of screen (like from a screen door) in front of your lens.

[Narginia]

Thanks you guys so much! You have given me lots of avenues to try!

[natek313]

Here is a shot I got earlier this week to help demonstrate what small apertures can do for you.



I used a very small aperture (f/22), and this is the effect it gives. Of course, with such a small aperture, you're going to have long exposures, so you'll need a tripod. That shot was a 15 second exposure.

[OsmosisStudios]

Originally Posted by natek313

Here is a shot I got earlier this week to help demonstrate what small apertures can do for you.



I used a very small aperture (f/22), and this is the effect it gives. Of course, with such a small aperture, you're going to have long exposures, so you'll need a tripod. That shot was a 15 second exposure.

Fantastic demonstration!

[edbayani]

another way to produce starbursts if you don't have a star filter is by placing in front of the camera lens a piece of aluminum screen that they use to screen windows. you can double it to make more star points.