CRASH COURSE
ESSENTIAL PHOTO SKILLS MADE EASY
Mike Harris shows you how to transform bokeh into almost any shape you like using a homemade aperture disc
Bokeh derives from the Japanese word ‘boke’, which means blur, and it’s used to describe the quality of the out-of-focus specular highlights you see time and time again in images, such as portraits or still lifes.
Bokeh is often achieved by focusing on a subject that’s separated from a concentrated light source (like a string of LED lights). By shooting at a wide aperture to create a shallow depth of field, the lights in the background are rendered as attractive glowing shapes. Narrower apertures are still capable of capturing bokeh, but the super-wide apertures of fast lenses are known for producing the creamy depths of field that create these attractive specs of blur most effectively.
Not all bokeh is the same shape, though. You may notice images with spherical, hexagonal, or even pentagonal forms of bokeh. The shape is determined by a number of factors, including the number of aperture blades in a lens, the shape of those aperture blades, and the aperture being used, and it’s therefore possible to manipulate bokeh shapes by introducing a whole new aperture.
In this tutorial we’ll show you how to make an aperture disc that will sit on the front element of your lens, and transform the bokeh you capture. We created a simple love heart, but you can use almost any shape you like – all you need is some thick black paper and a few craft utensils.
THE SETUP TOOLS AND CAMER A KIT
You can create stunning bokeh effects with just a few everyday items
Thick black paper will help prevent light leaks, and is what you’ll need to create a DIY aperture disc. We’ve settled on a heart, but the aperture can be any shape you wish. When placed in front of your lens and used with a wide-open aperture, it’ll transform the bokeh into your chosen shape.
You’ll need a pencil to draw around your lens and mark out a template on the black card, which then needs to be cut out. We’d recommend using sticky tape to fix the card components together, so that your aperture disc stays securely in one piece when you’re out and about shooting.
It’s important that your aperture shape is placed directly in the centre of the disc. You can use a tape measure or ruler to find and mark the diameter of your template, both horizontally and vertically. If your measurements are right, the lines will meet right in the centre of your disc.
You’ll need a super-sharp craft knife to cut out your bokeh pattern accurately and crisply – any rough edges from a blunt blade will show up in the bokeh of your final images. Be sure to use a cutting mat to protect your furniture, and always take care to avoid accidents.
A prime lens has a fixed
