Feeling artful? This simple lens modifier is a enjoyable one for the vacations and solely takes a couple of minutes to organize. Bonus: Your children will like it!
I like capturing vast open to seize lovely bokeh behind my topic: The blurry, out-of-focus blobs which might be attribute of vast apertures. Bokeh takes on the form of the aperture, which is why high-end lenses are constructed with a number of curved diaphragm blades (the iris that lets gentle by the lens) to get the aperture as completely spherical as attainable.
On this DIY, nevertheless, we’re going to intentionally change the aperture form, thus sculpting the bokeh into enjoyable vacation shapes! It’s kitsch however enjoyable: In different phrases, good for Christmas. Don’t fear, it is a non-destructive craft: No modifications to the precise lens are required, I promise.
The way to create bokeh shapes with a large aperture lens
You will have:
- A large aperture lens of at the very least f/1.8, resembling a nifty fifty (50mm f/1.8 lens). The 50mm f/1.8 will work nicely for this exercise on each a full body or a crop sensor digital camera. No matter lens you select, be certain it has at the very least 50mm for the focal size (longer can be much more efficient).
- A step-up ring to your lens (a step-up ring is used to suit filters which might be bigger than the lens thread). The smaller diameter of the ring must match your lens thread diameter. When you can’t get a step-up ring, use Methodology 2 beneath as a substitute.
- A sheet of skinny (e.g. 2mm) black craft foam, the type you’d use for scrapbooking or card-making.
- Craft knife (e.g. an X-ACTO knife or comparable).
- Scissors and a pen.
Elective extras and alternate options:
- When you can’t get craft foam or a step-up ring, an A4 sheet of black cardboard and sticky tape will work (see Methodology 2 beneath).
- Gap punches in several shapes, small quantity of black cardboard, and glue (for Methodology 3).
Methodology 1: Shaping bokeh with craft foam and a step-up ring
That is the best technique and takes only some minutes. Listed below are the steps:
- Hint the broader diameter of your step-up ring onto the craft foam.
- Minimize out the circle, on the within of your traced line. Fastidiously trim the perimeters till the froth circle suits firmly inside the broader diameter of your step-up ring.
- Within the heart of the froth circle, draw your form (e.g. star, coronary heart, and so forth.). It ought to be about 1 cm in measurement. Minimize out the form with the craft knife.
- With the froth circle fitted within the vast diameter of the step-up ring, screw the ring onto the tip of your lens. Your lens ought to now be lined with the black foam, with the form cut-out within the center.
Now you’re able to shoot!
Methodology 2: Shaping bokeh with a cardboard cap
When you don’t have a step-up ring, this cardboard technique works nicely:
- Minimize a strip of black cardboard about 5 cm vast from the lengthy aspect of your A4 sheet.
- Wrap the cardboard round your lens to make a tube. Tape it closed.
- Slide the tube off the lens and hint the tip to make a “lens diameter” circle on the remaining cardboard.
- Draw (by hand) one other circle across the traced one, about 1 cm (half an inch) greater.
- Minimize out the larger circle.
- Snip the larger circle at common intervals, again to the “lens diameter” circle, to make tabs (see the diagram beneath: Minimize the dotted strains).
- Fold the tabs inwards in order that they sit at 90 levels to the circle.
- Draw and reduce out your 1 cm form, as in Methodology 1, in the midst of your circle.
- Tape the circle to the tip of the tube utilizing the tabs.
To shoot, slide the tube onto your lens in order that it’s capped by the cardboard circle.
Methodology 3: Making an interchangeable bokeh shaper
When you’re a sophisticated craftsgineer, you may like to do that technique. Right here, we make cardboard “slides” with different-shaped holes, and a “bracket” on the circle to slide them in. I like this technique as a result of the opening punches give cleaner shapes than I can reduce with the craft knife. Additionally, you solely must make one “cap” and may change the bokeh form on the fly.
You can also make this bracket on both the froth circle/step-up ring modifier (Methodology 1) or the cardboard cap (Methodology 2).
- Make your cap as above, however as a substitute of slicing a particular form, reduce a 1.5 cm sq. within the heart.
- Minimize two 0.5 cm by 3 cm strips of cardboard or foam, and glue one on all sides of the sq. cutout (as per the purple rectangles within the diagram beneath), to make the “bracket.” Solely put glue on the very ends of the strips (blue dots within the diagram).
- Minimize “slides” approx. 2 cm vast x 3 cm lengthy.
- Punch every slide with a unique form.
- When the glue is dry, push a slide beneath the bracket in order that the punched form of the slide is over the central sq. cut-out.
Now you’re able to shoot, and altering shapes is as simple as slipping one slide out and one other in.
Subsequent time I’ll share some suggestions and tips for utilizing your modifier. Till then, blissful crafting!
