Gettin’ My Bokeh On

Yesterday when I was doing my usual blog check, reading my favorite blogs, as I read Pioneer Woman, she set out a challenge to her readers to experiment with using bokeh in their photography. Bokeh, according to Wikipedia, is “the way the lens renders out-of-focus points of light or background in a photo.” You’ve probably noticed the background blur before in photos, most of the time it is done on purpose to add interest to the shot. Well, now you know that is called bokeh. I have been obsessed with it for the past two days. Just ask Kevin! He knows for sure I have lost my mind. I am determined to get it figured out though.

At first I was satisfied with just the blur of the lights and things in the background like in these shots.   Then as I kept searching out more examples of bokeh, I noticed others had some magical way that caused the lights to have beautiful forms such as hearts or stars. The search was on to try to figure that one out. I can get the lights to do so, but still haven’t figured out how to get something in the foreground into focus very well.  Hester and her boys just got home and stopped by to pick up Duchess. They asked me what I was doing, so I showed them on my camera, the new shots with the shape lights. They were quite impressed and wanted to know “How I did that?”  I really wanted to make them think I was so smart, but decided to tell them the truth and show them my “homemade” lens hood. They still wanted to know how it works, and that I can’t answer as I don’t know either, but I sure like the effects. Here are my first attempts at shape bokehs. 

Can you see the star shaped lights in the background? Maybe if you click on the photo to enlarge it you can see it better.

This one is the one I have been obsessing on the most. I really wanted stars behind the Nativity, but I couldn’t ever get it just right.

Then I gave up on foreground objects and just decided to experiment with the shape hood and see how they turned out. They are magical if you ask me. I love looking at them.

And now, do you want to see the fancy lens hoods that make these wonderful photos? Get ready, you are going to be shocked . . .

Simple paper, tape and a cut out hole! I’m going to keep trying to figure out how to get something in the foreground, but for now I’m tired and ready to call it a night.