A couple of weeks ago I promised a {How-to Make a Bokeh Filter} post. Bokeh is defined as “the blur, or the aesthetic quality of the blur, in out-of focus areas of an image, or “the way the lens renders out-of-focus points of light.” Without a filter, you can create regular circle-shaped bokeh. With a filter, you can create it in all different kinds of shapes. I will show you how to make a heart bokeh, but you can use any shape you want.
MATERIALS
*SLR camera with large aperture lens (I use a 60 mm f/2.8)
- Black construction or cardstock paper
- Black tape
- White pencil
- Scissors
- Ruler
Preferred but not necessary:
- Cutting knife
- Cutting matte
- Drafting triangle
- Compass
1. Gather your materials
2. Using a ruler or drafting triangle, draw a white line about .25 in from the edge of your cardstock. Make sure the line is super straight.
3. Cut along this line – you will get a thin strip of paper
4. Measure this strip around the circumference of your lens
5. Cut this strip – don’t make it exactly the measurement of the circumference – make sure it is a little longer
6. Fit the trip around your lens, again
7 + 8. Tape this strip to create a ring – do tape it directly to the lens
9. Measure the diameter of the paper ring you just made
10. Draw a circle with a diameter about .5 in larger than the ring’s dia. I measure the radius with my compass and then draw the circle, but you can find anything around your house that fits the measurement
11. Cut out the circle
12. Draw a heart (or any shape) right in the middle of the circle. You can also use a shape puncher like these
13 + 14. Cut out the heart. I like to fold the circle in half so my heart is symmetric
15. Finished circle with heart cutout!
16+17. Cut small flaps around the circle
18 +19. Place the circle on top of the ring, and tape it all around. Make sure you tape it very well so no light can come through.
You’re done and ready to shoot some bokeh!
