http://www.digitalcameraworld.com FEBRUARY 2022 DIGITAL CAMERA^65
Change the look of your blur
Get shape-shifting with a hand-made aperture that can transform out-of-focus highlightsSize up your lens
Use thick black paper or card
to create your custom aperture.
Coloured card can add a colour
cast to the image, although this
might suit the image that you’re
looking to create, of course.
Draw around the end of the lens,
or use a lens cap or filter.Cut out your shape
Draw a simple shape in the centre
of the card circle, and cut it out
with a sharp craft knife. You may
need to experiment with the size
of the hole – try somewhere
between 5-20mm to start with.
(The star shown here was
15mm point to point.)Add your aperture
The card should fit snugly at the
front of the lens, but avoid
touching the glass. I used black
tape to make a light-tight seal.
If you’re using paper, leave some
around the edge of the circle so
that you can secure it at the end
of the lens with a rubber band.Adjust your settings
You’ll need to use a wide aperture
(by setting a small f-number such
as f/2.8) to enhance the effect.
Set a low ISO for the best image
quality. Be ready to increase the
exposure to ensure the image
stays bright, as the card can
make it darker.Camera skills Get crafty with custom aperture shapes
Get back to basics, and make your own set of blur-modifying accessories with card and a craft knifeBoth images were shot at f/2.8, with a
flashgun aimed at the subject. The stars
were made using the technique below...CAMERA COLLEGEAs well as using Christmas lights
to create satisfying circular blur,
you can modify the shape of out-of-
focus highlights with a simple DIY
aperture. By cutting out a shape in
a piece of card and holding it in front
of the lens, blurred areas of the
picture will take on the outline of
the shape that you’ve created.
It’s an interesting technique to
use when you’re shooting in daylight,
as it adds a subtle quality to objects
in the backdrop of a shot – but it
really comes alive when you’re
photographing in the dark. The blur
shape becomes more defined when
there are lights in the background.
It’s good to start off with a basic
shape that will give you crisp, clean
edges (and it’ll be easier to cut out).
You can use a stencil or a craft punch
if you want a professional look, but
where’s the fun in that? Drawing out
a shape freehand adds a unique
quality to your pictures.You’ll need to use a tripod, as exposure
times can be too long to hold the
camera steady. This also makes it
easier to manually focus on the
subject in the foreground. (The
custom aperture can cause problems
for a camera’s autofocus system.)
You can tape the card aperture in
place, or simply hold it in position.