How do you do a bokeh setup?

Question

I dont have professional lighting or equipment, just a dslr.
I dont live downtown, so I can't use street lights.
Are there any simple setups, like using christmas lights or something?
Any suggestions? thanks!

Answer 1

Bokeh is a Japanese word meaning 'pleasing blur' and its meant to refer to aesthetically pleasant out of focus parts of an image (usually created when shooting with a shallow depth of field).



I think you just mean out of focus lights.



Pick a lens, any lens and switch it to manual focus. Ensure that the shutter release is set to fire even if a picture is out of focus (depends on camera - switching to manual focus does this automatically in some).



Look through viewfinder at lights, the manually turn the focus ring until the image is blurred.



Voila! An out of focus picture.



If you want something in the foreground in focus & the background out of focus, then use a wide aperture, get close to subject or use a telephoto lens - all will contribute to a shallow depth of field.

Answer 2

As in you want a bunch of out of focus bright light type photo?

If so, yes set up a string of lights, set the f-stop to the smallest number on your lens and de-focus all the way. Good luck. The setting the lights so they give you a pattern you like will be the hard part.

Answer 3

try taking pics of things IN FOCUS...



but for bokeh, just use the camera with its kit lens (or whatever you use) and make the background blurry by zooming into a subject, with a wide open aperture (f/3.5 or lower)