I’m super excited to learn these bokah tips from Katrina (and practice them over the next week before the holidays are over)! Be sure to read to the end! 
“I eat, breathe, write and teach Photography! My camera is my most often worn accessory. I am a mom with a camera who feels compelled to capture my son’s life. I was frustrated by my search to learn how to use my camera and knew I had to pass on the knowledge I gathered to help other moms capture their favorite subjects. I started out with a film SLR years ago,on auto. Moved to a dSLR in 2002 on auto and in 2005 finally decided I needed to know what TV actually stood for!”
Katrina teaches photography classes at Get It Scrapped. Writes photography tutorials for DesignerDigitals and blogs about her life through the lens at About A Boy.
I love lights at Christmas! They add a special bit of magic to the holidays.
The blurred lights in the background of photos are called bokeh. Christmas lights give bokeh a unique, artistic look.
The aperture of your camera determines the size and shape of the circular light effect. The wider your aperture (the smaller the f/ number), the larger and more circular the light will be.
Let’s have some holiday fun! Grab your fastest lens, the one with the smallest f/ number. I’ll explain three ways for achieving bokeh:
- Manual Focus Bokeh (the easiest and most artistic method)
- Aperture Priority Mode Bokeh
- Manual Mode Bokeh
- Point & Shoot Bokeh
Each method will work with any lens, but the lens with the widest aperture (smallest f/ number) will give you the best results.
Please turn your flash off for these methods. You can take bokeh photos in daylight or at night! Try both to see what you can produce.
Manual Focus Bokeh
For this method, your distances to the subject and your lens choice aren’t as important as the next two methods. The key is to have lots of lights you are pointing your lens at. Even a small portion of your Christmas tree or a string of lights will work for this. Multi-colored lights work especially well.
1. Select Program (P), Aperture (AV or A).
2. Select Spot Metering.
3. Turn your lens to Manual Focus.
4. Turn your lens focus ring until the lights form large circles.
5. Press the shutter button.
5. Check your results.
ROUND BOKEH In Aperture Priority Mode (AV or A)
Leave distance between your subject and the lights to create bokeh in this method. The more lights, the more glowing circles you will have.
1. Select Aperture Priority Mode. (AV or A on the top dial)
2. Select Spot Metering.
3. Move your Aperture to f/1.4, or your widest aperture (smallest f/ number). Your camera will select the shutter speed when you point your lens toward your subject.
4. Double-check your shutter speed.
-If it is faster than 1/50th move to the next step.
-If is it is slower than 1/50th, and you are hand holding, move your ISO up until your shutter speed equals or is faster than 1/50th
5. Press the shutter button.
6. Check your results.
Round Bokeh In Manual Mode (M)
If you want something to be in focus in front of lights, this is the method to choose!
1. Select your widest aperture (the smallest f/number).
2. Select Spot Metering
3. Meter on your subject for a correct exposure.
4. Looking through your viewfinder, adjust your shutter speed until it indicates a correct exposure (the middle line on your light meter). Adjust your ISO and shutter speed, leaving your aperture at its widest number.
5.Shoot.
6. Review your results.
Round Bokeh with a point and shoot
Point and shoot bokeh is a bit trickier, but not impossible!
1. Choose the Macro mode (flower mode).
2. Turn off the flash.
3. Focus.
4. Shoot.
5. Check your results.
6.Play with changing your distance to change the light effect.
Have fun! If you want even more tricks for playing with light I have a fun tutorial, Give Me Your Best Shot: Capturing Lights in the store at DesignerDigitals! One lucky commenter will win this tutorial! Comments must be posted by midnight ET tonight and the winner will be posted tomorrow.
P.S. Nettie was the random winner of Ali’s class Yesterday, Today; Nettie check your email. Thanks to everyone who entered! Come back tomorrow for another winner.
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Code for free spot in class ytDIJMPSUX3469
To redeem your free seat in Yesterday + Today, please follow these steps:
1) Visit bigpictureclasses.com/login.php to create a new account, or login to an existing account.
2) Once logged in, visit http://www.bigpictureclasses.com/yesterdaytoday.php and click the orange “Purchase” button at the bottom of the page to add the class to your shopping cart.
3) In your shopping cart, enter your unique code in the “Promo Code” box and press the “Apply” button. You should now see the total price as $0.00.
4) Click the “Checkout Now” button.
5) Please enter your billing information (note: you will not be charged for the class) and agree to the Cancelation Policy and Terms of Use.
6) Click the “Checkout” button.
7) You should now see an “Order Accepted” screen. Click the “Complete Transaction” button to add the class to your account.
To access the Yesterday + Today classroom, click on “My Classes” and click the “Enter Classroom” button! Enjoy!
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Thanks for these awesome tips! Can’t wait til it’s dark to give it a try
I can’t wait to try these tomorrow! I need to go to my friend’s house and borrow her tree and holiday decorations!
The family walked the neighborhood taking photos of holiday lights! A nice exercise in bokeh.
Keep the tips coming; I love this!
I’m going to try this tomorrow! Do you make housecalls?
I love these tips! I usually use Aperture Mode but it is good to know what to do with all the others!!! Thanks!
Great tips. I’m going to try these out on my tree tonight.
Thank you for the detailed info on photographing bokehs (and for the opportunity to win your tutorial).
gorgeous tips! I will try them tomorrow for sure! thanks sooo much!
WOW thanks for the bokah tips, I managed to do this once by accident…hehehe!
Thanks for the wonderful tips. I’m going to give it a try again….maybe it will work this time.
Thanks for the opportunity to win the tutorial.
Merry Christmas!
Oh, wow! I would love to learn how to do this – my husband’s camera has manual settings! Mine is basically a point and shoot! I keep seeing these beautiful photos at DD. Thanks for sharing!
I’m so excited to try this today! Thanks for the great tips and the step-by-step instructions!
Thank you for the bokah tips- they will be fun to try out!
I have just become the proud owner of my very first dslr, it’s an old one, but I can see I’ve got plenty to play with. Will definitely give this a try. I’m starting to think another lens will be in my future.
Ditto here re: the instructions for free spot in the class… Instructions to register in the free spot are there for me to read, in the RSS feed.
Great instructions. I recommend Katrina’s tutorials – I think I’ve purchased all of them at the Designer Digitals site! They have good pointers, even for intermediate users of SLR cameras. I put her tips on manual exposure to good use when taking some high school grad photos of my nephew last spring.
Thank you so much for these great tips! I can’t wait to try them out.
Cool. Would definitely like to learn more.
Great tips from a great teacher! Thanks for the ideas.
Every year, I look up how to do that on the internet because I must take some pics like that. Thanks for a chance to win! (Then I could just look it up on my computer lol!)
Thanks for the tips!! I will put my camera in P…but have been afraid to put it in AV. LOL THANK YOU for the specific “here’s how to do this”…you just might get me outta “P” mode eventually, too!!!!
This is so timely! Have been looking with jealousy at the beautiful photographs on another site where the topic is bokeh, and desperately wanting to be able to produce the effect, and not knowing where to start. Thankyou, thankyou, for these instructions.
Oh my god! I love photographing Christmas lights as was just planning to take some artistic ones today in front of the tree! Thanks for those great tips!
Hi steph,
just to let you know that the how to claim your free spot info has appeared on my RSS feed copy of this post…
thanks for four great tips ~ I’m going to have fun trying these out.
I have only ever achieved this effect by accident before. Thanks for the tips so that I can do it on purpose!