Shoot shapely bokeh for images with a creative twist

Cut out the shape you want to reveal in your bokeh, and set up a shot using fairy lights on a dark backdrop.

1 Cut out your shape

Grab some black card. If you want to be really precise, trace around the outside of the lens you’re using and cut inside the line to produce a circle that holds itself snugly in place within the filter thread. If you want to be quick, just cut a square of card big enough to cover the lens. Cut out a shape in the middle – if you fold it in half first, as shown, you can get a symmetrical shape.

2 Attach to a fast lens

You need a fast optic with a large, maximum aperture to get the best results, but the effect will work with any lens. We used a 50mm f/1.4 prime lens, and set the aperture to its widest setting of f/1.4. You can attach the card to the edge of the lens with Blu-Tack, or, with your camera on a tripod, simply hold it over the lens while checking the effect using Live View.

3 Compose and shoot

Drape some string lights over a dark background to give your pinpoints of light, then focus on a subject close to the lens. Provided the background and lights are sufficiently out of focus, you’ll see the shaped bokeh appear. Use Aperture Priority mode, set your ISO to its lowest value and dial in your widest aperture, and the shutter speed will take care of itself.