# Hello, Newbie here! I have a question...



## RichCandy (Dec 9, 2011)

Im glad I found this place to come for advice. Ok, Im not going to get to mushy..Anywho,
does anyone know how to make lights, (Specifically) Christmas lights, Or any light for that matter look like stars? Im not talking about the kind of stars you use with a 5 or 6 star filter. Ive seen a picture of a Christmas tree and the light looked like stars shapes.


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## Buckster (Dec 9, 2011)

Use a star-shaped mask in front of the lens.  See this article: DIY - Create Your Own Bokeh | DIYPhotography.net


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## DiskoJoe (Dec 9, 2011)

Drop the camera to f22 and do a long exposure.


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## bazooka (Dec 9, 2011)

DiskoJoe said:


> Drop the camera to f22 and do a long exposure.



OP specifically said that is NOT what he is trying to do.


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## thereyougo! (Dec 9, 2011)

bazooka said:


> DiskoJoe said:
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> > Drop the camera to f22 and do a long exposure.
> ...


No OP said he/she didn't want to use a filter. So using a smaller aperture would do the trick. You don't have to go all the way down to f/22 to get it. Anything from around f/11 will do it. How many points the star has depends on how many blades your lens' diaphragm has


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## mwcfarms (Dec 9, 2011)

thereyougo! said:


> bazooka said:
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> > DiskoJoe said:
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The filter he is talking about is an actual filter you put in front of the lens which is different from what Busters said I believe. Or at least thats how I inturpretted it as well.


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## Buckster (Dec 9, 2011)

thereyougo! said:


> bazooka said:
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> > DiskoJoe said:
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Let's review:



			
				OP said:
			
		

> Im not talking about* the kind* of stars you use with a 5 or 6 star filter.


Those are *the kind* of stars you get by stopping down aperture.  The OP was specifically looking for a "*star shape*".


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## thereyougo! (Dec 9, 2011)

We'll have to wait for the OP to post back. I saw it as the diffraction effect on lights from a small aperture


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## bazooka (Dec 9, 2011)

I interpreted as Buckster described... they are looking for star-shaped bokeh, instead of heart-shaped bokeh or word-bokeh....


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## RichCandy (Dec 12, 2011)

Thank you all for your response!! BTW Im a Girly! =)


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## RichCandy (Dec 12, 2011)

Buckster said:


> Use a star-shaped mask in front of the lens.  See this article: DIY - Create Your Own Bokeh | DIYPhotography.net



thats it! THANK YOU, Buckster!!


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## Buckster (Dec 12, 2011)

RichCandy said:


> Buckster said:
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> > Use a star-shaped mask in front of the lens.  See this article: DIY - Create Your Own Bokeh | DIYPhotography.net
> ...


Always glad to help if I can.  :thumbup:


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## thereyougo! (Dec 12, 2011)

Each to their own, I guess.  I would rather make proper stars using a smallish aperture than use a really (in my opinion) gimmy bit of plastic over the front of my lens.  Far too cutesy for my taste


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## thereyougo! (Dec 12, 2011)

bazooka said:


> DiskoJoe said:
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> > Drop the camera to f22 and do a long exposure.
> ...



i don't get where you get that from this:



RichCandy said:


> Im glad I found this place to come for advice. Ok, Im not going to get to mushy..Anywho,
> does anyone know how to make lights, (Specifically) Christmas lights, Or any light for that matter look like stars? Im not talking about the kind of stars you use with a 5 or 6 star filter. Ive seen a picture of a Christmas tree and the light looked like stars shapes.



OP wanted star shapes. Why spend money on something that you can create by shooting at say f/14 for free?


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## Buckster (Dec 12, 2011)

thereyougo! said:


> bazooka said:
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> > DiskoJoe said:
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 It was explained in the thread already.  Feel free to refresh yourself by reading it.



thereyougo! said:


> OP wanted star shapes. Why spend money on something that you can create by shooting at say f/14 for free?


Good grief man.  Would you just go to the link I provided and get yourself a clue?

Then, let it go.  You were mistaken.  No big deal.


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## Redeyejedi (Dec 12, 2011)

wrong reply
pls del


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## thereyougo! (Dec 13, 2011)

Buckster said:


> thereyougo! said:
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> > bazooka said:
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Must be a case of two nations divided by a common language then.  Because to me using a small aperture will get far more pleasing results. JMHO of course


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## Buckster (Dec 13, 2011)

thereyougo! said:


> Buckster said:
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Thank you for your opinion.  It won't give the results the OP was looking for though, and that's sort of the whole idea.

Here's a wild thought: Sometimes people want to throw their backgrounds OOF, AND they want the resulting bokeh to have some sort of fun shape to it.  In a case like that (this OP in this thread, btw) stopping down the lens would not be a valid solution.

You do understand DOF, right?


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## thereyougo! (Dec 13, 2011)

Buckster said:


> thereyougo! said:
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> > Buckster said:
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Of course.


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