Make Your Macro Images Pop with Bokeh - Simple Tutorial

Photoblog by @runrudy

It is Macro Monday again and I want to share with everyone a simple way to make some beautiful bokeh with your macro images.

Taken with a Sony A7RM2 with 90mm

What is Bokeh?

Bokeh are out of focus elements that make photos pop and visually beautiful.

In the image above, you see the beautiful glowing out of focus shapes in the background. That is Bokeh!

They create a great contrast in a picture, especially in macro photography.

The goal of macro photography is all about getting your subject to be close, very sharp and detailed.

Bokeh in the background is blurred, soft and very pleasing to the eyes.

This creates an excellent contrast for your viewers to hyper focus on your intended macro subject.

The two techniques of bokeh and macro combined make for a stunning image.

Here was my setup:

The way I created this effect was just to look for something in my house that was shiny. In my toolbox I found a bunch of household wood screws.

I just hand held a small tray of the screws behind my subject and made sure that the light was also hitting the tray of screws.

This created bunches of tiny out of focus reflections, bokeh!

Super simple and worked like a charm. You can use anything small that will reflect or bounce the light: sequence, metal thumbtacks, loose diamonds if you got a bunch of those hanging around :)

Every camera lens can make bokeh. You don't have to have the most expensive equipment. Yet like everything, some lenses have the ability to be better bokeh makers than others.

The only way to find out is to try.

When it comes to photography always: experiment, shoot, learn, repeat. Again and again and again.

Then you will figure out your own process, what works and doesn't. Most importantly what feels right to you and what you think is beautiful.

So the next time your doing a macro image, give it a shot.

Hopefully, those little heavenly bits will take your macro images to the next level.

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Thank you in advance,

Rudy

@runrudy

All images © 2016 Rudy Gonzales. All rights reserved.