Airplane Custom Bokeh

I am so excited about this project.  It is custom bokeh.   It was super easy and fun.  I decided to make my bokeh into airplane shapes as I have a house full of airplane loving boys.  Even Nalle has started carrying around airplanes in his mouth :).

So how did I get the lights in Nalle's photo to look like airplanes?  Read on to find out...

You will be making a hood for your lens.  Below is what you will need:  black card stock, scissors, craft punch (mine is the airplane one that I used to make cupcake topper for Little Pilot's first birthday), tape and lens with a low aperture (mine is the Nikkor 50 mm f/1.4 f Gs).

Co-pilot watched this process very carefully :).

 First you will need to cut a strip of card stock to fit around your lens and secure it with tape.

Remove the ring from your lens and then use this ring or the the hood from your lens to trace a circle on another piece of card stock.

Because my hole punch didn't reach the centre of my circle, I cut a square in the middle of the card stock circle.  I then cut a square to fit over and punched it with my airplane shape.

Now you're ready to assemble...  Tape/glue the airplane punched square on top of the card stock circle and then attach the circle to your ring with more tape.  I taped everything from behind so that it would look nicer for the photo :).  It will look something like this once it is assembled and placed onto your lens.

Now I bet you can't wait to see what kind of pictures I got, right?  I know I couldn't! :)

I have a couple pictures of both boys looking pretty well into the camera here.  I think the airplanes look a little better in Co-Pilot's picture (I think it had to do with the distance that the subject was from the lights).

This picture doesn't show the airplanes that well, but it does show how Little Pilot loves his little brother.  We have to remind him to be gentle sometimes :).  Also if anyone has tips on how or whether it is possible to get both boys in focus with a really low f-stop it would be much appreciated.  I'm still learning. :)

I also made a fun collage with Little Pilot playing with a plane he got for Christmas. You can see more of the airplane bokeh in the pictures.  I also love all the different expressions we got.  Little Pilot came down with a cold and fever that night and I can now see that he looks a little pale and flushed in some of the pictures (probably starting to feel not so well :( .

Lastly, we have Nalle with some airplanes that look like they're flying out of his fur and making it stick up in the process!

If you decide to try this photography project, I hope you have as much fun as I did!  I'd also love to see how your pictures turn out (leave a comment and/or link) :).

linking with: T&J, iheartnaptime, simpleasthat, home stories atoz