[zman]

Hi,

Picked up a copy of Popular Photography magazine and this photographer was featured. She creates these unusual circular highlights on her photos. The article states she uses a Tamron 90 macro lens with a special effects filter. Has anyone ever used or seen a filter that does this ?

I didn't want to post one of her images as an example, taking consideration of violating her copyrights. If you'd like to see what I'm referring to or just want to enjoy some great pics, visit her website, Magda Wasiczek.

Thanks

[bobmaxja]

Look like Photoshop to me

[Deedee]

Hi

Can you please name the picture, you would see photos have been titled? I see tons of photoshop work.

I can look it up.

Cheers!

[Deedee]

Look like Photoshop to me

You are bloody quick man! And yes that is exactly what I mentioned - But then if you see the website is made on 500px what else should we expect. The top photos on the website are classic examples of SUPER-HYPER-EXTREME digitally enhanced photos.

[Deedee]

Hi,

Here is your answer

Macro Photography and Good Bokeh

AND

Dreamy and Surreal Nature Photography By Magdalena Wasiczek - 121Clicks.com

Here is "MY Answer"

Alien Skin Software: Bokeh 2 (The video on the website blew my mind )

Cheers!

[jheu02]

From the articles it's not Photoshopped. Wide open lenses will give the perfect-circle bokeh highlights. Stopped down will yield hexagons, octagons, etc based on the number of aperture blades. If the lens has curved aperture blades, you may get circles stopped-down, but I don't have any lenses that have truly curved blades.

[THoog]

She also says she has some old Russian / European lenses that she plays with, and it looks like the Meyer Trioplan 100/2.8 has a reputation for "soap bubble" bokeh. That might the one.

[K David]

The website's example look like the results I get with my Recesky plastic TLR.

It looks like a combination of in-lens effects and post-production work. To my eye it looks like it can be accomplished in four layers.
1- Top and in-focus objects.
2- Lighting effects (light rings, etc.)
3- Abstract or texture layer (to add sharp details faintly overlaying the bottom layer)
4- Blur, same as top layer only blurred.

By varying layer blending types, those results could be obtained. Some of the lighting looks exaggerated from in-camera lighting (such as some of the onion-ring-type bokeh shapes) and some lighting falls solidly in the deepest parts of the Uncanny Valley (such as some of the light circles that go behind the objects they're originating from -- oops.) That last is why I suspect the lighting level may not be the top level on some of these. Though on others the lighting effects and rings and such do seem to be on top.

Then there's probably some light source manipulation on the abstract layer and blur layer, too. That would help with pattern disruption and further abstractify the layer. I suspect that they layers are arranged and blended differently because some of the colors appear unnatural and reflect colors that result when I layer images and change the blending modes.

But much of it also appears to be captured in-camera. Some of the shots appear less processed than others.

Also, some shots look like all she did was manipulate the coloration.

All that said, her work is really fantastic and I don't see any pieces on her page that I could honestly say I truly dislike. In fact, many of them I find quite stunning and the result of expert camera and processing skills. In fact, I added her to my bookmarks folder called "really good photographers."

[Dr_who]

If you cut out a small heart and place it in front of your lens. When you shoot wide open the bokeh will take the shape of a heart. You can do all kinds of shapes. Not saying this is how its done but you can certainly make unique bokeh with just some paper.

[Lowell Goudge]

There are some soft focus filters and other filters with a hole in the middle and a blurred glass outside the hole. When focusing on the prime subject and stopped down, it is probably OK but the out of focus points of light will give odd bokeh

[zman]

Thought about it and made a mask / filter out of black construction paper and cut out two concentric circles on it and rubber-banded it to the front of my Tamron 90. It did create the "halo" highlight I was trying to duplicate, but they were out of focus as was my main subject (if I focused for the subject no halo effect was present ). I'm guessing this is because my homemade device is too far from the lens glass ?

How the original photographer does this is still a mystery to me ; I was hoping to just buy a special effects filter like a starburst or something that would do this for me easily. But it was fun trying anyway.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

[Deedee]

How the original photographer does this is still a mystery to me

Actually if you read her interview, the effects are caused by old lenses from Russia and Germany. Atleast looks like it. You can actually write to her, may be she will share her trick. For now I will stick to that bokeh software I just found.

[JimmyDranox]

Maybe that circular light efect is done by a circular flash, reflected in dew. She specified that she likes to take pictures in the morning, when dew is present and looks like diamonds on grass. Anyway, very good pictures.

[BrianR]

She also says she has some old Russian / European lenses that she plays with, and it looks like the Meyer Trioplan 100/2.8 has a reputation for "soap bubble" bokeh. That might the one.

zman, did you look into this lens? A Google Image search for it:

https://www.google.com/search?q=Meyer+Trioplan+100/2.8&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source...w=1527&bih=849

It seems to have characteristics very similar to her images.

She has some very surreal colours and tones (especially the ones in the '121Clicks' interview posted above).

[THoog]

"Bubble bokeh" is definitely more a feature of the lens than an effects filter. I've only played with it a little, but some lenses "bubble" better than others. This is with my Cosina 55/1.2 wide open: