How do you get sparkles in your sources of light?

[harmonica]

I don't know how I did it but I like how the source of light (in this case, candlelight), sparkle in the picture.



I have been trying to get that same effect with other photos, especially ones with small acute light sources, but the same effect is not happening. Any tips? Thanks!

 

[tecboy]

Use smaller aperture.

 

[Light Guru]

Use smaller aperture.

Nope you will want to use a filter.
http://www.tiffen.com/star_filters.htm

That said most people nowadays think the effect is a bit cheesy and looks rather 70s like.

 

[tecboy]

I don't use filter. Sparkles

 

[minicoop1985]

There's two ways. Small aperture (higher number) or cross-screen filter. The cross screen will allow you to use bigger apertures for low light photos.

 

[Braineack]

I don't use filter. Sparkles

nope! star filter.

 

[runnah]

Depends on lens construction as well. Certain lenses use more blades to make up the aperture ring and you can see that in the number of arms in the stars.

 

[DSRay]

Do it with a Photoshop plugin, cheap, controllable and no filter.

 

[Braineack]

Do it with a Photoshop plugin, cheap, controllable and no filter.

yeah but it's under the Filters menu. Now what?!

 

[DSRay]

Do it with a Photoshop plugin, cheap, controllable and no filter.

yeah but it's under the Filters menu. Now what?!

And your point is?

 

[SquarePeg]

I like the way it looks depending on the photo. Topaz labs star effects plug in is the one I've used.

 

[Dao]

If no added effect after the photo was taken, most likely that star effect was the result of smaller aperture with a small bright light source.

 

[DSRay]

If no added effect after the photo was taken, most likely that star effect was the result of smaller aperture with a small bright light source.

This is so.

 

[Solarflare]

I've never done it myself, but I read about it, its traditionally done this way:

- You need a tripod (which is why I never did it myself, I rarely carry a tripod)
- You need low light and bright point sources of light
- You need a lens that has 9 or 7 blades. Preferably straight blades, but its enough if they are rounded for lower apertures and only turn straight at f/11 upwards.
- 9 blades give 18 point stars. 7 blades give 14 point stars. Unfortunately, more than 9 blades will make the effect vanish because the aperture will be too close to a round circle.
- The effect appears with even numbers of blades as well, but even numbers of blades will only give the same number of points as there are blades.
- You need to stop that lens down to like f/16, which combined with the low light means tripods are required

I guess the filter that has been mentioned is a much more easy option, especially since you can give your stars as many points as you want. You could even go for an odd number of points.

 

[KmH]

When a small lens aperture is used, the technical name for the 'sparkles' emanating from a bright light source is diffraction spikes.

The spikes a cross screen filter make have a different look from small lens aperture diffraction spikes: Flickr: The Filters: Cross Screen, Star & Spectral Effects Pool

Photos made using a cross screen filter - Bing