Playing with light! (Bokeh, Flare, Light Painting etc.)

Some time ago I started a thread on interesting bokeh shapes (like squares, stars, triangles etc.) but because of my focus on vintage lenses - some of which show those in their original state - I didn't think of including other interesting possibilities of playing around with it, which might be more widely available and fun to try. So I want to start another attempt at inviting everybody here to

a.) share their shots of any kinds of experimenting with light (like interesting or unusual bokeh, flare, light painting, camera movement, veiling or other interesting lens defects etc.)

b.) perhaps share some background information or techniques how the effects were achieved and

c.) go out and try some of those things yourself.

It doesn't matter if you're shots are intentional or accidents and if you can't even explain what happened in your image (that happens to me regularly) it's fine as well.

Here are a couple of examples to give you an idea. I'm sure you have lots more, so please help me get this thing started as a visual celebration of light!

Playing with light by simple.joy, on Flickr

Of course bokeh bubbles aren't that special, but it can be a lot of fun implementing them into an image, because of their clearly defined shape.

Usually that's how well I fit in... by simple.joy, on Flickr

Unusual bokeh shapes are not that common, but while there are some industrial lenses with squares, stars, triangles out there, they also can be achieved by other methods. @TomAxford has shown a number of them already in this post.

Don't fret! Go where inspiration leads you. by simple.joy, on Flickr

Some people are true masters at light painting... While I'm clearly not, I enjoy making little experiments like this from time to time with a tiny light. (I think this was just the tiny LED on some kind of charger or pen...)

Forgetful angel? by simple.joy, on Flickr

This clearly shows that this lens was not made to be used outside... because it hasn't got any kind of lens hood or effective protection from stray light as a whole, this old USSR repro lens is a perfect candidate for experiments with flare.

Ghostberries by simple.joy, on Flickr

Even when the bokeh highlights of a lens aren't very distinct or special, they can be implemented into an image in unusual ways, if you're experimenting with the light and distance to subjects.

Starting with shaped Bokeh (as I have examples to hand)
In this particular case it was too bright for the 50mm/1.2 projection lens I wanted to use, so I added paper disc top the front of the lens with a shaped hole cut out'
This effectively just darkens the portions that are focused but gives the shape of the cutout to the severely OOF point highlights

jaguar in the flowers by Mike Kanssen, on Flickr

vauxhall griffin eats ducks by Mike Kanssen, on Flickr

The incorrect placement of these apertures can give rise to vignetting as seen above. If the cut out is too big for the lens other issues occur...

Very nice shots and thanks for the explanation! It's quite effective, but as you've stated vignetting and cutting-off parts of the shape you create have to be considered! If I'm not mistaken there's also similar kind of clip-on system for bokeh shapes like that from lens baby, but I've never used it myself... Perhaps someone knows it though...

Unusual lenses for specific tasks, often come with lots of limitations/flaws, but also a unique kind of possibilities for experimenting, like with these lenses (both from Steinheil and made for capturing oscilloscope screens), where you never quite know what they'll do until you've tried it:

Treelightful by simple.joy, on Flickr

Wide open by simple.joy, on Flickr

Inside a brighter light, a mighty spider sight! by simple.joy, on Flickr

Running this thing into the ground by simple.joy, on Flickr

Light and Shadow 1 by Marc Aubry, sur Flickr

Light and Shadow 2 by Marc Aubry, sur Flickr

Thank you so much! Those are very beautiful and interesting! I love how the surface (is it glass?) distorts the surroundings. I think @OpenCube has experimented quite a bit recently with a similar technique, albeit some smaller reflective surface, which can be moved. These surfaces look like they're buildings - is that the case?

Yes, it's this small building to be exact.

N°16 Nikon D1 (1999-2000) by Marc Aubry, sur Flickr

Signals in a foreign language by simple.joy, on Flickr

The Cone by Marc Aubry, sur Flickr

Optical essence on fire by simple.joy, on Flickr

From one of our clubs sessions with wire wool
twisted wire wool reflection by Mike Kanssen, on Flickr

This is fine. 😍

Here's an accident. Shot upward by a Sigma SD1 Merrill in full-spectrum mode (UV/IR blocking filter removed) and their 8-16mm zoom at 8mm. The three Foveon layers composited by RawDigger with no conversion to RGB and posted as a 4:2:0 (2x2 chroma) JPEG ..

Wonderful! A really interesting result.

I like it a lot! Has a really special atmosphere to it with those colors. 👍

It's just a spoon, a couple of nails placed in front of it (with a colored LED light) and some diffusion over the whole thing.

... but it was your own poison! I'm just a tool. by simple.joy, on Flickr

Some of the (cheap) Meopta Belar enlarging lenses have a square aperture. They're not very fast so you've got to get close to get a significant effect. Not being a 'square' in bokeh terms is always a lot of fun though...

You call me a pixel pusher? by simple.joy, on Flickr