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El Bokeh Wall: How To Make Gorgeous Backgrounds Using Aluminum Foil
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El Bokeh Wall: How To Make Gorgeous Backgrounds Using Aluminum Foil

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“El Bokeh Wall” is a photographic technique by Laya Gerlock where aluminum foil is used to create bokeh, the aesthetic quality of the blur in the background. Laya explains how to do it.

To get this effect, you’ll need a camera and a large aperture lens, speedlights, a wireless trigger, gels, aluminum foil or silver wrapping paper, and scissors and tape. Scroll down for the instructions!

More info: layagerlock.com (h/t: petapixel)

Laya Gerlock explains how to create “El Bokeh Wall”

What you’ll need

1. A camera and a large aperture lens
2. Speedlights
3. A wireless trigger
4. Gels
5. Aluminium foil or silver wrapping paper
6. Scissors and tape

Step 1: “Get your aluminium foil or wrapping paper and crumple it”

Step 2: “Lay it flat and you should get something like this”

Step 3: “Tape it to your background a distance away from the subject”

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Step 4: “Get your speedlight and choose a colored gel for the background that you want”

Step 5: “Place your speedlight with gel below your shooting table and point it towards your background (the crumpled aluminium foil)”

Step 6: “For the main light I used a speedlight with a small softbox and diffused it some more with an acrylic sheet in front”

Here are the results:

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ferinaalbano avatar
drmeddenrasen avatar
ManuelHa
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I guess something like that. It does also depend on focal length and distance between the subject and the background. :)

Load More Replies...
coex2015430 avatar
진기사
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hi, I'm a Korean subscriber. The post was very useful and funny. May I translate your post into Korean and upload it to my facebook page(my facebook page is owned and operated by Korean photoshow organizer). Surely I'll mark the original source and copyright. I'll wait for your response.

aileen_damaris_311 avatar
LeenPol
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Use aluminum foil to make background for your $1000 camera!

jenniferpace avatar
JenniferP
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'd rather spend $1000 on a camera that lasts for years than on a background I only use twice...

Load More Replies...
kamkats12 avatar
KateFavor
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I need to try this! But, knowing my luck, it won't work, lol

jlotus avatar
JLotus
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you have trouble, look for foil bokeh on diyphotography.net, there are a few articles with better descriptions of how to do this.

Load More Replies...
luyendao avatar
LuyenDao
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Very neat - but with the result, why not just go digital?

ferinaalbano avatar
drmeddenrasen avatar
ManuelHa
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I guess something like that. It does also depend on focal length and distance between the subject and the background. :)

Load More Replies...
coex2015430 avatar
진기사
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hi, I'm a Korean subscriber. The post was very useful and funny. May I translate your post into Korean and upload it to my facebook page(my facebook page is owned and operated by Korean photoshow organizer). Surely I'll mark the original source and copyright. I'll wait for your response.

aileen_damaris_311 avatar
LeenPol
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Use aluminum foil to make background for your $1000 camera!

jenniferpace avatar
JenniferP
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'd rather spend $1000 on a camera that lasts for years than on a background I only use twice...

Load More Replies...
kamkats12 avatar
KateFavor
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I need to try this! But, knowing my luck, it won't work, lol

jlotus avatar
JLotus
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you have trouble, look for foil bokeh on diyphotography.net, there are a few articles with better descriptions of how to do this.

Load More Replies...
luyendao avatar
LuyenDao
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Very neat - but with the result, why not just go digital?

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