The Bokeh Filter Project is a unique photo project designed to inspire students' creativity and enhance their photography skills. In this project, students will have the opportunity to create their own bokeh filter to fit on a camera lens and use it to create portraits or photograph objects based on the theme of their filter.
The project starts with an introduction to bokeh, a popular photography technique that produces a beautiful, blurred background effect. Students will learn about the essential elements that contribute to achieving bokeh, such as aperture settings and the distance between the subject and the background.
Once students have a grasp of bokeh, they will be guided through the process of designing and crafting their personalized bokeh filters. Using materials such as black cardstock, colored cellophane, or string lights, students will create filters that align with their selected theme.
After creating their filters, students will attach them to the camera lens and begin photographing portraits or objects. They will explore how their filters interact with light and result in unique bokeh effects, adding an artistic touch to their images. The theme of each student's filter will inspire their choice of subject matter, whether it's capturing the essence of a person through a portrait or revealing the beauty of an everyday object.
Throughout the project, students will receive guidance and feedback from their teacher or facilitator, allowing them to refine their photography skills and experiment with different techniques to achieve the desired visual impact.
The Bokeh Filter Photography Project not only encourages students to explore their creativity and experiment with various photography techniques, but also promotes critical thinking, problem-solving, and attention to detail. By incorporating their custom-made bokeh filters, students will create visually captivating images that reflect their individual artistic styles and enhance their overall photography skills.
| Grade Suitability | 6-12 |
| Maximum Class Size | 20 |
| Time Required | 2-3 hours, 1 hour prep |
| Material Required | Artist can provide the supplies. If the students want prints of their photos that would be at the cost of the school |
| Material Cost | None (unless prints requested) |
| Language of Instruction | English |
| Communities | Haines Junction |
For over two decades I have been passionate about photography and I've honed my craft across diverse realms of visual storytelling. My professional journey began capturing the intimate moments of weddings and portrait photography. I've also lent my expertise as a darkroom manager, and in digital photo editing and restoration. I have worked as a teacher at a Youth Center in Bangkok, Thailand in which I guided students through numerous “light painting” projects. For the last 10 years, as an Education Assistant at St. Elias Community School, I've fostered numerous photo-related projects across all grade levels, cultivating a love for artistic expression, including photo club and photography workshops for the Yukon Department of Education's Rural Experiential Model (REM) for senior high school students in 2018 and 2019. Beyond capturing images, I have offered tutorials to individuals wanting to improve their knowledge of their cameras and photography in general, as well as guiding individuals in harnessing the power of Adobe Photoshop and exploring creative possibilities within and beyond photography.
As an artist in the school, I can offer many tailored workshops that can be used as final demonstrations of learning for units in English language arts, science, drama/art, music and social studies. Most projects have direct ties to the core competencies of the BC curriculum as working with students through the arts fosters their creativity and sense of identity.