Photography tips

Star effects

KKL Lucerne at night with light installations from the Lilu Festival and a reflection in a puddle.

Key tips

Use a small aperture like f/20 to create star effects on light sources.
Use a small aperture (high f-number) to turn point light sources into star effects.
Use a closed aperture to achieve specific star effects when photographing point light sources.

Photographs on this topic

4 photographs with tips

The exact camera settings for each shot are shown below it - a starting point for recreating the look yourself. Click through to a photograph for detailed photography tips on that specific shot, under "Photography tips for this image".

All subjects Architecture City

15 mm · f/20 · 30 s · ISO 800

Wet cobblestones in a night alley of Lucerne old town with light star effects from street lamps

15 mm · f/22 · 6 s · ISO 800

The illuminated Nydegg Bridge in Bern over the dark Aare river at night

50 mm · f/14 · 25 s · ISO 400

Long exposure of the Seebrücke bridge in Lucerne at night with passing vehicles

50 mm · f/22 · 13 s · ISO 200