Use a small light source and a small aperture to shoot starbursts

Starburst and light

Nikon explains the starburst effect as the diffraction of light waves as they pass around the lens aperture blades. It recommends choosing small light sources that are significantly brighter than ambient light; street lights, car lights, holiday lights, and the sun are all examples cited in the article. 〔G-SUNSTAR-01〕

Start taking test shots with a small aperture

After putting a small, bright light source into the composition, you can try shooting from a smaller aperture. The starting value given in the Nikon article is f/8, and it is recommended to continue trying according to the lens and light source; this value is a starting point, not a universal optimal aperture. 〔G-SUNSTAR-02〕

Arrange the position and size of the sun

When shooting sunrise or sunset, you can choose your camera position and wait for the sun to move to the desired position. The photographer in the Nikon article recommends letting only a small area of ​​the sun enter the frame; when the sun appears too large in the frame, the effect may be more like a blob of light. 〔G-SUNSTAR-03〕

Confirm exposure and stability

Small apertures and darker environments may result in longer exposures. Nikon recommends using a tripod and introduces exposure bracketing as a method to confirm the results; the actual exposure still needs to be adjusted according to the shooting scene. 〔G-SUNSTAR-04〕