Christmas lights: Hello What is the trick to photographing Christmas lights?

arkitekt2 Loc: Warwick, NY

Hello
What is the trick to photographing Christmas lights?

Lights at my house

Santas

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

arkitekt2 wrote:

Hello
What is the trick to photographing Christmas lights?

Nice pictures. Is that from this year? My lights are still in storage. I'd say white balance is an issue. You will get loads of good answers.

arkitekt2 Loc: Warwick, NY

jerryc41 wrote:

Nice pictures. Is that from this year? My lights are still in storage. I'd say white balance is an issue. You will get loads of good answers.

Thanks - yes, they are from this year. I usually put up the lights the day after Thanksgiving. In competition with the family across the pond.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

arkitekt2 wrote:

Thanks - yes, they are from this year. I usually put up the lights the day after Thanksgiving. In competition with the family across the pond.

Oooh! A lighting competition. That can get scary - for the credit card. :D

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

arkitekt2 wrote:

Hello
What is the trick to photographing Christmas lights?

Looks like you didn't get the focus in #1 or there was camera movement. Were you hand-holding or was it on tripod? Here is your data. Shutter speed too slow to hand-hold. Also, if you can over-ride automatic, make the exposure shorter - will show less house and more color of the lights.

arkitekt2 Loc: Warwick, NY

Linda From Maine wrote:

Looks like you didn't get the focus in #1 or there was camera movement. Were you hand-holding or was it on tripod? Here is your data. Shutter speed too slow to hand-hold. Also, if you can over-ride automatic, make the exposure shorter - will show less house and more color of the lights.

Thank you - yes, I used a tripod. Will try taking the automatic mode off and reduce the shutter speed.

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

arkitekt2 wrote:

Hello
What is the trick to photographing Christmas lights?

the trick?

Not waiting until it's pitch dark.

Shoot as the sky gets darker "dusk" and turns blue....and the light amount equalizes with the brightness of the Christmas lights.

Then you will have a pleasing exposure for about 10 or 15 minutes.

Once the sky is very dark, then (in my opinion) the pictures get uninteresting looking.

I wouldn't shoot auto...I'd get a manual exposure and shoot away for 10 minutes.

arkitekt2 Loc: Warwick, NY

rpavich wrote:

the trick?

Not waiting until it's pitch dark.

Shoot as the sky gets darker "dusk" and turns blue....and the light amount equalizes with the brightness of the Christmas lights.

Then you will have a pleasing exposure for about 10 or 15 minutes.

Once the sky is very dark, then (in my opinion) the pictures get uninteresting looking.

I wouldn't shoot auto...I'd get a manual exposure and shoot away for 10 minutes.

Thank you. i will try again tomorrow if the weather is good.

I appreciate all the input...!

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

Hey!

Got this in the mail just by chance this morning..."Christmas Photography tips" by Kelby Training.

http://www.exposureguide.com/christmas-photography-tips.htm

arkitekt2 Loc: Warwick, NY

rpavich wrote:

Hey!

Got this in the mail just by chance this morning..."Christmas Photography tips" by Kelby Training.

http://www.exposureguide.com/christmas-photography-tips.htm

Thanks RP. This should be very helpful.

Whuff Loc: Marshalltown, Iowa

Rpavich is steering you right. His advice about shooting before it gets completely dark is right on the money. That's the very first thing I ever learned about photography, way back before I ever bought a decent camera, when all I had was a $79 Kodak. Good luck!