bingonut Loc: Cape Cod

I am a beginner in photography, I have a Canon Dslr Rebel SL1. Camera.

I will be going to visit an Enchanted Village display with lots of Christmas Lights.

Right now I have been shooting everything in automatic mode. Should I use automatic mode to shoot Christmas Light Photos or should I try another mode?

I would like to get some really nice photos if possible.

Thanks for any help anybody can give.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Will you be there after dark? I would not recommend auto or flash. Do they allow tripods?

If you aren't yet comfortable with understanding exposure (setting your own shutter speed, aperture, ISO), try a setting such as "handheld night scene." I think there's one called "candlelight" in the scene mode section. Test them out before you go!

Here is the user manual. Read pages 75 - 77:

http://gdlp01.c-wss.com/gds/5/0300010915/01/eos-rebelsl1-100d-im-en.pdf

bingonut Loc: Cape Cod

Yes I will be there after dark. I am not sure about tripod.

Thanks for your help.

frozenhermitphoto

Are you going to photograph the lights, or a person? The reason I ask is because of your exposure. Lots of little lights can mess with your exposure if taking a portrait.

For example, if you want a portrait of someone ten feet from your camera, and the lights are twenty feet away (like a solid wall of them) and you expose their face correctly, the lights may be too bright in the background. Likewise if you expose so the lights are bearable, then the face may be too dark. A speedlight with a soft box may be the only way to pull it off, but if you are a "full auto" shooter this type of lighting control may be beyond your scope.

If you are just going to shoot the pretty lights and not worry about portraits, it will probably be easier to get decent photos. I would suggest (if you have time) going out after dark and shooting some neighborhood lights using different settings on your auto menu. To keep them straight, try making the same number of exposures for each setting, then when you review them on the computer you can decide which settings you like the best. It may help to take notes as to the order of your settings, unless you can find that info in your EXIF data. Take a friend and they can not only make notes for you, they can watch your back while you shoot.

Hope this helps! I doubt I will get to shoot Christmas lights this year; my work schedule is horrible this month. Share your best with us, please.

balticvid Loc: Queens now NJ

If at all possible, try to get their before daylight
is completely gone and the Christmas lights are on.
Keep shooting until their is no more daylight.

I got some surprising shots doing this.

bingonut Loc: Cape Cod

Thanks all for your help, I will be just taking photos of the Christmas Lights and displays.

jimmya Loc: Phoenix

Here's what I do. You'll need a tripod. Set your camera to f/10 in aperture priority and allow the camera to decide the shutter speed. Set your ISO 100 - this to keep down the noise. F/10 is a sweet spot on your lens and will give you sharp photos of the lights.

I use my camera's on board timer so there's no camera movement after your press the shutter release so no blur.
It takes a little while to get good photos because the exposure could run several seconds plus the 10-second timer takes up some time but I think you'll be pleased with the end result.

I also think you'll find that allowing the camera to decide the shutter speed (several seconds in some cases) that it will be dead on - My t3i is always dead on when I shoot this way.

Good luck and have fun.

bingonut Loc: Cape Cod

Thanks Jimmaya for your suggestion, I do no know if tripods Re allowed, besides there will probably be a lot of people walking around so it may be hard to use a tripod.

jimmya Loc: Phoenix

I went to a city display not long ago in a local park, a very large display. People were there but not enough to bother a tripod... take it, you won't regret having it with you. Besides no human can take long night exposures hand held.