Day 346 Daily Photo Challenge 12-11-2012 "Christmas Lights"
Dec 10, 2012 22:37:04 #
Normally when we talk about balancing light, it usually means balancing ambient with flash. But getting good photos of holiday lights involves a different kind of light balancing: Continuous ambient with fading ambient.
You don't need a high-end camera for great results. You can use a very inexpensive digital camera and do just fine. You don't even need flash. It all comes down to what time of the day you shoot. And a couple of other little tricks.
1. Arrive early. The best time to shoot is before it gets totally dark. More specifically, get there before what looks like mix light to your eyes, too.
2. Compose your photo in such a way as to include as much sky as possible in the background. Shooting from a low position can help. Even better: If you have your choice of shooting direction, shoot into the afterglow of the evening sky.
3. Try setting your camera's white balance for "tungsten," as if you were shooting indoors without flash. All of those little lights are tungsten balanced. As a bonus, the tungsten setting will turn your afterglow sky royal blue once your light balances out.
4. A light foreground like the snow or water can give nice foreground interest.
5. Use a tripod or a beanbag to steady your camera. (I need to remember this cause Im a shaker) You'll be shooting in the range of a quarter second to a full second at twilight. If shooting with a smartphone or tablet, use both hands to brace it against something solid.
6. Somewhere in between sunset and full dark, the Christmas lights and the ambient light will start to mix beautifully. You'll have about a 10-minute window which will give you a nice series of subtly different lighting variations.
Have fun with this . I look forward to seeing what you all come up with. Low light shooting continues to be a challenge for me.
Happy snapping! :thumbup:
(these are worth watching)
http://youtu.be/ojzxvgkB4eY
http://youtu.be/-xLoQ72Ec3k
You don't need a high-end camera for great results. You can use a very inexpensive digital camera and do just fine. You don't even need flash. It all comes down to what time of the day you shoot. And a couple of other little tricks.
1. Arrive early. The best time to shoot is before it gets totally dark. More specifically, get there before what looks like mix light to your eyes, too.
2. Compose your photo in such a way as to include as much sky as possible in the background. Shooting from a low position can help. Even better: If you have your choice of shooting direction, shoot into the afterglow of the evening sky.
3. Try setting your camera's white balance for "tungsten," as if you were shooting indoors without flash. All of those little lights are tungsten balanced. As a bonus, the tungsten setting will turn your afterglow sky royal blue once your light balances out.
4. A light foreground like the snow or water can give nice foreground interest.
5. Use a tripod or a beanbag to steady your camera. (I need to remember this cause Im a shaker) You'll be shooting in the range of a quarter second to a full second at twilight. If shooting with a smartphone or tablet, use both hands to brace it against something solid.
6. Somewhere in between sunset and full dark, the Christmas lights and the ambient light will start to mix beautifully. You'll have about a 10-minute window which will give you a nice series of subtly different lighting variations.
Have fun with this . I look forward to seeing what you all come up with. Low light shooting continues to be a challenge for me.
Happy snapping! :thumbup:
(these are worth watching)
http://youtu.be/ojzxvgkB4eY
http://youtu.be/-xLoQ72Ec3k
Dec 10, 2012 22:50:00 #
Dec 10, 2012 22:57:14 #
Dec 10, 2012 23:16:44 #
aleone63 wrote:
Normally when we talk about balancing light, it us... (show quote)
Thanks for the tips Annette. Can't wait to try this tomorrow. I have tried to shoot my indoor tree and no luck. No decent results.
Dec 10, 2012 23:20:22 #
Pretty Nan. You left before I got back to Composition. I would like to see what you can do. I know the lighting is bad it's the composition I'm trying to get better at.
Anyone else can try too.
:-)
RiverNan wrote:
inside
Anyone else can try too.
:-)
Dec 11, 2012 00:10:16 #
sounds like a fun challenge....I will try to see what I can do tomorrow...sun rises about 11:00 and sets around 3:00....but after the shortest day on the 21st it starts getting lighter by about 5 minutes a day.....over the hump....lol Here's some of my indoor shots meanwhile...
markar wrote:
Pretty Nan. You left before I got back to Composition. I would like to see what you can do. I know the lighting is bad it's the composition I'm trying to get better at.
Anyone else can try too.
:-)
RiverNan wrote:
inside
Anyone else can try too.
:-)
winter time flowers!!
pretty ornament on my fake tree
Happy Chanukkah also....
Dec 11, 2012 05:57:01 #
Very festive theme today. Thanks. My first one is, and I hope readers will understand why, is seemingly out of focus, (it is not. It is Elvis at a Xmas party. Very elusive, have you ever seen a in-focus shot of Bigfoot?) Next is not lights but wrapping and the last two convey not only a sense of humour but also of delight. Bah! Humbug to each and every one............
aleone63 wrote:
Normally when we talk about balancing light, it us... (show quote)
Elvis . Rockin around the Christmas Tree.R
Well wrapped against the cold....
Roaming.... in the Gloaming
So, still not sure how to wrap your handypartners gift.....what to
Dec 11, 2012 06:17:18 #
The start of a new day and a colouful challenge awaits us...first contribution, more to follow
Atribute to my wife who is making a cake for Christmas lit up by fondant roses...
Dec 11, 2012 06:40:31 #
modest...I HAVE SEEN THAT HOUSE BEFORE...
I think it was either in a commercial on tv or on the news...no kidding. that is something. [quote=modest genius]quote]
having a little photoshop experience this morning....
joy to you
I think it was either in a commercial on tv or on the news...no kidding. that is something. [quote=modest genius]quote]
having a little photoshop experience this morning....
joy to you
from the picture above
frosty appeared when the fog lifted hahah
in camera art setting photoshop letters
Dec 11, 2012 07:06:23 #
Dec 11, 2012 07:25:01 #
judy juul
Loc: Cheshire, Ct.
aleone63 wrote:
Normally when we talk about balancing light, it us... (show quote)
Just a few from home
Over Dining Table
Reverse reflection from lit Christmas tree
Handmade ornament -creator now gone many years
Dec 11, 2012 08:11:36 #
We were in Cincinnati this past weekend and I took these shots.
Lytle Park
Lytle Park
Dec 11, 2012 08:21:34 #
judy juul
Loc: Cheshire, Ct.
Roadrunner wrote:
The start of a new day and a colouful challenge awaits us...first contribution, more to follow
Like the dining room table-looks very inviting! WARM!
Dec 11, 2012 08:24:25 #
Dec 11, 2012 08:30:17 #
If you want to reply, then register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.