photographing christmas lights ??

James Bass

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Nov 15, 2003, 11:48:39 AM11/15/03

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Hello,

I'm looking for some tips on photographing christmas decorations (outdoor
lights, in the snow) in the late afternoon & early evening. Any & all help
is appreciated.

-thanks

Tony Spadaro

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Nov 15, 2003, 2:20:01 PM11/15/03

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In daylight you would meter as normal -just remember to expose for the
snow to be white. I would meter the snow and add one stop to the reading
then bracket around that.
Early evening can get tricky. Do you want just the lights or the lights
and background? Minimal exposure will get you points of light on a dark
field, while givign it more will illuminate areas of teh background. There
is no way to completely accurately predict what it will take so bracket
heavily.
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Robert Peirce

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Nov 15, 2003, 2:33:42 PM11/15/03

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In article <HNstb.88008$ji3....@twister.nyroc.rr.com>,
"James Bass" <jhb...@twcny.rr.com.spam> wrote:

Assuming you are also trying to get what the lights are hung on, the
trick to this is double-exposure. Mount the camera on a tripod and take
a picture of the object without light. When it gets dark, take a
picture of the lights. The trick is to get the two exposures right, and
it has been so long since I did it that I don't really recall. You will
need to talk to somebody who has done it recently enough to suggest
correct exposures.

--
Robert B. Peirce, Venetia, PA 724-941-6883
rbpe...@adelphia.net [Mac]
r...@cooksonpeirce.com [Office]

Joseph Meehan

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Nov 15, 2003, 2:42:17 PM11/15/03

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You are on the right track. Finding just the right time to get the
effect of the lights themselves and the object they are on is a little bit
of a trick. Since you crossposted to both digital and traditional ngs I
can't offer much advice as the tricks are different for the different
equipment.

I suggest you also consider rain as well as snow. It does not need to
be raining, but the reflections can be a great effect.

--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math

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Ron Andrews

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Nov 15, 2003, 5:05:45 PM11/15/03

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IMHO, the best pictures or outdoor lights are taken at night with snow
on the ground. You will need a tripod to shoot long exposures. If you have
any interior lights on, keep them low or they will overwhelm the Christmas
lights. It is good to have some light on the house exterior in addition to
the Christmas lights. A full moon on a clear night is ideal. If the weather
and lunar cycles don't cooperate, you can try multiple flashes during the
time exposure.

--
Ron Andrews
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mcgyverjones

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Nov 15, 2003, 7:23:09 PM11/15/03

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"James Bass" <jhb...@twcny.rr.com.spam> wrote in message
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A cross-hatch filter (or piece of window screen) can be an interesting
effect too, just don't overdo it. Gives star effect and slight softening.

MJ

jam

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Nov 15, 2003, 8:42:55 PM11/15/03

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Please see my reply in the recent thread "Night photo question"
--
Jeremy McCreary
Denver, CO
www.cliffshade.com/dpfwiw/
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zeitgeist

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Nov 26, 2003, 3:15:07 AM11/26/03

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the main trick in photographing xmas lights is to get the lab to print the
images down, they tend to average the whole scene, which contains a lot of
dark areas to a relatively few bright ones, so they will make the blacks a
washed out gray.

if digital you would want to meter or aim the sensor at an area near the
lights, so the lights will still blow out bright but leave enough detail in
the surrounds, if you can, walk up the some partially lit areas and lock an
exposure in.

best time to shoot is when there is still a bit of detail, late twilight
when the sky is deep purple, but you can still sorta see. again you will
want to print the image down as all meters will want to get into the medium
gray tone.

tripod is essential.

don't use flash.

make use of your camera's white balance, read the windows that are lit by
tungsten bulbs and the windows, especially if there is cool Norman Rockwell
christmas tree visible, will be warm/neutral and the snow will be a burrrr
cold blue.

you could try and find some tungsten balanced film but for some reason I've
never understood, they don' sell any that fast. Like who ever heard of a
really brightly lit scene with tungsten lights, duh.

oh, did I mention a tripod.

just to make sure, tripod.