There are not many more endearing sights in the holiday season than your little ones gazing up at the soft light of your family Christmas tree. Not so endearing is the blurry mess that appears on your camera screen when you attempt to take a photo of this priceless moment.
Taken with a point & shoot camera, hand held & with the flash on. YUCK!
With December already half way over, let's talk today about how to maneuver your camera and set up the scene in your home to ensure you clearly capture the magic and wonder of your family and the lights of the holiday season.
KEYS
1. Turn off flash and all other lights.
2. Set camera on a tripod or a hard surface. Do not hold the camera because even the minor shake of your hand causes too much blur. You can even set the camera's timer to prevent camera shake.
3. Set child close to the tree with their face turned toward it. Take pictures from different angles. Shooting directly behind the child will give you a beautiful silhouette. Moving around to see the child's face will capture that angelic glow.
4. Another tip from experience . . . before trying this with your child, I would first practice with a doll or teddy bear to get your camera set just right, then bring the child in. They tend to get antsy really fast.
SLR CAMERA - on manual
ISO - set to 800 or more. Usually go the level just below the max your camera can go otherwise the image becomes too grainy. The higher the ISO number the more sensitive the camera is to light. This means you can take pictures in a darker room with a high ISO number.
Shutter Speed - set around 1/15 - the lower the number, the slower the shutter speed which allows in more light before the shutter closes. Hand held camera shake begins under 1/60. This is why you need a tripod or a hard surface to set the camera on. Also, the child has to be still or they will blur as the shutter slowly closes. You can have them look at one ornament or even hold one to keep them in one place. Giving them a candy cane to suck on works too.
Aperture - set around f/2.8 or as low a number as your lens will allow - the lower the number, the wider the shutter will open to let in more light. It also creates a shallow depth of field, meaning the background will be blurred, but the subject that you are focused on will be in focus.
This is just a starting point. Play around with your settings; make adjustments according to your camera's capabilities and the brightness of your tree lights. Have fun with it!
I tried to make a sample using a lens and camera settings that you may have:
18-55mm lens (a typical kit lens), shutter speed 1/15, aperture f/3.5, ISO 1250
My camera is resting on a stool. This is SOOC (straight out of camera; no enhancements).
POINT & SHOOT CAMERA
Depending on your camera, select the icon with the person in the foreground & the moon or star in the background. It might even be just a moon. Either way, you are looking for a setting that will shoot without the flash in low light.
This was taken with my son's old Sony Cybershot 7.2 mega pixels point & shoot. I set it on the moon (twilight) setting. The camera is sitting on the floor. I used a cord under it to give the front of the camera a little lift, set the camera on it's timer so I wouldn't cause camera shake and told my son to hold still like a statue for 10 seconds.
SEND ME YOUR IMAGES, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THEM!
YOU MIGHT EVEN GET A SPECIAL GIFT!
Here are some more fantastic blog posts you will find helpful:
New York Institute of Photography - great article using SLR, point & shoot, shooting indoor & outdoor.
Elizabeth Halford - I have been a fan of her for years. Here she takes a totally different approach, but is only photographing the tree, not subjects.
Here is my attempt at Elizabeth's "recipe". I love the lights! Since the shutter speed is 8 seconds, there can be absolutely no movement.
Here is my attempt at Elizabeth's "recipe". I love the lights! Since the shutter speed is 8 seconds, there can be absolutely no movement.
18-55mm lens, shutter speed 8 sec., aperture f/16
Exposure Guide - this one talks about using an off-camera flash, so it doesn't create the same mood, but it is full of great tips if you are wanting a well lit image.
Strobist - this one is a great tutorial on outdoor Christmas lights
FEEL FREE TO COMMENT AND SHARE SOME
OTHER SITES YOU HAVE FOUND HELPFUL.
HAVE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!
HAVE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!
Next week's blog: Stacey's favorite things !!!
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