Ready for another Christmas Tree Photo Tutorial for capturing ornaments, lights and white balancing?!
Carey from Barefoot Memories shares some of her favorite photography tips on Christmas photos!
Christmas trees are beautiful.
Christmas trees are gorgeous.
So why is it so hard to get a great picture of something so pretty!?!
Using the tools you’ve got in your hand, you can accomplish stunning images.
You just have to use techniques and settings that you would probably not use otherwise.
Let’s jump into to my Christmas Trees Photo Tutorial!
- 1. Use a VERY slow shutter speed and a high ISO. For my shot I used a shutter speed of 2sec, set my camera to TV mode and let the camera choose the aperture. I remember one photography expert telling me that ISO is like grit on sandpaper. The higher the ISO, the higher the “GRIT”, like high-grit sandpaper, and there are more “nooks and crannies” to absorb in more light in dark situations.
- 2. You don’t have to have a tripod, just find a sturdy surface near where you want to shoot. For my shot, I had to move some ornaments into a good position. I lost my tripod bracket for my camera, so I ended up using my piano bench.
- 3. Use your camera’s TIMER! Just the movement of pushing the shutter button will move your camera & blur your shot. Use the timer, then you’re not pushing the shutter button as the shot is being taken.
- 4. Ignore the blinking numbers on your camera. If you have a DSLR, the metering settings will probably blink like the twinkling lights on your Christmas tree — warning you that your shot is under or over-exposed. You know better than your camera in this case.
- 5. TRIAL AND ERROR. Take a lot of shots, checking the back of your camera. Is it brighter than you want? Set the camera to a little bit quicker shutter speed. Is it too dark? Open the shutter for a longer time for the next shot.
- 6. Use the AF-points (auto-focus) points on your camera. Your camera will be hunting for focus all night if you have it set to full auto-focus in such a dark setting. On my shot, I wanted the bear in focus, but it’s way over to the left. I set the camera to look at the furthest left AF point instead of the center AF point that I usually use. Lock the camera into a certain AF point so the camera knows where to look for focus.
- 7. Shoot RAW if you can. Shooting in a RAW mode will allow you to not “lock in” your white balance settings. White balance settings are only embedded into an image when the picture is saved out to jpg. If you can shoot RAW, do so, then you can choose the white balance that looks best on your monitor. I use Adobe Camera Raw to set my white balance, but many photographers use Canon Digital Photo Pro, the software that comes with Canon DSLR cameras. For most Christmas tree shots, I end up lowering the color temperature of my white balance because Canon tends to create indoor images on the “warm” side, so I cool them down. If you can’t shoot RAW, choose auto white balance or a tungsten white balance setting so your camera knows that you are shooting a setting with a more “yellow” light than daylight or florescent.
(And for all you Lightroom lovers, yes, Lightroom does have WB adjustments which emulate WB adjustments on jpgs.)
8. Experiment with different focal lengths. I wasn’t sure how I wanted to compose my image, so I took a bunch of shots with my 24-70 lens. I took some wide @24mm, and I zoomed way in for some at 70mm. I decided I liked this one best, the one I shot at 57mm. It shows my bear, given to my by my godfather when I was a child, my son’s “Baby’s first Christmas” ornament, our annual family crystal ornament, along with some beautiful light sparkle & pine greenery.
Try these Christmas Tree Photo Tips and then share your favorite photo on Me Ra’s Facebook Page!
See the different results White Balance can give your Christmas Tree with Me Ra’s post!
Merry Christmas!
Carey
All wonderful tip! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I will be doing some experimenting!
Love the “Tips” posts – keep them coming.
Thanks Carey, Me Ra and Brian-you too! I had an afternoon to put allot of your tips to the test and had a blast. I think I got carried away as I moved from ornaments on the tree, to the manger scene and last but not least a bottle of wine shimmering infront of the fire. It was a wonderful way to spend the day, I learned a ton and was thrilled with the results. I really appriciate all that you share. Scroll down my blog and take a peek. Thanks again, you all are awesome!
love your site. you’ve got some great information here. i’ll be back to learn.
Thanks so much for the tips, I just bought a Nikon so any advice helps. =D
[…] Here’s what captured my attention in December and had not yet had the chance to share with you: Basic Course in Photography Intro to Sports Photography Techniques Learn photography online with PPSOP and Adorama Strictly No Photography, Photos You Were Not Allowed To Take The Myth of Photojournalistic Wedding Photography Top five tips for indoor photography The Art Of Non-Invasive Street Photography A beginner’s guide to digital photography Photography tutorial: Spontaneity in your people pictures Contemporary Wedding Photography Photo Tips for Christmas Lights 16 Inspiration Portrait Photography Techniques Top Best 55 Photoshop Tutorials For Professional Photographers How to Recreate Depth of Field in 7 Steps [Post-Production] Photoshop Tutorial: Turning day into night Professional Photography Equipment Guide Top Deals On Digital Cameras Advertising Photography – How To Mesmerise Your Audience Take Incredible Self-Portraits Tips for Photographing Outdoor Sculpture Ultimate Time-Lapse Photography How-To More Photography Tips on Christmas Photos Beginning In Photography: Shooting In Low Light Top 10 Photography for Real Estate Posts In 2007 Best street photography/photographers More: features, photography, photography articles, photography features, photography links photography on the web Share and Enjoy: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages. […]
Ma huang….
Ma huang ephedra. Ma huang. Ma huang diet pills….
Yellow jackets with ephedra….
Lipo ephedra free caps from nutrex. Connecticut ephedra attorneys. Ephedra….
Sildenafil medlineplus….
Sildenafil citrate india. Sildenafil citrate….
Diet pills might help you to reduce your weight but they have nasty side effects too~,-
diet pills should be avoided coz they can give some nasty side effects-`.
we will be buying more christmas ornaments these christmas because we like to decorate more .-“
Thanks for the marvelous posting! I seriously enjoyed reading it, you might be a great author.I will be sure to bookmark your blog and may come back later in life. I want to encourage you to continue your great job, have a nice morning!
Collection of some of your personal information is essential for completion of some of the functions and activities of this Website. We will? if it is reasonable or practicable to do so? also collect your personal information directly from you. For instance? the collection of your personal information may happen when you.
Wow, this hit the nail right on the head. Great post buddy.. I can’t wait for your next article. Thanks for the great share pal. Cheers
Enorme !
Facebook forward Friday created a totally new image converse volume it lets you do reveal when paired with Skype, with what typically the social-networking monster wanted to say is going to be to begin many news of recent forms to be entered in the following couple of weeks.
Thanks for another informative website. Where else could I get that kind of info written in such an ideal way? I’ve a project that I am just now working on, and I’ve been on the look out for such info.
2. Good post over again. I am looking forward for more updates.
Excellent write!.. I’ve been searching about for this for a while now. Thank you Google for bringing me to your website lol. I can constantly rely on Google to get the very best data. Anyways, I identified some related info about Affordable business to business collections firm also. You may want to check them out (http://collectionagencytokyojapan.info). Pretty fascinating read, also. Anyways, thank you for your post! If you have anything else associated, please shoot me and email to let me know. Take care! PS .. I bookmarked you on StumbledUpon as More Photography Tips on Christmas Photos! Me Ra Koh Photography Blog 🙂
Thanks for your insight for the wonderful posting. I am glad I have taken the time to see this.
What’s Happening i am new to this, I stumbled upon this I’ve found It absolutely helpful and it has aided me out loads. I hope to contribute & assist other users like its aided me. Great job.
Merely wanna remark on few general things, The website pattern is perfect, the written content is very great : D.
I like the helpful information you provide in your articles. I’ll bookmark your blog and check again here frequently. I’m quite certain I will learn many new stuff right here! Good luck for the next!
Wow! This can be one particular of the most beneficial blogs We’ve ever arrive across on this subject. Actually Wonderful. I am also an expert in this topic so I can understand your effort.
But wanna remark that you have a very nice internet site , I enjoy the style it actually stands out.
I am glad to be a visitant of this double dyed blog ! , thanks for this rare information! .
I don’t unremarkably comment but I gotta state appreciate it for the post on this special one : D.
Thanks for your own work on this website. Betty take interest in going through internet research and it is simple to grasp why. I know all relating to the dynamic ways you create very useful techniques by means of this website and welcome response from some others on the situation while our own daughter is always discovering a great deal. Enjoy the rest of the new year. You have been carrying out a great job.
Regards for helping out, good information. “A man will fight harder for his interests than for his rights.” by Napoleon Bonaparte.