I just wanted to take a minute to wish you all a happy and safe holidays! I hope Santa Claus brings you some great photo goodies, and that 2013 brings you lots of great photo opportunities! I have a lot of to be thankful for, with the amount of support you have all given me with launch of my apps. I hope I have been able to say thanks to you all in some way so you know that I appreciate all your help.
I’d also like to offer you some tips to get a nice photo of your tree as well as a nice family portrait with it over the holidays.
If you’d like a nice shot of your tree like the one above here’s how!
This was done at night, with only the tree lights on, using the following steps:
Get out your tripod
A good setting would be 1/8th of a second at F8 using MANUAL mode(of course!) with ISO 400. You can play with the exposure a bit to get brighter(slower shutter speed) or darker lights(higher shutter speed)
White balance wise, you can play around a bit to get different results. The one above was with DAYLIGHT, but you could try TUNGSTEN if you find them too warm.
Use your self timer or remote to prevent possible camera shake.
If you want more details of the tree, you could use your flash to fill in the presents, etc. I would suggest bouncing the light off the ceiling however to make it a nicer light!
You can also do a nice family portrait using the same settings to get a nice glow of the tree with the people. You just have to make sure the people stay nice and still. If you are worried about subject movement, try 1/60th of a second at F8.
Follow steps 1-2 above
3. Use FLASH whitebalance
4. You’ll get the best flash results if you bounce it off the ceiling. Use TTL mode on the flash and adjust the flash +/- if necessary, or use MANUAL mode on the flash an adjust the power until the exposure is correct. If you don’t have an external flash, just use your pop up. If you can, put a diffuser in front of it, or a piece of paper, to soften the light. If you use paper, don’t hold it too close to the flash, otherwise it might catch on fire!
Now, if you want yourself in the photograph, you’ll have to use your self time or remote control!
Of course, make sure it’s set to 10 seconds, not 2 like the one above… 🙂
Thanks again everyone! 2013 is going to be another great and exciting year of photography, learning, and other exciting things that I am looking at doing!
Have a safe and happy holidays!
Noel Chenier
ps-Dont forget to check out my photography assignment apps on the apple app store! https://itunes.apple.com/ca/artist/noel-chenier/id566645905full details here: http://www.learnphoto.ca/apps
Noel Chenier
———-
Photographer and teacher
Connect with Noel on INSTAGRAM or TWITTER or via EMAIL
Photography Assignment Generator Apps now available on the app store!
Noel’s Portfolio
Work Done by My Students!
More Photo Tips
PHOTOGRAPHY WORDLE 1
Here is today’s photography wordle. It could be a digital or film photography-based term…a historic process…even an equipment or photography company brand name! If you want to get updated when I post a new one, you will need to register for a free acount HERE. Then you can go to …Kimye’s Honeymoon Ruined By Photoshopping…Photoshop To The Rescue!
May The Force Be With Us….Always As you may have heard, Kimye (Kim Kardashian and Kanye West)’s honeymoon was ruined after they spent four days photoshopping their wedding photographs after Annie Leibovitz (allegedly) backed out of shooting their wedding. Let’s put our Photoshop skills to good use and come up …
Behind The Photo: Air Canada Flight 646 Crash
Hard to belive how fast time flies. It has been 25 years now since I took this photograph, which basically led to my almost two-decade career at the Telegraph-Journal. I’ve told the story behind the photograph more than a few times, but never put it down on here. (2828)
Canada Games Athletes-Volleyball’s Chika Ikejiani
Today’s athlete portrait is of volleyball player Chika Ikejiani. Chika’s a great guy, and I owe him a lot of thanks for his patience and the stupid amount of work it took to get this shot. You will understand why I need to thank him soon… So it was a …
1st Canada Games Portraits-Nicole Barry and Marlene Vaughan
The New Brunswick Canada Games athlete articles have started, so I can now start posting some pix from the shoots. The first story is about Nicole Barry, who is playing on the women’s softball team for this year’s games in Prince Edward Island, and her grandmother Marlene Vaughan, who competed …
(338)