A few weeks ago my family took a trip to view some of our state’s most elaborate Christmas light displays. Being a snap-happy parent, I didn’t let the event go by without taking a few hundred photos: A few dozen of my daughter posing in front of brightly-lit gingerbread mansions, a dozen more of her in front of the State Capitol’s 60-foot Christmas tree, and even more of the awe-inspiring twinklers at the botanical garden.
The trip was great. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said of all of my pictures. Some of the shots that I took of the outdoor light displays at dusk didn’t come out as well as I would have liked. I know exactly what I did wrong… hence this blog. If you are planning to take shots of indoor or outdoor Christmas light displays this year, then consider the following tips that I should have employed:
Shoot at Dusk: This is very important. “Dusk” doesn’t mean 8 p.m., when it’s pitch black out. Ideally, you want to shoot when there is still a tiny bit of natural light left in the sky. By shooting at this time you will be able to capture the house, building, gardens, yard, etc., in addition to the lights. I shot at dusk, but since it was so cloudy out, my camera didn’t pick up on the subtle natural lighting.
Use Manual Mode: Outdoor light displays are tricky to capture in AUTO mode. If you have the ability to do so, you should seriously consider switching to MANUAL mode, and lowering your ISO to about 200.
Use a Tripod: It’s a good idea to use a tripod whenever you are shooting in low-light situations. When you are trying to capture outdoor Christmas lights, consider using a tripod and a 5 second exposure. I turned off my flash, but didn’t turn off autofocus, which I should have done. You can experiment with the exposure. Take a few shots and see how they look. If they are lighter than you’d like, use a shorter exposure. If they are too dark, try a longer exposure.
Related Articles:
Stocking Stuffers for Your Favorite Shutterbug
Christmas Gift Ideas For Your Favorite Shutterbug
Last-Minute Holiday Picture Taking Advice
Who’s In Your Christmas Card Photo?
Giving the Gift of Photos this Holiday