Christmas Lights - Cumberland Heritage Village Museum

[Manfred M]

The Cumberland Heritage Village Museum is a recreated rural village from the 1920s to 1930s. It is located about 25 km / 15 mi east of Ottawa. It has been decorated with Christmas lights, so we headed out to photograph some of these buildings.

This is a hand-blended shot built up from three separate exposures.

[Wavelength]

It's beautiful; but fails to reflect the merriment of Christmas....too lonesome!!!

[Manfred M]

It's beautiful; but fails to reflect the merriment of Christmas....too lonesome!!!

An interesting comment, Nandakumar.

The merriment of Christmas is somewhat of a Hollywood myth, and with the exception of some events on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day or the displays in the downtown core of towns and cities, the reality is much more what is seen in this image. If you walk or drive around most neighbourhoods after dark (sunset is before 4:30PM at this time of year, where I live), you will find very few people out and about. Everyone is indoors, where it is warm and cozy, not outside on a cold winter night. The Christmas lights are on outside though, cheering up anyone who happens to be going by.

Many people decorate their houses with lights at this time of year. They tend to put them on in early December and the lights will often remain on into the early parts of January.

I have read that Christmas is a very lonely time of year for a lot of people; those who do not have friends and family. The lack of daylight affects some worse than others. There is even a name for this medical condition; Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

[zen]

Indeed, Christmas IS lonely for many. I am 81 and living alone after 4 decades plus of marriage, and it's lonely. I have a small tree that only I and my two four-foot friends enjoy, and a few exterior lights. Those of us in this or similar circumstances have memories of joyous times with children and grandchildren - but it is now lonely. While colorful and descriptive of the season, this image accurately captures how some of us feel.

Thank you for sharing your image, Manfred, and your expertise.

Merry Christmas.

Zen

[just me]

Indeed, Christmas IS lonely for many. I am 81 and living alone after 4 decades plus of marriage, and it's lonely. I have a small tree that only I and my two four-foot friends enjoy, and a few exterior lights. Those of us in this or similar circumstances have memories of joyous times with children and grandchildren - but it is now lonely. While colorful and descriptive of the season, this image accurately captures how some of us feel.

Thank you for sharing your image, Manfred, and your expertise.

Merry Christmas.

Zen

Zen.......My very best Christmas Wishes to you .........

Griddi.......

[CatherineA]

Indeed, Christmas IS lonely for many. I am 81 and living alone after 4 decades plus of marriage, and it's lonely. I have a small tree that only I and my two four-foot friends enjoy, and a few exterior lights. Those of us in this or similar circumstances have memories of joyous times with children and grandchildren - but it is now lonely. While colorful and descriptive of the season, this image accurately captures how some of us feel.

Thank you for sharing your image, Manfred, and your expertise.

Merry Christmas.

Zen

Like Griddi, I wish you the very best for Christmas too, Zen.

My friend used to be a minister and one year I went to the “Blue Christmas” service she led. It was beautiful and sad at the same time.

[NorthernFocus]

Nicely composed and captured, Manfred. For my own selfish reasons I'm very disappointed at the absence of snow in the scene. Hopefully that will be rectified over the next few weeks

[Wavelength]

An interesting comment, Nandakumar.

The merriment of Christmas is somewhat of a Hollywood myth, and with the exception of some events on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day or the displays in the downtown core of towns and cities, the reality is much more what is seen in this image. If you walk or drive around most neighbourhoods after dark (sunset is before 4:30PM at this time of year, where I live), you will find very few people out and about. Everyone is indoors, where it is warm and cozy, not outside on a cold winter night. The Christmas lights are on outside though, cheering up anyone who happens to be going by.

Many people decorate their houses with lights at this time of year. They tend to put them on in early December and the lights will often remain on into the early parts of January.

I have read that Christmas is a very lonely time of year for a lot of people; those who do not have friends and family. The lack of daylight affects some worse than others. There is even a name for this medical condition; Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

I clearly understood your explanation; i connected it with what happens over here, where snow, as i told the other day, you can see only in a refrigerator
Regards

[Manfred M]

I clearly understood your explanation; i connected it with what happens over here, where snow, as i told the other day, you can see only in a refrigerator
Regards

Having been to Ladakh in the winter, I can assure you that snow occurs in India as well.

Having been to Kerala in February, I know it doesn't occur there. Part of the group I was in Ladakh with was from Chennai, so the refrigerator comparison was made rather frequently.

[Manfred M]

Indeed, Christmas IS lonely for many. I am 81 and living alone after 4 decades plus of marriage, and it's lonely. I have a small tree that only I and my two four-foot friends enjoy, and a few exterior lights. Those of us in this or similar circumstances have memories of joyous times with children and grandchildren - but it is now lonely. While colorful and descriptive of the season, this image accurately captures how some of us feel.

Thank you for sharing your image, Manfred, and your expertise.

Merry Christmas.

Zen

I understand what you must be going through. My 94 year old father who still lives in the house I grew up in is in a similar situation (minus any four-footed friends); my mother passed away 7 years ago. We have an 81 year old friend are whose wife died a few years ago who is also in somewhat similar situations. Fortunately for both of them, they do have relatives that live near them, but the loneliness of an empty house is tough, especially at this time of year.

[rpcrowe]

I really like this image.

Besides being technically well done, it reminds me of earlier Christmases when this was the type of decoration shared by homes and businesses.

Now I see laser decorations and animated reindeer as well as blow-up snowmen and Santas...

[zen]

Thank you Griddi, Catherine, Manfred and all for your well wishes at this joyous time of year. Despite my loneliness, I love Christmas and the event we celebrate is a joyous one. May I wish all of you a happy and merry Christmas, and hope that you spend the season with loving family and friends.

With all best wishes,

Zen

[Donald]

Zen

I am going in my 3rd Christmas on my own since my wife died. I don't bother with any decorations or such like. It seems a bit daft when your just on your own. And I feel that since I don't believe in religion of any kind or what it says, it is a bit hypocritical of me to celebrate it. However, I'm glad you enjoy it.

Manfred's picture does evoke Christmases past, but that is indeed what the Heritage Village aims for and intends. As Manfred own comment makes it clear, it is going for the Hollywood myth version of Christmas.

[rpcrowe]

I also am not religious in any form or style. However, I enjoy Christmas Lights and decorations.

[AndrewMcD]

I like the photograph very much. When you say "hand-blended" can you please elaborate a bit on how that is accomplished?

I also find the comments that people have made regarding religion, or lack thereof, as well as the experience of being alone during the holiday season very thought provoking.

[Shadowman]

Nicely captured.

[Manfred M]

I like the photograph very much. When you say "hand-blended" can you please elaborate a bit on how that is accomplished?

When I take shots in difficult lighting conditions, I will generally take at least three bracketed shots (-1, 0, +1), if possible using a tripod, but in a pinch I will hand-hold too. I have gone with 5 or more bracketed shots in some circumstances, but in this scene, three was all I needed.

I then stacked the three shots in separate layers in Photoshop and use the image without exposure compensation as my base image. I apply a layer mask to everything other than the base layer and will then use a brush to paint in the areas that I want to use. The underexposed image will be where I recover the highlights; so all of the lights and the windows use that data. The overexposed image will be used where I want to lighten areas, like the foreground, that is not well lit.

It's a technique that is a bit like using exposure fusion, except that I get to pick the parts of the image that I want, rather than letting software make those decisions for me. I find I can get more "realistic" looking images that way. It is a technique I use quite frequently.

[lovelife65]

Another vote for the simplicity and resulting beauty of the photo. Although I am not religious I will still celebrate the season (and even say Merry Christmas). For me the photo tells much more of a story vs. who can put up the most loud and obnoxious lights and blow up dolls. Some highly decorated homes, if done in good taste (and everyone defines this differently) can also be very beautiful. This indeed is a very lonely time for many people. If you have the chance, go visit someone you know who no longer has family to share in the season, go visit an elderly person in a nursing home, volunteer. Well that's it from me

[AndrewMcD]

Thank you for the explanation of the technique you employed. I love the fact that I learn so much on this site!