It's beginning to look a lot like.....

[Katy Noelle]

Hi, John and Chris! Thanks for posting! Between, red motorcycles, red mini coopers and red mini-mini coopers, it is beginning to look quite festive.

Kay, post whatever you want - it's seriously keeps making my day!

okay, I have to 'fess up! I'm a looky-lou when it comes to other people's trees. I love ornaments!

[Nicola]

Hi!
Public Xmas tree in Pietrasanta
Bye

Nicola

[Bannacht]

I like it for a short spell, what the hell!

[Katy Noelle]

Hi, Nicola! This is an absolutely WONDERFUL shot! The ornament almost is like a snow globe - it feels like one, anyway. A snow globe from Italy! Thanks so much for posting.

Well, then, Carol....? Go ahead - post something!

(Oh, geesh! I wonder if anyone's noticed that I haven't taken any holiday shots, yet...... I'll get there, I'll get there.)

[mythlady]

Will somebody give me some tips on photographing stuff on the tree?? Between the lights and the reflections and so on, I'm having trouble with it.

[mythlady]

Well, this is the best I can do so far -- I've been looking for something Christmas-y in my neighborhood (besides lights and such), and this is what I've come up with. It's a little festive, no?

[Sam Smith]

Will somebody give me some tips on photographing stuff on the tree?? Between the lights and the reflections and so on, I'm having trouble with it.

I am trying it now and not have much success with. It is tricky to get the exposure correct. I have gone to manual focus and with an decrease in exposure comp by 1 stop. I feel I can get the detail out the shadows but not blown areas during PP.

[Suzanne]

Will somebody give me some tips on photographing stuff on the tree?? Between the lights and the reflections and so on, I'm having trouble with it.

I KNOW!! , Right? Donald suggested stacking. I haven't gotten up the courage to try it yet. I am having the same problems. The whole tree not just a bit of it. It's a problem.

Thank you for your shot. It takes me back to and Katy and my childhood. (mine and Katy? ) We grew up in Pasadena and had one of those bushes in our backyard (garden for you folks across the pond ). We used to decorate our holiday table with them.

[Sam Smith]

Here are a couple quick shots taken last night as I was playing at the tree.



Stacked 5 photos


These are taken with -1 stop of exposure, on a tripod, and remote release.

[mythlady]

I think those came out nicely, Sam. They look well exposed to me.

I'm having trouble with stacking, whether focus or exposure. Even with the camera on a tripod, for some reason, they don't come out exactly alike. (Uh-oh, I think I have an idea of why . . . off to try again.)

[Katy Noelle]

"kissed a guilty world with love..."



(It's a line from a carol or a song or hymn or poem.)

I like this photo more in my blog, "In the Sunny Spot", which is in my signature, below.

[mythlady]

Oh, that's really pretty, Katy -- well done.

[Donald]

.

That, indeed, is lovely. It needs a dark background. Click on it to view it in the Lightbox.

When I first looked I thought - 'That shouldn't work. The foreground is not distinct enough from the background'. But it does and, I think, it's all down to clever and creative management of depth-of-field. The whole thing does sparkle. Good one, Katy.

[Wirefox]

Very nice work Katy. You are starting to get a good vibrance in your images now. I think the focus blur just in the lower part of the image works very nicely. Keep 'em coming

[Katy Noelle]

Oh, you guys just totally made my day. I needed a good perk me up! (Well, this made my day, and seeing the rapport that Rob obviously has with the equine population has totally cracked me up, too. Ah, it's great! ) Anyway, where was I? Oh, long day at church getting ready for the vespers service and some seriously over emotional people around. Dinner might be burning, too.

I thought that this photo shouldn't quite work (just like Donald) but love it and put it in and voila! Thanks, guys! Big sigh. sniff.

After tomorrow night, I might finally get into some of those wonderful "trappings" of Christmas that I love so well and, actually, get a tree, etc. Falalalalaaaa and all that!

[MiniChris]

After reading ROb's "How to on shooting lightbulbs," I got to thinking that an outside Christmas light would be about the same amount of wattage and should give me a decent image and a base point from which I can start playing with other light images. I shot one similar to this the other night and posted it but I don' tthink that bulb has near the same clarity as this one. And, I'm still not there.

[Katy Noelle]

Thanks, Chris, for posting! That is an interesting and very different take on Christmas lights - actually seeing the light's workings instead of just a mass of twinkly light. Don't you just love a challenge and a work in progress? This came out awfully well! BTW, I wonder if you remember your very first B&W, silvery post in this thread. It made me think of a Christmas shot in a completely different way and you can see the result just up above. Thanks super much for the inspiration! That's partly what this thread is about.

Sam, those are great photos! I'm sorry it took so long to thank you for posting them, here. The thought of stacking makes me slightly hyperventilate. Major respect! The glass is beautiful and glittery. What earns even more respect and awe from me is that you not only have your tree up, but you, also, have gifts bought and wrapped under it already. I have GOT to get a move on!

Elise! I can't wait to see what you come up with for your tree. I really hope that we get to see some shots! Sister Suzy is right about those berries. They take me down memory lane - big time! Vaaaaaarrry Christmassy!

[wilgk]

"Busy Day mate?"
"Yeah, not long to go - you?"
"yep - but we gotta see the Boss about some summer uniforms"

[Katy Noelle]

"Busy Day mate?"
"Yeah, not long to go - you?"
"yep - but we gotta see the Boss about some summer uniforms"

heehee!

[Donald]

"Busy Day mate?"
"Yeah, not long to go - you?"
"yep - but we gotta see the Boss about some summer uniforms"

We were probably wise to let them have their independence!