Temple Square Memories

'Starry' Night on Temple Square 

Tonight will be my annual pilgrimage to Temple Square to photograph Christmas lights.  I hope to meet Scott, Chad and Lloyd for the first time - all blogging buddies who live in northern Utah.  I hope I don't freeze first!  It's supposed to be a cold night, so I'll put on about 50 lbs. of warm clothing, sling my camera around my neck and see if I can get in a few clicks of the shutter before my finger freezes! (Not sure if I've posted this image before, but it's one of my favorites.  Hope you like it.)

P.S. to previous 'Tech Talk Tuesday' post

In the last post, I realized there were a whole lot of words and no photos.  That is a disgrace for a photography blog!!  So I wanted to show those of you who are 'afraid of the flash' that it's easier than you think.  Here is the image, SOOTC that I took 5 minutes ago on my dining room table:

LIGHT READING or ENLIGHTENED READING?

I probably should have waited until evening to take this photo and show off the candle light effect better, but I was impatient.  So I closed the shutters in the dining room, but still had to contend with the light from huge windows in the great room on the other side that also light up the dining room.  Luckily it is a dark and overcast day.  I lit the candles and took some test shots, and saw that the light was too dark on the Bible, which is my main point of interest.  So I put my camera flash on a stand, and placed it to the right of where I was standing, and pointed it at the Bible.  The flash spilled over onto everything and made the whole image bright and boring while I was going for a more moody feel.  So considering my previous lighting post, I started thinking about how I could simply modify the light.  I needed to make it more directional, more like a spot light.  See photo below for my complicated light modifier:

I hope this doesn't ruin the impact of the first image, because there's not much mood or feeling to this shot!!  But I wanted to show you what I did in 5 minutes.  After I moved the dining room chairs out of the way, I experimented with different candles and compositions.  I took some test shots until I got the composition I wanted, remembering to emphasize the focal point of the image with a narrow depth of field.  Then I lit the candles and started fiddling with the light.  This photo shows my final set up.  One light, my camera flash unit, mounted on a stand!  That's it!  And that professional looking light modifier is three pieces of typing paper taped around the flash.  I could have used a fancy 'snoot' modifier or other type of spot if I'd had one,  but I think this high lights the words 'Holy Bible' very nicely.  Oh, I also experimented with the amount of flash as well.  See how simple this was?  There really is no excuse not to use off camera lighting when you are shooting indoors!!

I hope this little tutorial has been 'enlightening' and more importantly, I hope we all are 'enlightened' this season by welcoming the 'Light of Christ' into our lives.

Tech Talk Tuesday - Setting Up a Home Studio (Part 2)

Lighting for your Home Studio

Books and books have been written about the type, number and kind of lights you need for indoor photography.  Since all this information is readily available on the internet, I won't try to compete.  My goal for this post will be to help you understand the difference between different lighting sources and pass along some useful information I have picked up that might help you decide what's right for you, or what you can afford at the present.

First some definitions:

Strobes or Flash:  Technically, these terms are interchangeable, but usually the word strobe is used for a large studio light, usually halogen, that sits on a stand and when triggered, releases a burst of light.  Flash is usually referring to the smaller light built into your camera, or a dedicated flash that is removable and slides into the hotshoe on top of your camera.

Continuous lights or hot lights:  These terms can refer to any number of lights, and can be tungsten, quartz or halogen, that stay on all the time, and usually produce a large amount of heat.  The advantage is you can see your lighting before you take the picture, but a disadvantage is they heat up your room.

Cool lights:  These lights usually are florescent and produce less light, but are becoming more popular as they are continuous and not hot, although they have some limitations because of lower wattage.

Now some bullet points:

• Big Point Here:  Yes, one can spend thousands of dollars on studio lighting, but you don't have to!!!  A determined photographer who really wants to shoot indoors and is willing to shop around, and use a little ingenuity and elbow grease, can create lighting solutions that will produce almost the same quality of light as expensive studio lights  (more on this later).  

• All types of light sources are possible options to help you create the lighting 'look' you are after.  This includes, natural light from windows or skylights, table lamps, flash units that normally fit on the hotshoe of your camera but should be used off camera, standard studio lights, continuous lights, spot lights, candle light, even flash lights or utility lights, and Christmas lights.  You already have many light sources around your house!

• Even though it would be nice to have a 4 light set-up, beautiful images are possible with just one light source.  To shoot indoors, one does not need to start with lots of lights.

• All lighting can be manipulated or modified with soft boxes, umbrellas, grids, colored gel sheets, diffusers, or an endless array of creative ways, again, with the goal of creating a specific lighting color or 'look'.  You probably have many materials around your house that you can adapt to modify light.  (more on this later.) 

• Most standard brands of professional studio lights will be dependable and produce all the light you need.  You don't need to invest in the most expensive, and you don't need a huge amount of wattage to get the job done. Between the 4 light set up shown at the recent workshop I attended, I think the total wattage was less than 600.  Even if you start with one studio light, 300W should be all you need.

• Other than price, some additional considerations to think about when purchasing a studio light include:
• If you are considering strobe lighting, does it have a good modeling light.? (This is a low continuous light that allows you to see how the light and shadows will fall on your subject before you take the shot.)
• Does it use ordinary light bulbs for the modeling light to save on money?
• Does the front of the light have a way to attach modifiers?  (So you can easily attach an umbrella or soft box.)
• Is there a store that will service this brand of light locally?
• Remember, if you have a small room, continuous hot lights will produce a lot of heat so you might want to choose a strobe or cool light system.

• Other than actual light, something else to consider is using one or more reflectors.  This can be any surface that will reflect the light back onto your subject.  You can choose from a variety of reflectors at your local camera store, or use something you already have, like a white square of foamboard or posterboard, or anything light, bright and/or shiny.

• Accessories you need in addition to your lights will include:
• Stands to hold the lights and reflectors.  Stands should be sturdy and adjustable.
• If you use strobes, you will need a cord to attach the light to your camera, or some kind of cordless transmitters (Pocket Wizards), in order to sync your flash to your camera
• Various items (either bought or made) to modify the light
•  
• When you are ready to purchase your first light, remember you may not have to buy brand new.  Check your local camera stores, camera clubs, local photography studios and other resources for used equipment.  (I was able to buy my first studio strobe light at the workshop I attended several weeks ago.  The instructor was selling both new and used equipment.  I felt comfortable relying on his expertise since he is a master studio/portrait photographer and is well known in our community, country and other countries.  I purchased a basic Rime Lite made by Hyundae.  It has a maximum wattage of 300 and can be set in increments from full power to 1/64 power.  It has a nice modeling light and is simple to understand and use.  The best part, it cost me $200.)

Remember, the most important advantage of studio photography, is that the photographer can control the light.  He/she can control it's shape, it's color, it's intensity.  Light is used to create a mood or a feeling.  It can be romantic or dramatic.  The placement of lights can change the shape of your subject, and can either flatter or detract.  So learning about lighting is the single most important thing for studio photographers.  Somewhere I read that studio photographers don't fiddle with their camera settings, they fiddle with their light settings.  This is where the real creativity begins.  In Part 4 of this little mini series I'll discuss a 4 light system (main or key light, fill light, background light, hair light).

Your assignment this week is to get on the internet, and start educating yourself on the various types of lights and lighting kits available.  You will find that prices vary dramatically.  As you read about various types of studio lights, what seems confusing at first will start to make sense, and soon you will get a feel about what will be right for you depending on your personal circumstances. 

'On a Shoestring' Tip:

What great timing!  This week in one of the regular emails I get from various photography websites, I received an announcement for a new ebook titled "Home Studio Photography".  For $14.95 I immediately purchased it and was not disappointed.  If you are a photographer determined to turn a corner of your home into a photography nook, but have very limited funds, and are willing to put in some time and work, this is the book for you.  It has a ton of do it yourself projects including, building your own soft boxes, your own light stands, reflector screens, diffusers, a mount to put your camera flash on a stand, a beauty dish, backdrops and props.  Some common materials used are, PVC pipe, foamboard, foil, disposable turkey pan, cardboard box, even beer cans!  If you are willing to put in the time, or have a handyman/woman close by who will do it for you, it's amazing what you can create for almost no money.  It is well worth the money, and here's the link:  http://www.diyphotography.net/ebook-your-complete-guide-to-building-a-photography-studio-at-home

Next week I'll discuss props, backdrops and everything else you may need.  (P.S.  I've decided to hold off posting photos of my friend's studio until the end when I can pull this all together and show you how her studio is set up and organized.)

Proud Mom and Grandma

You'll have to humor me for today's post.  I've been working on our Christmas letter and the collage of family photos I usually print on the backside of the letter.   I look back on the events of 2010 and give thanks for my many blessings and memories.  Since this is mostly a photography blog, I won't bore you with my family letter, but I must show off my amazing and wonderful family in order of age.

Our daughter Amber, her husband Will, and Issac, Vanessa and Sabrina

Our daughter Tiera, her husband Scott, and Taylor, Bennett, Owen and Chase

Our son Jaron, his wife Michelle, Sawyer, the little bunny who represents our Angel in Heaven Gavin,  and "Bucky" who arrives next month.  (Thank heavens Bucky won't be his name after he is born!)

Our son Dalin and his bride Emily

Our son Tyler and his bride Emily (yes, we have two Emilys!)

And putting it all together for our Christmas letter........

MERRY CHRISTMAS from THE LARSEN FAMILY 2010

Searching for that Fountain of Youth!

Just had to put a P.S. to my post HERE and all your great and funny comments.  Here's my best quote:

"I don't want to brag or make anyone jealous or anything, but I can still fit into the earrings I wore in high school..."  HA HA

I found this quote on a delightful blog hosted by a very YOUNG and VIBRANT (and beautiful) lady.  Check it out HERE.

Michael & Diana

Soft and Dreamy

In a gallery of wedding photos, I mostly take straight forward color shots, documenting the day's events, which include the typical group shots of the wedding party, and also many candids as the day unfolds.  My favorite time, however, is when I get the bride and groom alone.  In addition to the 'regular' shots, I find that for me to capture the feelings of love, caring, and romance of this special occasion, I often select my favorite shots and add some creative editing to better show the viewer what was happening at that moment in time.

PHUN PHRIDAY - A Picture's Not Always What it Seems!

HELLO Blogging Buddies!

Jeff and I needed a formal head shot picture so I took this in my 'home studio'.  Well, actually, I used our office and set up my one studio light (that I still don't know how to use), and my speedlight, put my camera on a tripod and used the timer.    And 'tadaa'!, this is what I came up with.

I just realized, I don't think I've ever posted a picture of myself, (except the little avatar pix taken several years ago),  so I'm sure you must be thinking, "Boy I didn't realize how old and wrinkled she is!"  HaHa.  Kind of like when you listen to a radio personality for a long time, and then you finally see a picture and you are shocked because the person doesn't look anything like what you had imagined!  

Another semi-related idea.  Remember a few years ago, (before any of us knew about Photoshop or 'retouching'), when you were in the check out stand at the grocery store and you'd look at all the older super stars on the magazine covers and think, 'Wow, they look amazing for their age!'  Now we know better, which leads me to the above photo.  I can't tell you how hard it was for me to leave this untouched.  With just a few clicks I could remove those wrinkles, zap blemishes, lift my eyelids, take away my chicken neck, lose 10 pounds, add a 'glamor' glow.    I do some touch up routinely on every portrait I do, but here I did nothing.  This truly is SOOTC, so if we were to meet on the street for the first time, this is what you'd get, assuming I had makeup on and my hair combed!  I'm really loving the soft light of my first studio light with umbrella attached!

So the title of this Phun Phriday is that a picture is not always what it seems including the above one, although in a different way than I just talked about.  A long time ago on a 'Tech Talk Tuesday' I said that any manipulation you do to your photographs would be your artistic interpretation and acceptable, unless the purpose of the photograph is photojournalism or reality.  For example, if you were taking a picture of a beautiful hotel next to the beach to be used to entice tourists to vacation there, I personally think it would be deceiving to leave out the garbage dump and sewage plant blocking the view of the ocean. 

Well, the photo above is not exactly what it seems.  Looks like we dressed up for the picture, or were on our way to a special event.  Look at the REAL shot for my PHUN PHRIDAY picture of the day!

Happy Weekend Everyone!

 

Winter Clouds

Winter Clouds

This image proved to me once again that regardless of any post editing one may or may not choose to do, it's really all about the light, the composition, the photographer, or a combination of all three.   Two days ago I was out running errands, and decided to take my camera and tripod with me....just in case.   After the errands I drove up to a local ski resort, looking for a photo op, but there was heavy cloud cover and everything looked dull and gray.  Sometimes there's just nothing worth shooting.  Coming home, just before sunset, the clouds began to break up so I decided I'd drive up a canyon which is about 15 minutes from where I live.  Just before the sun went down, (behind the mountain on the right), these low lying clouds were lit by the rays and put on a beautiful show that was ever changing as they quickly moved across the sky, changing formations on their way.  I especially love the little cloud on the left, lit up in front of the mountain.  On the high resolution version, this looks very 3D.  No editing program can do what nature does! 

Tech Talk Tuesday - Setting Up a Home Studio (Part 1)

FINDING ADEQUATE SPACE

If money and available room size were not an issue, then the answer to "How much space do I need to set up a home studio?" is simple....at least double the size of the biggest subject or number of subjects you wish to photograph!  O.K. I know that doesn't help, especially since I'm talking to those of us, (probably all of us), who have limited space and limited resources.  So, understand that all through the process of setting up a home studio, we will be making compromises.

The first step is to consider both the space you have available or can convert for this purpose, in connection with the type of photography you want to do there.  If you are a portrait photographer, you may only have a large enough space to do just single person head shots, or seniors, or engagements or maybe a group of 3, but maybe not enough for a family group.  On the other hand, if you are a food photographer, or maybe specialize in macro work, you'll very likely have plenty of space to do all your photography in your 'studio'.  Another thought, if you really love 'location' work or 'natural' settings, and live in a warm climate where you can be outdoors year round, then maybe you would feel too confined and bored inside, so a home studio isn't right for you at all.  So, the very first step is to decide if you really want or need to do photography inside, what kind of photography are you planning to do inside, and, do you have enough room inside to do it! 

By now you've figured out that as far as size goes, there is no right answer, because we all will be using our home studios to shoot different subjects.  Again, if you are shooting macros or food, for example, a space not much bigger than a walk in closet may be all you need.  It will have to be large enough to fit a table to place your work on, a backdrop,  a light or two, and space for you and your camera to move about freely.  That's it, probably not much compromising here!

If you are shooting people, however, size becomes much more important.  If you would like to shoot full length portraits, then your room needs to be at least 2 feet taller than your subject.  Lengthwise, ideally, you should have 3-5 feet between the subject and the backdrop, 15-20 feet between the subject and your camera, and enough room behind you and the back wall to maneuver easily.   The width of your space will determine how large a group you will be able to accommodate, and that must also include your light setup.  You might have to compromise and use some creativity here because most of us don't have rooms that big.  Maybe you'll have to give up on the idea of full length portraits, or groups of 10, or maybe use your home studio just for close up shots, or have your subjects sitting. One more variable to add to the mix is what size lens will you use.  If your favorite portrait lens length is a 100mm to 200mm, you may not be able to use that lens in the space confinement of your studio. 

So where will you find your space.  Well, the obvious choices are:  a spare bedroom; a basement; a garage or maybe attic.  If one of these options is readily available, and accessible, then you are off to a great start.  But many of us may have to work harder at finding space.  Maybe you'll have to make some changes that could be difficult.  How about cleaning out the basement you've used to store a lifetime of stuff then having a big garage sale......ouch!  Or maybe you could put your two daughters into the same bedroom, to free up a room.....double ouch ouch!  Or, how about telling your husband he has to give up one side of the garage and move his power tools to the shed....triple ouch ouch ouch!  Another idea, if you are using the spare bedroom as an office, how about consolidating  all your office stuff and relegate it to a corner of the family room.  (Why do you need a whole room dedicated to paying bills, when you'd have so much more fun using it to enjoy photography!!!)   Well, if there's a determined photographer, there's a way!

I am lucky in that I do have a spare room to start with.  It is what we call a 'bonus' room and built in the attic space above our garage which is attached to the house, so there is a stairway leading down to the main floor.  (This is my very own room, to compensate for the separate 3 car garage my husband built for his car hobby!!)  At the time we built the house I was planning on using this room as a craft/hobby room, so windows on every wall were a plus.  The room is fairly big, about 25 feet by 18 feet, and has ton of storage space and a bathroom attached, but as you can see, because of the sloping ceilings and windows on 3 of the 4 walls, I'll have to do some compromising in set up and how many people I can photograph at the same time.  And as you can CLEARLY see, right now it is the family's junk room, and has never been cleaned or totally unpacked since we moved into the house which has been about 3 years ago.  (Did I just admit that????)

But if there really is no space at all, then your option might be to set up a temporary studio as I did in the following shot:

This is my brother and sister-in-law and their handsome family.  Since they were all home for Thanksgiving it was time for a long overdue family picture.  Because it was snowing and cold outside, our only option was an inside photo shoot.  We tried to think of a 'public' building we could use, but with all the kids, we opted for the basement family/game room of their home instead.  Luckily the room is in neutral colors and has a nice long wall on one side that would accommodate this large group.  I plugged in my one studio light mounted on a stand, and placed it to their right.  (I bought this light 5 days earlier at the workshop and really had no idea how to use it).  Then I put my speedlite on another stand just behind and to the left of where I had my camera on a tripod.  The last of my sophisticated setup was to put two household utility lights on the carpet close to the back wall.  We moved the game table out of the way, found a bunch of chairs and some buckets to sit on, and we were in business with a temporary studio of sorts.  This really was a lovely room to use, but the compromise was that the ceiling was fairly low, and the men in the back row are really tall, like between 6'2" and about 6'5", and there was a ceiling fan between me and them.  When they were standing, the fan was blocking part of their heads, so I had to have them sit on stools.  I feel pretty good about how this turned out considering my inexperience and lack of equipment.

PREPARING THE SPACE 

Once you have your space, you need to do some preparation work.  First you'll need to to do some painting with latex paint.  You will probably want to paint the walls and ceilings white to avoid unwanted color casts; however, some photographers prefer neutral beige or brown tones.  If you have a bigger room and a bigger budget, you might want to paint a 'custom wall' to resemble a textured backdrop, spray paint a camouflage look,  or design any background scene that suits your fancy.  

When choosing flooring, the best choice is a hard, flat commercial carpet in a medium brown tone. Never choose a thick, high pile carpet, as it makes moving lights and props difficult.  

A very important preparation is how you are going to control your lighting.  If there are windows in your room, you may want to leave them uncovered to use natural light on bright days.  But you also need to be able to seal off all the light in order to accurately use studio lights, so you must find a way to attach some kind of light blocking blinds that can be opened and shut.

You will also need adequate power and electrical outlets to plug in your lights.  Also, if your space is small, and you are doing portrait work using 'hot' lights, your room will get very hot and you and/or your subjects will become uncomfortable very quickly unless you have adequate ventilation or air conditioning.

If you will be doing portrait work with people other than your family, there are some additional considerations to think about when looking for and preparing your studio space.  Is there easy access or an easy way for people to get to your 'studio' when they come to your home?  Is there a bathroom located close by where your clients can check their makeup or change their clothes or whatever?  Do you have room or closet space to store props?

'ON A SHOESTRING' TIPS 

Today we really haven't talked about anything that costs a ton of money, unless you are planning on remodeling or building an addition to your house.  (Don't we all wish!)  Finding and cleaning out your space will mostly take 'elbow grease'.  I do have a tip if you are planning on painting the walls and ceiling.  Go to your local Lowes or Home Depot or other large hardware store and ask if they have any 'miss tint' gallons of paint.  This is just what it says, special order paint that was tinted wrong which stores sell for a reduced price.  If you are able to change the flooring you can look for a remnant or bolt end and save money.  And for your windows, you can always be creative and tape or hang up something solid like foam board or thick fabric, until you can afford those light blocking blinds.

I know this all has been pretty basic, but I hope it has given you some things to think about.  Next week I'll include photos of my friend's studio and we'll talk about the lighting equipment you will need to get started. 

P.S.  Did I mention there's a price to pay for reading all this great information??  I'm still waiting to see more of your Christmas light photos, so if you post yours  HERE,   I'll consider it payment in full, and a great way to let me know you are still interested in me continuing 'Tech Talk Tuesdays'.

A Note About Christmas Lights at Temple Square

Salt Lake Temple at Christmas

Many of my Christmas light images, (and spring flower images), are taken at Temple Square.   Several of you have asked "What is Temple Square?",  so I thought I'd better give a brief explanation.  Temple Square is located in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah.  It is about a city block (I think) and is the headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  It includes the beautiful Salt Lake Temple, the Tabernacle, several visitors centers, the large Conference Center where the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sings, church office buildings, plus beautiful fountains, a reflecting pool, and beautifully cultivated gardens.  In the springtime it is glorious with a flower display that will take your breath away, and at Christmas time, the lights are dazzling.  Also, during the Christmas season there are concerts, shows, beautiful scenes depicting the birth of Christ, and an amazing free extravaganza with the Choir and orchestra and always several famous guest artists.  I believe this year I heard on the radio that of the million and a half people who have requested tickets, 85,000 will be able to see the performance this year.  My husband and I saw it several years ago and it was the highlight of our Christmas season that year.  For Christians, Temple Square is a wonderful place to feel the spirit and true meaning of Christmas as we celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. 

(It's hard to tell in this low resolution image, but I have used some creative effects to make it look a bit more like a painting, and I just made a big print to frame and put on an easel by my fireplace as part of my Christmas decorations.)

December Desk Top Image

 Joseph, Mary and Jesus Set on Top of a Reflecting Pool

I'm a bit late, but here is my December desktop image for you to enjoy.  I love this quote so I've used it in place of a calendar for this month.  Just click HERE to download then right click to set on your desktop screen.  It is sized to fit your monitor and should not be pixelated or blurry.  If you have problems, let me know and I'll help.  It is for your personal use.  Feel free to share with friends but please do not use it for profit.


For those of you stopping by for the first time, I post an image at the first of each month for you to download to your desktop.  You can find all of this year's images at the top of the blog under the header.

More Lights

On the Path

I was crossing the road on my way to Temple Square when I saw the lights reflecting on the light rail tracks.  If you remember the 'Tech Talk Tuesday' about looking for leading lines that help draw the viewer into the picture, I thought this was a great example.  

Are you having fun taking pictures of Christmas lights???   I'd love to see what you see, so post them HERE!

A Christmas Light Story

About 2-3 years ago at the beginning of December I was driving home at night and decided to take a detour through neighborhoods I don't usually drive in to see if I could spot some of the early birds who already had their Christmas lights up.  I turned down a street that was a dead end, or cul de sac, that was an out of the way, private street, although there was no 'gated community' sign at that time.  I was nearly at the end of the street when I slammed on the breaks and sat for over 45 minutes mesmerized by what I saw.  The light show on this house was utterly amazing.  There was a sign in their front yard right by the street that said, 'turn your radio to such and such dial'.  I did, and music filled my car and the light show was exactly choreographed to the music.  There were many songs in the show, some loud and upbeat, and some soft and reverent.  It was absolutely spellbinding, and what was funny, was that I was the only one sitting out front of this house watching this spectacular show.  But that didn't last.  About 2 weeks later when I tried to take my grandchildren to see this, there were lines of cars parked for miles trying to get into this little road and policemen trying their best to direct traffic.  I'm probably remembering the story wrong, but I think the owner of the house is a computer software engineer and he spent some humongous amount of time setting up all these lights then choreographing it all to music.  (This was before I'd ever heard of setting Christmas lights to music.  Now It is more common and I think you can buy programs with simplified ways to do this in the stores.)  Sometimes when I see a 'Chevy Chase Griswald' house with tons to plastic Santas, and such, it looks pretty cheesy, but if you were really into lights and wanted to make a statement, this was a pretty classy way to do it!  Sidenote, the news media came, I think it was on national news and I think he won some awards, but he only had this display one year, probably because of complaints from the neighbors or police.  Here is a clip from YouTube, but it is not the best quality. 
Edit to this post:  I found the owner's website, where he talks about setting this up and has high definition videos of all the songs, and I just relived them all.  Beautiful!!!  If you love Christmas lights, click HERE and this will make your day!!!

P.S. Remember to post and link your favorite Christmas light image to the previous post so we can enjoy what you are seeing this season!

Phun Phriday - Christmas Lights

One bright oasis in a sea of gray, bleak, depressing, wintry days, (did I mention how much I dislike winter???),  is the holiday season with bright, cheery, colorful lights to brighten my mood!  As I mentioned in the last post, I love Christmas lights in all forms, colors and quantities!  But how do you photograph them?

The answer to this question should be a "Tech Talk Tuesday" discussion, except that the only answer I can really say with any certainty is, by trial and error!!  Thank heavens that is a fairly simple task with digital cameras and instant feed back!  Seriously, if you read about how to do this, you will get many different answers.  And my own experience is the same.  There are so many variables to consider.  For example, how much ambient light is there, such as, are you shooting your Christmas tree indoors, or Christmas lights outdoors on a dark night.  Do you want the lights sharp and in focus, or part of a dreaming bokeh background?  Do you want lights to look like lights, or different shapes, or something creative and altogether different?   You just have to experiment and have fun.  So below is my little experiment:

All of these photos were taken with a zoom lens at 200mm,  ISO at 200.  The first two were f/22 for 1.6 seconds and the last two were f/4 at 1/15 second.  I manually focused at different distances to create the different looks.  As you can see, I was going for a soft, dreamy look.  And because some were shot with a slow shutter speed, I used a tripod.   Interesting to see the different effects, shapes, sizes and even colors.  To create beautiful, big bokeh light balls, use a zoom lens and focus on an object close to the camera and your background lights will look similar to these.

Use this effect as a backdrop in a holiday composition you want to shoot, or take a series of bokeh backgrounds for future use.  Then, when your creative juices are flowing, combine two images in Photoshop, add a texture or two and see what happens........

The next image shows another effect that is easy to do.  If you want your lights to turn into star bursts, use the smallest aperture (big number), your lens will allow.  Then make sure you focus on the lights.  I hope you can see the light stars in the following image.  If the lights were bigger, the stars would be bigger.

One more hint.  If you are taking outdoor shots don't wait until the sky is completely dark.  Your lights will look brighter and more colorful, your exposure will be better and the sky will be beautiful when there is still some color in the sky. 
So now it'll your turn.  I would like to see your favorite Christmas light image.  Maybe it is a happy accident like Sandra posted yesterday, or some creative light painting or beautiful bokeh, or blurred action, or maybe it is just a beautiful light display, or your own Christmas decorations.  It is show and tell time, and if you can't decide between your two favorites, post them both!  Follow the directions below to post a thumbnail of your image here with a link to your blog.  P.S.  You can post anytime during the next week.

All About Christmas Lights

Christmas Lights on Temple Square

I LOVE Christmas lights.  I love driving through neighborhoods to see people's decorations.  I love houses that have gone over the top, and I especially love houses that have a single candle glowing through each window.  I especially love Temple Square at Christmas time.  The riot of over hundreds of thousands of lights, (the exact number is not disclosed, but a crew begins putting them up in August), the outdoor scenes depicting the birth of Jesus, the happy families enjoying a night out together, the carolers, it's all magical!  I'll post some of my favorite images of Temple Square dressed for the holidays over the next few weeks.  

But let's get back to Christmas lights.  I hope you stop by tomorrow for Phun Phriday, because it's all about creativity with lights and I need your help!

P.S. TO LAST POST

I neglected to tell you that the photo in the last post is of another class participant turned model.  Her name is Lesli, a young, up and coming wedding/portrait photographer here in Utah.  Check out her blog HERE.  About the photo, I did nothing to the exposure, and of course the lighting was set, but I did do a bit of skin softening and a tiny bit of 'dream glow' to add just a touch of glamor. 

Tech Talk Tuesday - Setting Up a Home Photography Studio - Intro

There has been a significant interest in this subject judging by your comments and emails; however, I've struggled about how to approach this topic here on my blog.  My challenges and my goals are to:

• Summarize a large amount of information so as to be readable, understandable and doable for those of us with no experience in studio photography.
• Condense that information to put in the small format of a blog post.
• Give specifics rather than general information so we feel we can actually do this and have a starting place.
• And my biggest challenge, is this is a Tech Talk Tuesday where I'm the teacher and the student at the same time.  So, the following will be my biggest disclaimer ever!!!  I profess no expertise whatsoever in setting up or using a home photography studio.  I am, however, in the process of doing research, taking classes, and interviewing people with home studios, as groundwork for setting up my own home studio, and I'm happy to 'bring you along' and share what I learn.

With all the above in mind, I've decided that for me to pass along meaningful information, this subject will need to be handled in several separate posts.  Also remember that this is about setting up a studio on a 'shoestring' so not only will I be talking just about the basics, but additionally, how to save money with bargain buys and do it yourself projects.  So below are the main topics we must talk about, and I'll tackle each one in a separate Tech Talk Tuesday:

1. Finding and determining adequate space, and preparation of that space
2. Basic lighting equipment and support equipment and where to find it
3. Backdrops and props, and great ways to save money and be creative
4. Understanding how to actually operate your lighting equipment to produce your desired effect

The other night I was thinking about how to even begin, when I had a brilliant idea.  I know a lovely lady who is a great family and portrait photographer who lives nearby and recently built a home studio in her basement.   I called and told her of my blog project, and asked if she would help me.  She graciously said yes and I have an appointment with her today.  I will tour and take pictures of her studio to show you her set up, ask questions about the cost, the do's and don'ts, and what advice she would give us as we contemplate this venture.  I will also pass along some great information I learned during the all day portrait lighting class I took recently from a master photographer in our area but known in many countries, Dave Newman.

For someone who is learning while I'm writing, this seems like a pretty tall mountain to climb.  But, I'm always encouraging beginning photographers that their abilities will grow when they stretch and get out of their comfort zone, so I guess I'll take my own advice!  So if you are willing to learn along with me, next week we'll dig into specifics and talk about finding space in your home for photography, and  how to prepare that space.  (And for those of you who've dismissed the idea of a home studio because you don't think you have enough space, check back next week because you might be surprised!)

See you next Tuesday, and I'll leave you with another studio portrait taken at the class I recently attended.  Notice the beautiful soft shadows studio lights produce on her face.  (But remember, studio lighting is not just for portraits.  It's also for macro photography, product photography, still life photography, stock photography and so much more.)

Sunday Creative

MATERIAL

A Sunday bonus!  It's not common for me to post twice on the same day, but I wanted to join Justine today.  (Be sure to jump over to her blog to see all her talented friends.)  She is getting our creative juices flowing with a one word prompt, and today that word is 'material'.  My definition of material, was 'fabric', and this is my interpretation.  This is a beautiful wedding quilt made by Jan, the groom's mother.  She is also very creative!

Sunrise Sunday

What a Way to Start the Day!
 (camera settings: 1/160 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200, 15mm fisheye lens, tripod on gently rocking houseboat.  Several of you ask me to post my camera settings.  Usually I don't because by the time I tweak in PS, add an action or effect, the settings are not so relevant.  This shot, however, was SOOTC)

I really need to simplify my life.... you know cut out more stuff that isn't photography related!!!  (I'm just kidding, just the opposite, I really need to get my 'hobby' under control.)  You see, I take the photos but sometimes get so busy it takes me forever to download them to the computer.  Instead, when I'm ready for another photo op, I just get a clean CF card and move on.  This often results is a nice little stack of full cards sitting next to my computer getting lonely and waiting for me to give them attention.  The good news is, when I finally get to them, it's a surprise and I relive the event all over again, and usually with a fresh eye after a little time has elapsed.  Now I'm certainly not advocating this, but sometimes I get a nice surprise.  Like yesterday I was lamenting to myself because I had run out of images to use for Scott's Sunset Sunday, but later that day when I decided to download some of the 'patiently waiting' cards, I discovered our October Lake Powell trip, and yes, more brilliantly colored sunrises.  I'm enjoying those early mornings on the lake again, and even more so since I woke up to a snow covered wintry day here in my neck of the woods.

P.S.  On another subject.  We tried the turkey recipe I posted several posts ago and we're sold!!!  This was the best turkey we've every roasted.  Nice to finally learn how to do it after 40 years! 

Phun Phriday - 'Head Shot"

Dana

(1/125 sec, f/7.1, 200 ISO, 68 mm focal length)

As promised, here is another shot taken at the studio portrait lighting workshop I attended last week.  (See second post below.)  Put a cap on this handsome man, (who was a participant in the workshop), and he looks very 'dapper' indeed!  Check out his website HERE and his blog HERE to see some of his fabulous photography!