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Dec 10 2011 2:47 pm
Images by Robert Grant and Evan Sharboneau, Article by SASHA GiTiN Photography ideas and tips to create beautiful photographs during the holidays.
Contest: "Christmas Photo" WIN $500 details below the article
The upcoming Holidays can offer a lot of photographic opportunities. Today we would like to suggest a few Ideas and tips to keep your creativity flowing.
Winter Landscape.
![winter landscape]( "winter landscape")
photo by Robert Grant. ISO 100, 1/100 sec, f8.0, 85mm lens
Snowy landscapes are always magical and unique. These photographs make great prints to hang on the wall or printed as a Holiday card. Winter landscapes always make a fine addition to any landscape portfolio.
Tips for winter landscape photography:
- Keep it warm. Wear gloves, so your frost-bitten fingers will not give up before your artistic energy wears out.
- Exposure Compensation: Your camera would suggest exposure based on neutral gray. But the snow is about full stop brighter then neutral grey and pictures often end up darker. If shooting in any of automatic modes go to your camera menu and set Exposure Compensation to +1. (refer to you camera manual how to set exposure compensation)
- Condensation: When bringing your camera back indoors it"s best to let it de-condense naturally by taking it out of the bag and removing lens cover for about 10 minutes. (Condensation is happening when you bring optical gear from cold to warm temperature)
- Print and Frame your masterpiece and then hang it above the mantle. Looking at a snowy landscape will make you feel even warmer and cozier.
This brings us to the next idea: The Fireplace.
Fireplace.
![fireplace]( "fireplace")
photo by Robert Grant.
Tips for photographing the Fireplace:
- Once your exposure for fire is set add a second light source to light your subject: it could be a pop up flash or strobe or clamp lamp (whatever your preferred light source is)
Ornaments.
![ornaments photography]( "ornaments photography")
photo by Robert Grant
Tips to photograph Christmas Ornaments:
- Use very shallow depth of field to separate your subject from the background.
- Experiment with soft focus filters video below:
