Tips for shooting lit Christmas tree

[Brandy327]

I'm planning on getting some shots of the Christmas tree this weekend - at night lit up when the kids are in bed. Any tips for shooting? We'll be using the Canon 20D - so any manual setting suggestions??

Also, I believe there's a filter to get a "twinkle" appearance on the lights...is there a way to do it in PS?

Thanks! :)

[Raphael Emond]

I will choose, tripod, manual settings, center focus point, ISO 100. Tungsten WB and/or shoot RAW, Aperture around f8 for a complete tree, or faster aperture if you want to isolate some part of the tree.

Oh, and Portrait orientation if you only include the tree.

[Jon]

Flash set to a little under-FEC so you can see the tree as well as the lights.

[MTalley]

Recent thread on this subject, with examples:

Click Here (http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=115906)

Have fun!

[Brandy327]

Thanks so much! Between me and my hubby we should be able to get a few good ones with your suggestions!! :)

[Radtech1]

Also, I believe there's a filter to get a "twinkle" appearance on the lights...is there a way to do it in PS?

Thanks! :)

Shoot, there is a way to do it in the camera. Just select a tight aperture, f16, or f22, or even higher. That will give you the "Star" at the lightsource.

Rad

[jfrancho]

As Radtech said, small aperture/long exposure on a tripod. The kit lens actually works well for this. Here (http://plan-b.smugmug.com/photos/14741928-L.jpg) is an example.

[Hellashot]

Here's mine last year, tripod, f22, 42 seconds, iso-200. I Shot many bulb and liked this one best. This year I would choose much different settings. :) And my shot has the twinkles, without any filters on my lens. :)

[megz]

I have taken some shots of outdoor lights and have played around with the Kelvin temperatures changes.

[ACDCROCKS]

A star Burst Filter will help

[u2wedge]

I just did this with no filters...

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b124/u2parody/Picture040.jpg

and this is from the same spot with some zoom... 15 sec exposure, which is a bit much, but I'm still getting my bearings with the new camera. I'm liking what I see so far though.. better things to come.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b124/u2parody/Picture042.jpg

[Snapman]

Haha - I've a greater challenge ahead. A friend's tree has fibre optics running through the branches with lights which change colour. It will be interesting to see the result of a long exposure but I feel that the reduced FEC will be the favoured method :)