Christmas Lights 2008

[RenShots]

Looking for feedback on Christmas lighting shots, and to in general start a thread on the subject to put, post away. This is as close as it gets to Christmas in Phoenix.

[txsnurse]

#2, much better

[FlyingPhotog]

#2 works nicely...Is this in Ahwatukee?

[chauncey]

I chuckled at your images, it's just that decorated desert Christmas scenes...made me laugh.

[Nahte]

Nice, I really like the color of the sky. Since you're starting a thread for it, here's one of my own - take pity, I did not have a tripod on hand.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3196/3095995189_1ff785bf98_b.jpg

[shaun raney]

Can you guys offer some insight on shooting this stuff?

These are the kinds of pictures I would love to take around the holidays. (And its a good excuse to get out of the house)

[ccc_javier]

oh well
...

just saw the typo.... oh well!!!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3285/3078572469_618194abfc_o.jpg

[RenShots]

The shots were taken in Ahwatukee during the Festival of Lights. http://www.folaz.org

Yes, Christmas in AZ is not like it was or is in the north, but we have to do something, right ?

[RenShots]

Shaun, there are many articles on shooting christmas lights, see this one for example http://www.nyip.com/ezine/holidays/holidaylights.html.

Most important advise is to shoot at twilight, on a tripod, low ISO 100 to reduce noise, noise reduction for low ISO on, and small aperture, f11 seems to work well, and no flash.

All the lights were in the median of a busy road, so trying to keep the car light trails out of the shot were tough.

[Nahte]

Can you guys offer some insight on shooting this stuff?

These are the kinds of pictures I would love to take around the holidays. (And its a good excuse to get out of the house)

For what it's worth, the picture I posted was taken at f/11, ISO100, and a 10 second exposure. I don't consider myself particularly experienced, but I would agree with what RenShots suggested.