help with kids christmas pictures

[lilmill]

I cannot get this to come out right.If I underexpose to get the lights then I get blur because I cannot get the kids to sit still, and when using my flash you can't see the lights. Maybe tomorrow i'll take one with the flash then try to a second quickly. Then use layer mask to show the lights in P.S.Any advice would be great.

[ashleymcnamara]

The light pictures are hard...I know the vision you had because a recent client had the same one lol but I think it looks better to have lights behind the subject so that there aren't green cords everywhere. Know what I mean?

[DeltaWebb]

maybe try to expose for the lights and use your flash a stop down on the second curtain. Not sure that it will help but might be worth a shot.

[ABrownPhoto]

Hmmm interesting... I have no clue how to get the image you want, other than to underexpose the picture and then use some PP to brighten your two adorable subjects...

Hope you can figure it out and share the results!

[hapa mamma]

I am having the same problem. I have found that larger lights help, here is an example (no pp done). Now the problem is that although all of these lights were on, half of them appear to be off (left side). I think it's because they are LED lights. I am going to try with large regular lights next.

[lilmill]

i'll try to pick some of the bigger lights up.

[pristic]

I think the problem you have is that the flash is lighting the whole scene... subjects, background and the actual little lights.

What I would do is 2nd curtain synch and drag the shutter BUT you need alot more room between the subjects and the lights. (Think of a night time city shot with some people in the foreground) - I know this doesnt help with the lights that are ON the actual kids though.

This is interesting... It can be done though. (Ill ask around)

Peter.

[JaertX]

I took this one by placing the subject (my daughter) about two feet in front of the tree and feathering the light so that it wouldn't hit the tree and lights behind (much, anyway). The lighting is bright enough to expose her correctly, but then let the lights burn into the picture a bit

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...0&d=1134793069

[pagefile]

I don't know if this will get you the look you want. But you can give it a try and make changes as you go.

Use you 50mm Set camera to M mode on the dial. Then set your shutter speed to 1/160 and have you apeture set at F/11 or f/5.6. Bounce your flash at about 45 degees. Set your White Balance to auto.

[SoccerRef]

Not that I'm an expert, but it seems to me if you used a different color background, you'd have better luck too. The red background with the red sleeper makes distinction between the two difficult. Then add to that the fact that several of your lights are red, and the colors just don't have enough contrast to stand out one from the other.

I think if you used a dark background (black or dark green) you'd have better luck seeing the lights, as they would stand out from the background, not blend into it. (It would also set your daughter out a little bit). Since you have the kids actually holding the lights, I think you are going to have a tough time without a lot of contrast between the lights and the background.

Brighter lights wouldn't hurt either.

[SuzyView]

I did the light effect last year. The kids came out orange, but I didn't care. They were so cute. Have to set on longer exposure and they have to sit perfectly still. Hard to do with little ones. Keep the lights under the children mostly and let the lights glow a little. Matching jammies or holiday colors work best.

[D. Craig Flory]

Do this ... set up and photograph JUST the lights exposing properly for them. Then, add the kids and expose for them. In Photoshop .. use a layer mask and combine the two. This is the same way you would do sky scraper building to have detail in the building while also getting the lights on. You would create before dusk for detail. Then you would do some at & after dusk as the lights came on ... and then combine in Photshop.

[rabidcow]

All you need to do is drag the shutter so that more ambient light flows into the lens. Dragging the shutter means allowing the shutter to stay open longer than you would normally. This works best in a dark room so turn off overhead lights. Try an aperture of f//11 and a shutter speed of 1/15. (ISO400) (on a tripod of course)

Your flash should freeze your subject, and the 1/15 shutter speed will allow your christmas lights to be seen.

[pristic]

Originally Posted by rabidcow

All you need to do is drag the shutter so that more ambient light flows into the lens. Dragging the shutter means allowing the shutter to stay open longer than you would normally. This works best in a dark room so turn off overhead lights. Try an aperture of f//11 and a shutter speed of 1/15. (ISO400) (on a tripod of course)

Your flash should freeze your subject, and the 1/15 shutter speed will allow your christmas lights to be seen.

This is the way to get the lights, but you cant stop the motion blur of the children at 1/15 - unless maybe you use 2nd curtain synch and just a little pop of the flash maybe?

Peter.

[rabidcow]

Originally Posted by pristic

This is the way to get the lights, but you cant stop the motion blur of the children at 1/15 - unless maybe you use 2nd curtain synch and just a little pop of the flash maybe?

Peter.

2nd curtain sync will do nothing for or against you in this situation. The key here is to have your flash overpower the ambient lighting (not the christmas lights, but the room lighting) and this alone will ensure that the flash freezes the kids, even if they are moving.