Holiday Photography Tips

The Holidays are here. It is a time of celebration, of lights, and color. A time for family and friends. And a time for memories. What better way to hold on to a memory than with a photograph? Every moment is unique and even the same scene photographed twice produces a different photograph each time. These are some things to keep in mind when taking holiday photos:

Never hesitate. Better to take one hundred photos and get one good one than to wait for that one incredible moment and miss it. Enjoy the moment even if the photo isn’t perfect. Memories fade over time. A photo – and the memories it evokes - can last forever.

We have all seen that effect we call red eye. Red eye is caused by the way the camera flash strikes the human eye. How can you avoid red eye?

* Some cameras have a setting that can be used to mitigate this effect – check your owner’s manual.
* Photoshop and Photoshop Elements (which comes with many cameras) can be used to fix this problem as well. Check the healing tool – it is usually there.
* The easiest way to avoid red eye is to move the camera slightly to the left or right, or slightly up or down so that the flash does not directly fire at the face.
* If you have a DSLR or SLR and are familiar enough with using it, set your F-Stop as low as you can and adjust the shutter speed so that you might be able to get the photo without a flash.
* If you have an adjustable flash, point it up toward the ceiling and let the light bounce down. This will also soften the light and create a richly colored image.

This is a great time of year for night photography. The color of the sky, the holiday lights, can create dramatic photos.

* Try taking some photos about 30 minutes before sunset. The sky will be banded from a light blue to a dark blue. This effect can add to the drama of the nights.
* If it is totally dark, make sure you have a tripod or that you are able to brace yourself against something that won’t move. Even a little movement can destroy a great photo.
* If you can adjust the F-Stop (aperture) and shutter speed of your camera, try setting the shutter speed to 30 seconds and the F-Stop so that you are under exposed just a little bit. The effects can be dramatic.
* If you are not familiar with how to set your camera manually, try using Aperture Priority Mode and then let the camera pick the shutter speed. Set the aperture or F-Stop to at least 8.