Click-a-Pic Challenge #25 "The Holiday Spirit" (Extended til Jan 1st)

[shutterspeed]

Christmas time is a sentimental time for a lot of people. It means spending time with family and being with those you love. On the more shallow side of things there's wonderful desserts, pretty decorations and most of all .... PRESENTS!! :teehee:

For this week's challenge I want you to photograph your favorite things about Christmas. This could mean anything and everything, your creativity is your only limitation! :)

Here's a blog (http://blog.webshots.com/?p=779) with a few helpful tips on photographing your Christmas home decor. And another (http://www.merakohblog.com/2007/12/18/more-photography-tips-on-christmas-photos/). And here's one (http://www.betterphoto.com/exploring/topten/holiday-photography-tips.asp) that gives tips on how to get better holiday photos.

If you have any questions please feel free to post them or email me. I'm here to help.

You have from*Friday Dec 11th*to*Thursday Dec 17th*to shoot your photos for this theme. Below are some examples to get the creative juices flowing. Good luck and I look forward to seeing everyones photos!

i gotta say that i honestly don't have many "holiday" photos myself...so this week might be a challenge for me as well!

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2728/4155996406_4b25bb8afa.jpg
one of my favorite things about the holidays is the Christmas lights. i love turning off all the lights & the tv in the living room and just leaving the tree on. it's so pretty and gives off a beautiful ambiance. i'm still trying to learn myself how to take better photos of Christmas lights.

http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v120/243/64/585178055/n585178055_165619_2387.jpg
for Christmas about 3 or 4 years ago the family decided to get a pool table. it's kind of a Christmas tradition, to sit around for several days playing games, cards or pool! it's one of my favorite times of year!

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2288/2141355664_f6e1d284eb.jpg
what Christmas isn't complete with a few holiday cookies and treats?? :D

REMEMBER:
- You may post up to 2 photos per challenge.
- Post-processing and use of actions ARE ALLOWED.
- Photos must be taken by you during the challenge week.
- Photos must be posted in the *new* PHOTOGRAPHY gallery & in this thread.
- PLEASE SIZE PICS to no larger than 600px WIDE and/or TALL.*
- Please number or title your photographs for recognition.

[ingridfasquelle]

Excellent for what's coming next monday for the MBM Challenge ! ;)

I've read the blogs you listed and added them straight to my faves ! The tips are super useful and not too difficult to understand ! I hate when it's too detailed because i'm not a photography expert and i can hardly understand what exposure and f-stop mean ! ;)

Sarah, i will try this challenge for sure ! I really have to take pics of our xmas tree this year ! I guess it could become a kinda christmas tradition in our family ! ;)

[MissMint]

AWESOME!!! I love your pics!!

[MissMint]

Here's mine this week! Very happy with this shot. I was suprised how EASY it was to get a clear shot in low light with my 50mm. Thanks for the tip Sarah!!

http://www.peppermintcreative.com/gallery/data/506/IMG_9845.jpg (http://www.peppermintcreative.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=7638)

[ingridfasquelle]

WOW, great pics MissMint ! Bravo ! I'm impressed

Sarah, i'm a lost because i've never tried to play with my camera ISO settings before. I found out how to set the ISO but i can't find where i have to go to set the shutter speed... I have a Canon EOS 350D. Can you help me, paleeeeze !

[shutterspeed]

Hey Ingrid!

Ok...I think the 350D is basically the Rebel XT.

To set your shutterspeed, you can do this 1 of 2 ways. First you can use TV mode. On the top of the camera there is a control dial, it has different options and you change them simply by spinning the dial.

To set your shutterspeed select TV on the control dial. To change the shutterspeed faster or slower, use the click wheel by the shutter button, turning it to the right makes the shutterspeed faster, turning it to the left makes it slower. (you should be able to see the change on the back LCD screen.) Your apeture will be set automatically depending on your selected shutterspeed. This is probably your best option with little fuss.

The 2nd way to set your shutterspeed is to go full manual mode. On the control dial turn it to the letter M. When in manual mode you have complete control over the shutterspeed and the apeture. To set the shutterspeed in Manual mode is the same as TV mode. But in manual mode you also have to select your apeture as well. To change your apeture in manual mode, you have to hold down the AV +/- button on the top right hand side of the LCD screen and using the click wheel by the shutter button, scrolling the wheel to the left opens the apeture up wider, to the right, smaller.

To know if you're getting the correct exposure, check the LCD screen as you're making your changes. There's a line with hash marks indicating if the image is being underexposed, overexposed or just right. if the black hash mark is right in the middle of this line then the exposure is correct. if it's to the left of middle it's underexposed and if it's to the right of middle it's over exposed.

Setting your camera to P mode also gives you control over your settings or you can just leave it and the camera will automatically do it for you.

However I think using TV mode will give you the best results.

I hope I haven't confused you more. Let me know if there's anything else I can do! :)

[shutterspeed]

and for those a little more advanced, you could try Auto-Exposure Bracketing (http://www.dpreview.com/learn/?/Glossary/Exposure/Auto_Bracketing_01.htm) for holiday photos, especially of holiday lights or snow landscapes.

and here's a sort of "how to" guide (http://www.photoradar.com/techniques/tips/improve-your-photos-with-auto-exposure-bracketing) to set AEB.

[ingridfasquelle]

Sarah, you're the best ! :high5:

Oh ! I just didn't know that the shutter speed was automatically set in P mode and i thought my camera had a problem ! Of course, while having a slow shutter speed, my pic was a total blur but i just didn't know that before !!! I feel so stupid ! :redface:

Now you see how "newbie" i am !! ;)

Thanks for your help !

[shutterspeed]

nah, don't feel stupid. even seasoned pros have to get use to operating their cameras. :) i'm still getting adjusted to using the 40D. :D and i'm glad my answers were helpful to you.

something to keep in mind....

on your control dial you'll notice a green rectangle, this divides the dial between the creative modes and preset/basic modes. (the following controls apply to Canon EOS cameras)

Creative Modes:
A-DEP - is automatic depth of field (which lets your AF (auto focus) set up points and all those points will be in focus (helpful if you're taking a big group photo)
M - you manually set the shutterspeed & apeture for each photo based on the exposure meter or what you desire.
Av - gives you apeture priority where you manually set the apeture. The camera automatically sets the shutterspeed.
Tv - gives you shutterspeed priority where you manually set the apeture. The camera automatically sets the apeture.
P - program mode is an automatic mode where your camera will adjust the settings to fit the lighting, setting, etc. but in Program mode, if you so desire you can manually adjust the settings to fit desired needs.

Basic Modes:
green rectangle - is full auto mode. the camera will automatically set your shutterpeed & apeture according to exposure. you cannot adjust manually.
Portrait - just like it says it's set to shoot portraits, giving a blurred background due to wider apeture, it also is suppose to balance skin tones and colors and soften.
Landscapes - dedicated to giving a LONG depth of field. this mode is meant for scenery and landscapes.
CloseUps - when shooting in macro, makes small images appear larger/magnified. best for shooting flowers, insects, jewelry, etc.
Sports - to be used when shooting moving objects or fast paced motion.
Night shooting - to be used when shooting people/objects at night and gives a balanced background (doesn't let the flash wash out the foreground and overdarken the background).

Your manual will give you a better more in-depth explanation of these different modes but knowing what they do and when to use them gets you more out of your camera.

a fun little project when you have time is to photograph the same object/scene and use all the different modes to shoot that 1 thing to see how they differ and how they change the photo. something to try after the holidays perhaps when everyone has more time. :)

[ingridfasquelle]

Awww thanks for those explanations, Sarah ! :heartu:

My DS was in the mood for a LITTLE photoshoot last night just before eating dinner so i whipped out my camera and took a few pics of him in front of our tree. I used P mode AND the external flash because the luminosity wasn't good at all and i let my DS pose for me. He did great, still refused to put his Santa hat on though but i don't mind !

I got great 2 or 3 perfectly crisp shots i still have to process before posting. I'm soooo happy because since you've explained me the different modes, i feel more self-confident in using my camera !

My hubby keeps saying to me that a slow shutter speed is not good for the camera and it could cause damages... what do you think ?! I don't think he's right but...

BTW, i noticed that my camera tended to "warm" the skin tones. I almost always use my external flash oriented towards the ceiling to bounce the light but i don't always get the best results so i wanted to know if there was a tip to correct the temperature of my pics in Photoshop ?

[ingridfasquelle]

Here's my pic, not technically perfect but at least i managed to have one ! What do you think, Sarah ?!

http://www.peppermintcreative.com/gallery/data/506/IFasquelle_CAP_Challenge_25.jpg

[glumirk]

Ingrid, have you tried changing the white balance on your camera? For inside pictures you'll probably want tungsten. Otherwise, there's an adjustment layer you can add in photoshop that's called "Photo Filter", and if your colors are too cool you can add a warming filter, and if they are too warm you can add a cooling filter. We use compact fluorescent lighting so I have to do this all the time because my camera doesn't have that setting. It all has to do with what colors of the spectrum are in your light source. Just remember to change it back when you go outside or all of your pictures are blue.

[ingridfasquelle]

Megan, i didn't have time to adjust my white balance because my DS is always cooperative for a very short time and i didn't want to miss the opportunity so i shooted with automatic white balance which is probably not the best choice ! I should have chosen tungsten for sure ! So the colors here are too warm despite the cooling filter i've applied in Photoshop ! ;)

I'll do others pics and remember to be ready with the right settings for the white balance, i'm sure it will do the difference ! ;)

Thanks for your comment, Megan, i appreciate ! :heartu:

BTW, I've read somewhere on the internet (but can't remember where exactly, sorry!) that Canon cameras tend to warm too much the pics, is that true ?!

[shutterspeed]

you're welcome Ingrid! :)

My hubby keeps saying to me that a slow shutter speed is not good for the camera and it could cause damages... what do you think ?!
slow shutterspeeds don't damage the camera. is it possible he's thinking about shutter lock? the camera was designed to be able to utilize both fast & slow shutterspeeds. slow shutterspeeds are just fine, but better use a tripod to stablize! :)

BTW, i noticed that my camera tended to "warm" the skin tones. I almost always use my external flash oriented towards the ceiling to bounce the light but i don't always get the best results so i wanted to know if there was a tip to correct the temperature of my pics in Photoshop ?
i try never to use a flash unless i absolutely have to. sometimes though it is necessary. my problem tends to be washing out the foreground, underexposing the background. as for correcting the "temperature" of your photos in photoshop, you can do as Megan suggested using adjustment layers and filters. or there are PS actions that do all that for you. i think Pioneer Woman has some really good warming and cooling actions (free) that are helpful for color correction/temperature correction.

I should have chosen tungsten for sure ! So the colors here are too warm despite the cooling filter i've applied in Photoshop !
keep in mind that color reflects. so say you have a room that tends toward the red (you have cherry wood furniture or redish accents) sometimes that "red" color can pick up in your photos and give it too warm a tone. same thing happens with cooler colors. it's not a huge contributing factor but it does play into it.

i notice in your photo Ingrid (which i think is lovely, btw) the tree is decorated in red accents and the wall behind your child is reddish and he's wearing a plum colored shirt...this will warm up the photo because the colors are warm. does this make sense?

white or light colored rooms/accents/etc tend to reflect a lot of ambient light and you can over expose your photos and black or dark colored rooms/accents/etc will absorb the light and will underexpose your photos.

so say you're doing a photoshoot in a room that has dark paneling or painted walls and you want to place your subject in front of a black backdrop, the available light will be less than in a lighter room because dark colors absorb light.

BTW, I've read somewhere on the internet (but can't remember where exactly, sorry!) that Canon cameras tend to warm too much the pics, is that true ?!
it was my experience with my XT that my photos tended more toward the cool end of the spectrum in some things, and in others were way too warm. i think it depends on what you're photographing. for people it would always warm up too much. i have little color correction now using the 40D.

i hope my answers make sense...let me know if i didn't! :)

[ingridfasquelle]

Your answers totally make sense, Sarah ! i re-asked my hubby and yes, he was thinking about shutter lock ! ;) BTW, we only had one P&S camera before our Rebel XT and we wondered about slow shutter speed ! We just didn't know it could last sooo long ! It can really be confusing for newbies and we thought something was wrong with our camera ! Now, we know ! ;)

I always use a flash when shooting indoor because the luminosity isn't good, especially in fall and winter season ! I feel like it's night 24/24 here ! I guess you don't have to worry about that living in Texas ! ;) My external flash is always oriented 90° so that it doesn't wash out my subjects ! Now, i can take pics in my bathroom which has no window, for example ! It also helps a lot to avoid those harsh shadows ! I don't have that problem anymore using my Speedlite !

In fact, i try to get pics that correspond to what my eyes see but i just didn't realize (until you noticed it) that everything in my appartment is warm colored ! Red accents are everywhere ! No surprise then if my pics are so warm ! Yesterday, i made some tests shooting in tungsten and i just don't like the cool effect i got... I think it means that i naturally tend towards warm colors ! :)

Thanks a lot for your answer, very useful ! As you may not know, my bro and SIS are expecting a little guy for mid-april and they ask me to take some pregnancy pics. I accepted of course but told them i was no professional ! I don't want to desappoint and need good advice to avoid typical newbie errors ! So your axplanations are precious to me ! ;)

[shutterspeed]

Your answers totally make sense, Sarah
YEAH!!!

I always use a flash when shooting indoor because the luminosity isn't good, especially in fall and winter season ! I feel like it's night 24/24 here ! I guess you don't have to worry about that living in Texas ! ;)
haha, i wish! these days it's rainy and dreary every day! blah! and the house we live in wasn't built with the idea to best utilize light...so i have to improvise!

My external flash is always oriented 90° so that it doesn't wash out my subjects ! Now, i can take pics in my bathroom which has no window, for example ! It also helps a lot to avoid those harsh shadows ! I don't have that problem anymore using my Speedlite !
one of my next purchases will be the speedlite 580exii! cuz my on board flash isn't that geat and ... well yeah... :D

In fact, i try to get pics that correspond to what my eyes see but i just didn't realize (until you noticed it) that everything in my appartment is warm colored ! Red accents are everywhere ! No surprise then if my pics are so warm ! Yesterday, i made some tests shooting in tungsten and i just don't like the cool effect i got... I think it means that i naturally tend towards warm colors ! :)
i also prefer the warmer tones for photos versus the cool ones...unless it's of a tropical beach i want the tones more on the warmer side. which is odd cuz my fave colors are blues/greens.

Thanks a lot for your answer, very useful ! As you may not know, my bro and SIS are expecting a little guy for mid-april and they ask me to take some pregnancy pics. I accepted of course but told them i was no professional ! I don't want to desappoint and need good advice to avoid typical newbie errors ! So your axplanations are precious to me ! ;)
a maternity shoot can be a lot of fun. if you need ideas or inspiration, head over to Flickr and do a search for maternity or pregnancy photos. here's a blog (http://digital-photography-school.com/tummy-time-7-tips-for-taking-great-maternity-shots) with some helpful tips.



here's a couple of the ones i did on myself when i was pregnant with Ava...
photo1 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/shutterspeed25/2293939551/in/set-72157603994777503/)
photo2 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/shutterspeed25/2410970519/in/set-72157603994777503/)
photo3 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/shutterspeed25/2411797522/in/set-72157603994777503/)

be sure and show us when you've done the photoshoot!! :D

[ingridfasquelle]

I was far from thinking the weather in Texas was so similar than the one wa have these days in Dunkerque (extreme northern part of France) ! Let me tell you, you will love your speedlite ! That's the best thing i've ever bought !

I've already visited that blog you've listed ! this is one of my faves because the tips are simple (like using a bed sheet as a reflector or wearing a white t-shirt when shooting...) and very helpful ! I've bookmarked a few things i want to try but i want to keep the photosession simple because it's my first and i don't want to feel overwhelmed with composition !

I'm lucky because my SIS is photogenic and isn't afraid at all when her picture is taken which i think is a great advantage for the newbie i am ! It will sure helps ! ;) But my bro is so impredictable, sometimes hamming it up and sometimes being grumpy... It depends on his mood ! I can't expect anything with him ! :whoop:

They both love B&W pics which i think is a great choice for pregger pics ! So, in the next days i'll read and prepare that important photosession ! I don't want to desappoint ! I have to take their pics around dec 30 (if i totally recovered from my ankle, i still have to wear a brace until Christmas...)

Thanks for your answers ! ;)

[Scrappie Irene]

Here's my first:

http://www.peppermintcreative.com/gallery/data/506/thumbs/IMAG0035K.jpg (http://www.peppermintcreative.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=7673)

http://www.peppermintcreative.com/gallery/data/506/IMAG0035K.jpg

We still don't have the X-mas tree standing in our living room and also not at work. We are not really in a X-mas mood. My bosses' wife has brest cancer for the second time and now they found out it already has spread out to her long. It's so terrible. She's only 44 years old and they have 2 children. Also last September we lost a client from work, she had stomage cancer and was only 38 years old.
I know live goes on, so I guess we put up the tree next Saturday, but that's to late for this challenge. So that's why I used this photo.

[Scrappie Irene]

Ingrid! Your little handsome boy is smiling! :cheer: But where's his hat?

Megan mentioned the White Balance settings.
If you shoot your photos in RAW (and your camera can do that) you can change the WB in Digital Photo Professional (you got the software with your camera) or in PS.

[MissMint]

Sorry to hear such sad news Irene ;( Your photo is gorgeous!

[Scrappie Irene]

A little bit good news: it has not spread, it's a different type of cancer. Now it's better removable. When it's spread out it can be everywhere in your body. Now she will have a surgery on her long and after that chemo for her breast.

[Jodimc]

Christmas Magic,
My daughter's first christmas.
I'm glad she's at the age where she doesn't mind being my subject.
I took about 100 pictures,of the tree, ornaments and her with the tree.
I learned a lot about my camera. Someone on here posted about setting, and using tungsten. I didn't even know my camera had that whole area.
I also used manual settings on my camera, used the timer, turned off the flash and used a tripod. Very good information Ladies! Thanks


http://www.peppermintcreative.com/gallery/data/506/cap_challenge1.jpg


Carousel Horse, One of my most precious Christmas ornaments. My mom bought this for me when I was 19.
http://www.peppermintcreative.com/gallery/data/506/cap_challenge_2.jpg

[MissMint]

Great news Irene! I hope she will be better soon!!!

Nice pics Jodie!! High five for playing around with different settings. I LOVE the results.
Isn't it soo rewarding when you attempt to shoot on manual and the picture actually comes out right? ROFL. Love the WARM glow of the lights in the top one.

[shutterspeed]

just to let everyone know, we will extend this challenge until the 1st of January. Happy Clicks & Merry Christmas!!

love the entries so far!! :)

[Gabby]

Aww, thanks! I had taken a few, but didn't like how they turned out. Now I have lots more time!

[birgit]

ok, then i'll try to do some today on the market. thought that would be too late! :happydance:

[BansGran]

ohhh, so glad this challenge has been extended... I am loving the pics that everyone has posted and all the great tips too....

[nina81]

::yipee::I did it!!!! I so much wanted to take part in this challenge again! And thankfully you extended and I got a picture!!

http://www.peppermintcreative.com/gallery/data/506/IMG_0027_.JPG

http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/5430/img0027n.jpg (http://img705.imageshack.us/i/img0027n.jpg/)

[MissMint]

oh NINA! That is stunning!! It looks like a real life gingerbread house in the background! LOL. Toronto is SO ugly.

[AlliJ2008]

I am so glad the deadline was extended & that I finally got to participate again...it has been soooo long!

Here is my holiday season photo.

http://www.peppermintcreative.com/gallery/data/506/G_03-1WEB.jpg (http://www.peppermintcreative.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=7728)

[birgit]

I finally managed to take a decent picture of our tree... :happydance:

http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/1573/cap.jpg (http://img140.imageshack.us/i/cap.jpg/)

[glumirk]

*whew* I barely made it!

I really wanted to get a manger picture with the tree bokeh, or a manger picture surrounded by wrapping paper all blurred but the baby Jesus in focus, but I never got the lighting right for it to turn out without too much noise. However, I LOVED this picture I took of Oliver's new sock monkey!

Christmas Monkey

http://www.peppermintcreative.com/gallery/data/506/IMG_4454_copy.jpg (http://www.peppermintcreative.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=7748)

Don't you love our Charlie Brown Christmas tree? :smug: We didn't buy a real tree because we were gone half the month of December.

[PixelChick]

Hopefully I'm getting this in on time (had a few isses with the site after I uploaded my pic).. Just a few of my favorite things about holiday time.. candy canes & Christmas lights!

Christmas

http://www.peppermintcreative.com/gallery/data/506/christmas1.jpg

TFL!

[MissMint]

oooooooooh the last minute additions are fantastic!!! I LOOOOOOOVE the sock monkey pic - and now I totally want one.

Great composition on the candy canes - they look so YUMMY!!!

[shutterspeed]

wow fabulous entries ladies and glad a few of you got in a last minute photo!! they were all great and filled me with Christmas spirit. :happydance:

for this challenge i'd like to CONGRATULATE:

Scrappie Irene "Christmas balls"
http://www.peppermintcreative.com/gallery/data/506/IMAG0035K.jpg
the metallic balls really threw off a great sparkle & bling. and the cropping was different and interesting.

Honorable Mentions:

Nina 81 "Snow Village Scene"
http://www.peppermintcreative.com/gallery/data/506/IMG_0027_.JPG
the lights, the snow, the movement, the quaint little village...it's like something out of a holiday snowglobe!

PixelChick "Candycanes"
http://www.peppermintcreative.com/gallery/data/506/christmas1.jpg
great depth of field, colorful and yummy!

and a big BRAVO to Miss Mint & Ingrid for playing along too. :D

don't forget to check out CAP #26...What do you resolve to do in 2010?

[AlliJ2008]

Those candy canes look amazing! The focus is so crisp! I loved the sock monkey too!

[Scrappie Irene]

I just see it now, yeah! Never expected this and didn't get an email about it yet.
I was just hopping in to see the next challenge so this is a big surprise!

[ingridfasquelle]

My pleasure, Sarah ! I really appreciated this challenge and all the info i got about photography ! ;)