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Category: Indoor/Low-Light Photography

Photography Question 

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Photographing Christmas Lights


Help! I want to take pictures of outside Christmas lights. However, when I put it on the fireworks setting, the pictures turn out blurry. Carrying a tripod with me is not an option. I know I will probably need to set it to manual and set everything, but I don't even know what aperture, shutter speed or ISO to even start with. Thanks!


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December 04, 2007

 
- Gregory LaGrange

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  You can start with ISO 1600, shutter speed 1/60, f/2.8 ... Re-consider the tripod.


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December 04, 2007

 

Bob Cammarata
  A smaller aperture setting will expand the Depth of Field and create little starbursts of light off the most vibrant, brighter features of those displays. Set the aperture (in aperture-priority AE) and be prepared for a multi-second exposure time. This, of course, means that you WILL need that tripod.


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December 04, 2007

 

Angie Ray
  Consider taking one of BetterPhoto.com's online courses to get you more familiar with your camera and make you feel more confident when having to take pictures with a manual setting.
Don't be afraid to leave those auto settings behind, you will be glad you did, I promise. I, too, started with a camera specific course here at BetterPhoto and I can't even imagine what I would've done without it. Now, three courses later, I literally know my camera inside out and I don't feel overwhelmed anymore by all the terms and numbers and settings.You can do it! Good luck!


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December 11, 2007

 

Sherry King
  If you don't have a tripod, try taking a bag of rice and set the bag and camera on something stable at the appropriate height ... for instance a car (turn the car off if you do this). This reduces the vibrations, which caused the blurry photos.
Also, as others stated, a higher ISO, reasonable shutter speed, and watch your depth of field.
Or you could get a tripod: They come in a wide range of prices, with some fairly inexpensive ones.
Good luck!


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December 31, 2008

 
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