HO HO HO Shutter Bugs.

Are we in the Christmas spirit yet, or are we just shuddering at the thought???



The theme for both November and December is Christmas and I thought I’d present a series of small tutorials to help you capture the details of Christmas, including the lead up to Christmas and on the day.

You may like to invite someone else from your family to be the dedicated photographer for Christmas Day as I know the prep on the day is busy enough without thinking of the camera. So have them sit with you or have them go through the tutes to get an handle of the camera.

I’m hoping to have a new idea for you to try out every Friday fortnight, so keep checking back in the Shutter Therapy section of the forum to see what the new trick to learn is.

Just to get your thinking caps on…. Reflect back on your childhood memories of Christmas and what is the one memory that stands out the most.
• Is it the careful unwrapping of the Christmas paper, folding it so very carefully and making the stack to use for wrapping next year’s Christmas gifts?
• Is it waking up extra early, tip toeing out to the tree and shaking each of your gifts and wonder what’s in them?
• Is it the placing of carrots in a bowl and a beer for Father Christmas along with the note to say thank you?
• Is it the family lunch with the abundance of food?
• Is your strongest memory a beach Christmas?

Ask your children what is their strongest memory of Christmas is and try to capture that on camera. Preserve those memories, both yours and theirs, on camera and journal the story of why, so that thought is not lost forever.

I plan to help you capture the Christmas lights before the decorating of the tree, (action-low light photography), show you how to shot Bokeh with the Christmas lights on the tree (aperture), itemizing those special few baubles that have sentimental value on the tree (macro). Shooting the decorated homes at night that are festooned with Christmas lights (action- slow shutter). The fevered rush of the unwrapping of gifts on Christmas morning (action and aperture), the luncheon spread on the table and just maybe an idea or two for the Christmas photoshoot with the kids in Christmas hats. (portraiture)



(sunflare)

You have pretty much done all of these already, now all we are doing is applying the help of the tutes and your shots to capture Christmas 2011.

So come back to Shutter Therapy often, as I may put up one in between the Friday fortnights or if someone has an idea but not sure how to go about it, I’m here to help.

With each idea I invite you to try it out before Christmas Day (ie the lunch you can do at the table one lunch to get the practice in, it doesn’t matter if it’s only a sandwich on a plate but using similar lighting conditions), if Christmas is in your home this year have the kids sit about where they would be for the big morning at the same time as if it was Christmas (thinking of similar lighting conditions again) and have them tear up newspaper or something while you practice with the camera.

I’d love for you to show your images of what you’ve taken for each theme. Ie in the Christmas lights wrapped around your kids before you wrap the tree with the lights. Then your shots of bokeh, etc etc.


At the end of December there will be a $25 voucher up for grabs kindly donated by Lee-Anne and Danni of Scrap Therapy for the winning image of Christmas. Place your ONE best shot of Christmas, whether its a lead up shot or one from your Christmas day in THIS (All Things Christmas - Tiff's Christmas Photo Challenges in the November challenges) folder to be in the running. Entries close Dec 31st midnight (new year's eve) and the winner will be announced on the first Saturday in January along with all the other stars and stand outs from other forum challenges.

So, dust off those Christmas ornaments, whack up the tree, wrap the kids in lights, ask your partner for a tripod for an early Christmas gift and have a wonderful, safe, and shutter clicking festive season.



Go HERE for your first tutorial.

Tiff.

the photo of the Christmas Baubles with the presents in the background - that should be on published cards in the shop for sale - STUNNING! I really want to try that

Girls - if you are writing letters to Santa take Tiff's advice - lens, tripod all sorts of yummies to make your photos next year even more amazing

I need to write a letter to santa!!

I'll be along for the ride Miss Tiff!!! LOVE it!

wahu. 7 weeks of festive fun...... that's 50 sleeps to go as of Saturday Nov 5th.

So who's done the Kris Kringle (my code word) shopping?????

Ok soooooo stealing - oops, I mean "borrowing" - mum & dad's camera as soon as possible. Great ideas Tiff!

mate. you so won't regret it. nor will they if they get in the shots too. Don't forget to have them pick it up on THE day so you are in the action too!!!

I'm actually home for a wedding early December, back in Cairns for a week (time to play & experiment!) before flying back for Christmas. So it's not light I'd be taking it for toooo long...

I love that photo with the baubles hanging from the tree, Tiff!...I suck at taking photos of the tree all lit up so I'm really keen to get some good/better (and if possible stunning LOL!) photos for scrapbooking.

Off to check out what bokah refers too...

awww thanks Julze. mwah. Remind me to tute the details of how to get it pls.

Ahhh. Christine.... you may not want to give it back lol

t

I might try this with my little camera. I love your tips!!

that would be lovely Kay. This is in no way exclusive to SLR's. In some ways the Point and Shoot cameras are sooo much better. Esp trying to take discreet shots so the subject doesn't know about it.

Rito Girls.
just letting you know that the folder to load up your pics is now live (sorry about the fact that it wasn't before now).

And I think that loading up only one pic is just too restricting...... so lets say up to 3 of your best pics can be entered to be in a chance for the Scrap Therapy voucher.

I'm sure as we head through December your pics will start flowing in as there is just so much out there to do. Don't forget Christmas lights on homes, Christmas Carollers, we have a local Trader's night that is a street procession with the big fella bringing up the rear of all the floats. Our local footy club has a Christmas Tree night, where HE drops in bearing small gifts and listens to the last minute requests. Our local crafty ladies are holding a Crafty Christmas fair in the next 2 days and we have the most amazing Christmas Wonderland display in our RSL hall for the next 4 weeks. some pics of it here on my blog.

So much shutter candy out there.
Go get it.