Weekly Assignment #62: Christmas Lights

[Nikolai]

Well, it is a proper season, right? :wink So let's get on it and let's get some Xmas lights captured.
Try to be creative. Play with angles, filters and post-processing to get the "wow" effect.
Once picture per entry, multiple entries OK. Fresh pictures only.
Let's get them lights!

[Chrissiebeez_NL]

ok, heres my take on it!

with many thanks to my step-dad's star filter i've been given.

http://chris-en-hils.smugmug.com/photos/233744785-XL-1.jpg

Exif:
Date Modified2007-12-18 18:36:19Date Taken2007-12-18 19:03:04CameraCanon EOS 400D DIGITALExposure Time0.0666s (1/15)Aperturef/4.0ISO800Focal Length55mm (guess: 86mm in 35mm)Photo Dimensions2692 x 3988File Name_MG_6769a copy.jpgFile Size6.84 MBFlashflash did not fire, compulsory flash modeExposure ProgrammanualExposure Bias0 EVExposure ModemanualWhite BalanceautoColor SpacesRGB

hope you like it

[Chrissiebeez_NL]

here another version i've conjured

http://chris-en-hils.smugmug.com/photos/233743815-XL-1.jpg

same exif, exclusion layer blending in photoshop

better? worse? :rolleyes

[Nikolai]

here another version i've conjured

same exif, exclusion layer blending in photoshop

better? worse? :rolleyes
First of all, thank you for the entries! :thumb Nice stars!
For some reason I like the original version more. Second one looks "too photoshopped" to me :dunno Maybe different effect and less "in your face" blend :scratch

[DavidTO]

How about a more generic "Holiday Lights"? :D

[darkdragon]

Here are my entries for this assignment.

1.
http://darkdragon.smugmug.com/photos/234328799-S.jpg (http://darkdragon.smugmug.com/photos/234327692-L.jpg)
(click image for large version)

[darkdragon]

2. Having a little fun with long shutter
http://darkdragon.smugmug.com/photos/234327692-S.jpg (http://darkdragon.smugmug.com/photos/234327692-L.jpg)
(click image for large version)

[Ann McRae]

http://canadian-ann.smugmug.com/photos/234489419-M.jpg

[Nikolai]

2. Having a little fun with long shutter

(click image for large version)
Thank you, nice entries! :thumb

[Nikolai]

house
Nice one, Ann!:thumb

[Chrissiebeez_NL]

http://canadian-ann.smugmug.com/photos/234489419-M.jpg

ahhh.. now thats just cute! :lust

[photocat]

Here is mine...

http://photocat.smugmug.com/photos/234573585-L.jpg

[Nikolai]

Here is mine...
Sweet! Thank you! :thumb

[cjmchch]

http://www.outclassed.co.nz/IMG_6981.jpg

[Antonio Correia]

http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/235143638-M.jpg

[anwmn1]

The original holiday lights

http://aaronnewman.smugmug.com/photos/235611750-L-1.jpg

Some more modern stuff (these 2 not fresh)
http://aaronnewman.smugmug.com/photos/118713273-L.jpg

http://aaronnewman.smugmug.com/photos/118714996-L.jpg

[firststring74]

modern take:http://cdchambers.smugmug.com/photos/235668992-M.jpg

[Nikolai]

very sobering christmas lights
Interesting take, thank you for the entry! :thumb
I must say, though, without the title I would never be able to make the connection with the suggested theme :dunno

[Nikolai]

portrait
Thank you, Antonio!

[Nikolai]

The original holiday lights

Awesome stuff, looks like you AZ guys know how to make decoration!:thumb

[Nikolai]

modern take:
Nice entry, thank you! :thumb

[Nikolai]

Inspired by Antonio

http://nik.smugmug.com/photos/236359407-XL.jpg

Xmas Lights Medley

http://nik.smugmug.com/photos/236359492-XL.jpg

More (conventional) lights here: http://nik.smugmug.com/gallery/4058714

[Antonio Correia]

Nikolai :D
But that is a fantastic shot my friend ! :D
Good. Very nice. You did it. :D:clap
But of course you did it.
If I did it, you would also would, even better :D


I would only crop with the thirds...
After all, this technique allows to show as if there were more lights than really exist.

Both pictures are very nice.:thumb

[pankajasundi]

this is my first post.. comments welcome

http://http://asundi.smugmug.com/photos/235609011-L.jpg

[z_28]

this is my first post.. comments welcome

http://http://asundi.smugmug.com/photos/235609011-L.jpg

Sorry, but you didn't post a picture :scratch

[pankajasundi]

Sorry, but you didn't post a picture :scratch
sorry trying again


http://asundi.smugmug.com/photos/235609011-L.jpg

[Nikolai]

sorry trying again

Nice candles, thank you! :thumb

[pyry]

I've got one! :D

http://pyry.smugmug.com/photos/236806836-L.jpg

[Nikolai]

I've got one! :D

IR, too? ;-) :wink!
thanks!:thumb

[pyry]

IR, too? ;-) :wink!
thanks!:thumb

Yup. Gives a whole new lease of life to those little tiny incandecent bulbs.

[LouDoggsRuca]

Here is my take.
http://JBHotShots.smugmug.com/photos/237103620-M.jpg

[Ken Lapp]

here is my entry:

http://whitehawkphotography.smugmug.com/photos/233638368-M.jpg

[Nikolai]

Here is my take.

Thank you!
It's a bit ordinary, but hey, it's Christmas! ;-)

[Nikolai]

here is my entry:
Great shot, nice use of flash!

[Shima]

Here's my take on having fun w/ the Christmas lights:

http://shima.smugmug.com/photos/236012344-M.jpg

[moose135]

The big tree on Long Island, with the full moon overhead.

http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/237709138-L.jpg

[Nikolai]

The big tree on Long Island, with the full moon overhead.

Very neat, thank you!
I see you suffer from the DFS (Dirty Filter/Front element Syndrome), just like I do :lol3

[Nikolai]

Here's my take on having fun w/ the Christmas lights:

CopyCat :wink
Thanks for the entry!

[Shima]

The big tree on Long Island, with the full moon overhead.

Yay Long Island!! Born and raised in Suffolk County myself :) (and people keep asking how I ended up in the midwest, lol)

[ChrisJ]

http://chrisandjoy.smugmug.com/photos/238659910-L.jpg

One of our favorite ornaments... push the button and he says "The force is with you young Skywalker...... but you are not a Jedi yet." A bit hard to tell, but his light saber glows, too.

[Shudderz]

OK, here goes.....starting with this post, and working to catch up on 61 previous assignments.


"Christmas Rhapsody in Blue"


http://HeatherDunn.smugmug.com/photos/238670616-L-1.jpg

[Chrissiebeez_NL]

Love it! :D

nice entry!

[Nikolai]

OK, here goes.....starting with this post, and working to catch up on 61 previous assignments.
"Christmas Rhapsody in Blue"

Nice blues, they are usually hard to capture well..:thumb

[Nikolai]

One of our favorite ornaments... push the button and he says "The force is with you young Skywalker...... but you are not a Jedi yet." A bit hard to tell, but his light saber glows, too.
Lol, thanks, Chris! :thumb

[jdfaith]

One from home:
http://jdfaith.smugmug.com/photos/235341994-L.jpg

A few of a friend's house:
http://jdfaith.smugmug.com/photos/240139792-L.jpg

http://jdfaith.smugmug.com/photos/240140739-L.jpg

http://jdfaith.smugmug.com/photos/240140145-L.jpg

[Nikolai]

One from home:
A few of a friend's house:

Thank you! :thumb
Looks like somebody was having fun with HDR (or Shadow/Highlights dialog) ;-) :wink

[hawkeye978]

I took this one for the assignment and didn't get around to posting it here. So here is a New England Christmas.

http://hawkeye978.smugmug.com/photos/240747378-L-0.jpg

[Nikolai]

I took this one for the assignment and didn't get around to posting it here. So here is a New England Christmas.

Thank you, Tom! Nice shot, and I even like the crop!:clap

[weronika]

Beautiful photos, everyone!

My lights are lot less Christmasy-looking, but I like them anyway ;-)

For some reason I got obsessed with this particular detail of my living room today... I took 75 pictures of the damn things!

Also, can anyone explain to me why an f8 aperture made my lights star-shaped?

[Nikolai]

Beautiful photos, everyone!

My lights are lot less Christmasy-looking, but I like them anyway ;-)

For some reason I got obsessed with this particular detail of my living room today... I took 75 pictures of the damn things!

Also, can anyone explain to me why an f8 aperture made my lights star-shaped?
Thanks!
As to the star - you should try f/22, they will be much more pronounced.
Hint: you camera's diaphragm has 6 blades..:wink

[weronika]

Hmm... But if it has six-blades, then the opening is always hexagonal, so why does the size matter? :scratch

Someday, I'm going to have a camera that has a minimum aperture lower than f8... :cry

[pyry]

Hmm... But if it has six-blades, then the opening is always hexagonal, so why does the size matter? :scratch

Someday, I'm going to have a camera that has a minimum aperture lower than f8... :cry

The aperture should be round fully open, because the blades aren't cutting into it. It then changes shape toward a hexagon (in this case) with smaller apertures depending on the shape of the blades.

The reason we see stars (pun intended :D) is diffraction. Each corner in the aperture causes two spikes. However, in apertures with odd numbered blades two spikes overlap and we see 2n-1 spiked stars. For even numbers of blades all spikes overlap with one other spike and we get n spiked stars, n being the number of blades. That's how Nikolai counted your blades :D

Edit: Also, diffraction effects increase with smaller apertures - hence the f/22 test.

[weronika]

Cool info, thanks!

[sdways01]

http://sdways01.smugmug.com/photos/235572961-L.jpg

[sdways01]

http://sdways01.smugmug.com/photos/235572956-L.jpg

[Nikolai]

two pictures
This is pretty cool, thank you! :thumb

BTW, Weronika, that's how 7-blade diaphragm star looks like :wink

[FocalPoint]

Hello.
Another contribution. :barb

[Antonio Correia]

Paulo, at this speed you are going to make all the assignments in one day.:D

[Nikolai]

Hello.
Another contribution. :barb
Wow, is it still Xmas somewhere? :scratch :wink
Nice shot, :thumb but just a reminder - pictures should be taken fresh, i.e. AFTER you have learned after the assignment. No archives! :nono