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Holiday lights


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4 replies to this topic

#1
nova85

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Made my first trip out last night to photograph the Christmas lights at a local Arboretum.  I found this morning that many of the photos have a "halo" around the lighting.  On some photos I was able to used LR to improve the photos.  The photo attached is one of the extremes that LR couldn't do much with.  I'm thinking I should be using different settings.

D5300, VR 18-55 f/3.5-5.6, focal point 55mm, 1/6s,f/5.6,iso3200

 

Any advice is appreciated.

 

 

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#2
yauman

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No camera sensors or film have the dynamic range of our eyes so in a scene like this, while it looks ok to our eye, you will not be able to capture it with the camera properly.  It is obvious that the lights are very much over exposed - thus the halo effect - and you did that on purpose so that you can get the trees and water in the picture. If you expose for the light properly, everything else will be totally dark - that the result of lack of dynamic ranges. Even if you have a sensor that can captures the scene properly, there is no medium that can display it - your computer screen won't have that dynamic range or contrast ratio capability to show it.  So, if you want to have a good picture of this, here's 3 things you can do to "cheat" a little:

 

1. Time to use HDR - High Dynamic Range technic - do a 5 shot bracket of -2, -1, 0, +1, +2 ev and assemble them together. If you don't know HDR, google it. If you don't have Photoshop and use only Lightroom there is a plugin you can get to do it - google "Enfuse" - is a "donation-ware" and if you like it, donate some money to them.

Or 2. Take the picture during dusk - when there's still some background light and set exposure mode to "spot" and put the spot on the brightest light. The light will be properly exposed but the rest will be under but at least there's some light to show something other than a black dark background. Shoot RAW then in Lightroom, boost the "Dark" and the "Shadow" and up the "Clarity". 

Or 3, Get closer so more of the light fills the image area. Set exposure mode to "matrix" metering and when more of the lighting fills the image, it will meter more accurately for the light and they won't be over exposed.  Google "image christmas lights" and noticed how all the images that are exposed properly (and not done by HDR) have more light than dark in the pictures.

 

Hope this helps.



#3
nova85

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Thanks for the advice it will be a big help.  I downloaded Enfuse and was able to test it out a little.  It will take some practice but I'm looking forward to capturing some cool scenes.  I believe the D5300 will only bracket 3 shots up to 2ev.  

 

Thanks again!



#4
yauman

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Thanks for the advice it will be a big help.  I downloaded Enfuse and was able to test it out a little.  It will take some practice but I'm looking forward to capturing some cool scenes.  I believe the D5300 will only bracket 3 shots up to 2ev.  

 

Thanks again!

You can manually bracket (which we all did before the days of auto-bracketing.)  On your camera, set to Aperture Priority mode (A) and use Matrix Exposure mode. Set ISO to 800 or even 1600 (for your D5300, iso 1600 is certainly useable!)  Set camera on sturdy tripod.

Shoot one shot at the desired f-stop and shutter speed as set by camera for the aperture you want determined by depth of field desired - that's your 0 ev reference.  Now take one at one stop slower shutter speed for the +1ev.  Then take another at 2 stops slower shutter speed for the +2ev. Then take one at 1 stop faster than the 0 ev shutter speed - that's your -1 ev and then take the 5th shot at 2 stops faster - that's your -2 ev.  Now you have a 5 shot bracket. 

eg: Aperture priority (A) at ISO 800 - the camera auto pilot set shutter to 1sec. - that's your 0 ev shot.

+1 ev would be 2 sec

+2 ev would be 4 sec

-1 ev would be 1/2 sec

-2 ev would be 1/4 sec

There's your 5 shot HDR 

 

It's more fun doing it this way - also give you an excuse to buy a really expensive but sturdy tripod!  

 

Have fun.



#5
nova85

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I thought about doing separate shots as a possibility. thanks for the tripod link. Mine is new but would not be describe as very sturdy. Just started this hobby in the summer and my list of "wants" is growing. Top of the list is a better lens. Tripod probably should be 2nd.