After a week full of Black Friday and other holiday deals, we kicked off December with some great content to enhance your photography this winter!
What a great week leading up to Christmas! We brought you several holiday-themed tutorials this week to make sure you capture all the magic that happens next week!
Lauri Novak kicked it off, showing us different ways to get creative when it comes to photographing Christmas lights. Levi Sim took us into the world of black and white portraits, while our team put together a list of great last-minute stocking stuffers! Erin Holmstead showed us how to create custom bokeh shapes for the holiday season and finally, Julie Powell took us into the world of festive food photography.
We wish you the happiest of holidays! Stay tuned for more in the coming week, including some Christmas-specific special features.
Getting creative with holiday light photos - They are everywhere this time of year — lights. Big, small, all sorts of colors, in windows, on trees and illuminating the world around us for the holidays. It’s a great time to get the camera out and play. Here are a few ways you can get creative taking photos of the holiday lights. Funky 3D filter glasses These are so much fun to play with. I still have ideas to try with them, like going to a busy road and setting up to make all the headlights look like reindeer or candy canes. You can get them on Amazon — this one is a 12-pack. I see a penguin, so I just might have to buy more as I don’t have that one! Lensball (or orb) These are always a great tool to use to get creative and to see things in a different way. Take photos of your tree all lit up or the local town’s decorated tree. Make some abstract images with them. Let your imagination go wild. Bokeh This is a given I think with all the lights. There are many ways you can have fun with bokeh. Fancy wine or cocktail glasses add to the festiveness of an image in front of tree lights. For more ideas on creating bokeh and getting that holiday feel with bokeh, check out Erin & Julie’s articles. Motion Another option that is just fun to let loose with. The sky is the limit here, there are no rules. Create what you want. Move the camera, turn the camera, create shapes as you move and see what happens. Motion abstracts are fun to create as well. Reflections This time of year there are so many reflective surfaces. Ornaments, display pieces, fancy serving ware along with other usual surfaces such as railings and garbage cans. What? Yes, garbage cans. The lamp post image was taken using the reflection on the top of a garbage can. Get everyone involved and don’t forget to get photos with you in them. The holidays are the best time to put away the stress of getting the perfect shot and focus on friends and family. Just have fun with techniques and try things you don’t normally photograph. Record the memories and moments that make up your holidays. Have a wonderful holiday season!
Portrait Tips: Ruin the color for better black and whites - When you make a picture with a digital camera, even if the camera is set to black and white, it records the picture in color and then converts it to black and white (unless you use Leica’s M camera, which only shoots in monochrome). And even if you shoot with black and white film, the colors in the scene affect the results in black and white. That means that you can alter your original color photo to get different results in black and white. Let me show you an example with this quartet. Color first Because color makes a big difference, it’s important to start with great color. Here, I made adjustments to the white balance and tones in Luminar 4 so my photo looks great to start with. Lacking contrast in black and white I like to make a new layer in Luminar for the black and white conversion because I work on things more empirically. So start by making a new layer. In the B&W Conversion tool, use the red and yellow sliders to brighten those tones to make the skin tones stand out. I usually also darken the blues and greens for better contrast, but this picture doesn’t have any other colors. As a result, the area at the top of the picture behind the violinist’s head is bland and kinda like a halo. She’s good, but not that good ;) Ruin the color You can add a color wash to increase the contrast in black and white. Disable the B&W Conversion and go to the Photo Filter in the Professional tab. Turn the Amount to about 50, crank up the Saturation and set the Hue to a nice cyan-like color. Your picture should look like something off Instagram, circa 2016. But the color contrast is only needed on the edges, so use the brush to erase the color from the subjects. You can use this method to create a vignette is a different manner, too. This red mask shows where I’ve left the cyan applied; everywhere else it’s been erased. New layer, B&W again The Photo Filter is visible even when the B&W Conversion is activated, so add a new layer for the B&W. Now use the color sliders to adjust the contrast. Up the warms tones and drag the cool colors to the left. There’s now more contrast behind the angelic violinist, and it reduced the impact of that rain gutter on the right. AI Structure and Split Toning Finish the look by using AI Structure. The artificial intelligence is trained to recognize people and it doesn’t add structure to their faces and skin, which would be too much detail. In this case, it finishes off the details on the edges really well. Lastly, add a little warmth with the Split Toning tool. There are presets, but I like to make my own. Keep it in the toolbox Black and white photos are all about contrast. When you start with the right color contrasts, you’ll have more options when you convert the picture to black and white. Washing the whole photo with a color and selectively removing it is one good way to increase your options. Keep it in your pocket for those times when the scene doesn’t quite have what your subject deserves. Portrait Tips come out each week, and you can see them all right here. Don’t have Luminar 4 yet? Check out our Luminar 4 Photofocus Bundle, complete with Looks, video training, extra skies and more!
Last-minute stocking stuffers for photographers - Christmas might only be six days away, but there’s still time to get some last-minute presents for your favorite photographer’s stocking! Here are some ideas to get you started. Be sure to check our complete Holiday Shopping Guide, full of deals and more gift suggestions. Platypod Ultra Gooseneck combo and Lume Cube Airs Recommended by Levi Sim This little combo is my ideal stocking stuffer. I use the Platypod for positioning my camera in all kinds of situations, from strapping it to railings to setting in places tripods aren’t allowed (like Portland’s Japanese Garden). With the addition of the new Goosenecks and Lume Cube Airs, I’ve got the ideal setup for all kinds of food and close-up photography. I use it for flowers, products and food almost daily. Platypod Ultra: $59 | Gooseneck: $30 | Lume Cube Air 2-pack: $134.95 Lowepro GearUp Wrap Recommended by Lauri Novak Who couldn’t use a cord organizer or two. We all have so many cords to keep track of this is one thing we can do to make that easier. This one from Lowepro works for several small items. $15.99; available via B&H. Luminar 4 Recommended by the Photofocus team | See our Guide to Luminar 4 > Experience machine-learning tools like never before with Luminar 4! Manage, edit and prep your photos for your clients (or walls) with ease, and put the fun back into the creative process. Plus, get the Luminar 4 Photofocus Bundle for free when you purchase through Photofocus. Pluto Trigger Recommended by Bob Coates Pluto Trigger adds or expands twenty-four settings on a camera. The trigger has many different ways to trip the shutter. Time-lapse (by time or distance!), Lightning (lightening trigger alone is with the price), Sound, Laser, water droplet and much more. Features are controlled by your smartphone. Starting at $119; available via B&H. ProTapes Pro Gaffer Tape mini roll Recommended by Kevin Ames A mini roll of gaffer tape is a perfect addition to your photographer’s stocking this holiday season. Gaffer tape secures extension cords on a set, hides audio wires and holds a shoot together. A camera bag isn’t complete without it. $5.95; available via B&H. Rocky Nook Camera Guides Recommended by the Photofocus team Are you giving someone a new camera for Christmas? Get started with Rocky Nook’s camera guides! These in-depth guides walk you through every aspect of your camera, from the button layouts to deep diving in the menus. Get yours on rockynook.com. CHAUVET DJ Hurricane 700 Fog Machine Recommended by Julie Powell I love my smoke machine; it’s fantastic to add atmosphere to my images. It is also fabulous for creating stand-alone smoke textures, which can be composited into images at a later date. If you are a studio photographer, or know one, this a great stocking filler is this fantastic little smoke machine. I adore mine and use it any chance I can get! $33.99; available via B&H. SanDisk 64GB Ultra USB 3.0 Flash Drive Recommended by Lauri Novak More storage or more transfer capabilities. These SanDisk 64GB USB 3.0 sticks are only $9.99. $9.99; available via B&H. Spider Holster SpiderPro Hand Strap V2 Recommended by Levi Sim This hand strap will help you shoot longer and feel less fatigue. It effectively holds the camera’s weight on your whole hand instead of only in your fingers. Even large lenses and cameras are much easier to use with the Spider Holster Hand Strap. It’s not floppy but has some rigidity which makes it easy to get into and relieves the weight from your hand. It’s also much more secure than holding your camera in your hands alone. Levi has been using this for several years and can’t live without it. $70; available from Spider Holster. 3/4-inch Mini Spring Clamps Recommended by Kevin Ames Mini spring clamps hold gels on lights, shorten necklaces, replace pins on clothing and more. They have tons of uses. 47 cents; available via Home Depot. Kahtoola MICROSpikes Recommended by Bryan Esler These have come in handy when I’m exploring Lake Michigan in the winter, making sure I don’t slip on any ice! MICROSpikes come in a variety of sizes and easily slip on your shoes or boots. To date, I’ve never once fallen wearing these. $67.88; available via Amazon. Nik Software Suite Recommended by the Photofocus team | Read our review of Silver Efex Pro > Get started with the Nik Software Suite, where you get eight apps that can help you take your photos to the next level! Plus, now you get DxO PhotoLab 2 to help you manage and make other adjustments to your photographs. Get 30% off through Christmas! $99.99 for new customers, or $59.99 for an upgrade. Visit dxo.com for more. Nikon Lens Cleaning Wipes Recommended by the Scott Wyden Kivowitz | Read our review > Every try over and over again to clean your lenses? Check out Nikon’s lens wipes. It’s amazing how much better these are compared to the rest out there! I use these wipes on not only my lenses, but also screens, glasses and virtually any other glass surface. Get a 200 pack for $13.99; available via Amazon. Twelve South StayGo USB-C Hub Recommended by Bryan Esler Perfect for whether you’re stationery at home or on-the-go, the StayGo USB-C Hub is a must have in your camera bag. Featuring three USB-A ports, one HDMI port, Ethernet, USB-C pass-through power and an SD card slot, this USB-C hub stays secure on your desk and can also pack up small when you’re ready to throw it in your bag. $84.99; available via B&H. Scosche ReVolt Dual USB Car Charger Recommended by Lauri Novak For charging on the go this Scosche ReVolt Dual USB Car Charger is convenient to have. $9.67; available via B&H. Storeacell AA Battery Holder Recommended by Kevin Ames Practically everything that a photographer uses needs AA batteries. This battery holder keeps a dozen AAs handy while protecting the terminal ends. Dispense batteries one handed! Starting at $3.95;
DIY bokeh shape photography - The holidays are upon us and it’s time to take out your camera and make some fun images. I thought I would share how I take pictures of out of focus highlights and change them into different shapes using cardboard, scissors, tape and a pencil. Creating the cap First, we will create a cap that will go on top of our filter sleeve. The easiest way to do this is by tracing the lens cap of the lens that you will be using to create your images. Next, draw a fun shape in the center of that circle. If you aren’t the artistic type, a fun paper punch would work great too. Use the scissors or X-ACTO knife to cut everything out. This next step is optional, however, I think it makes everything a little bit easier to hold. You are going to want to create a sleeve for your lens by cutting a strip of paper to wrap around your whole lens. From there you attach your circle to the lens sleeve. This will allow you to slide your shape over your lens and shoot hands free. If you choose to step this skip you will just have to hold the circle in front of your lens while shooting. Camera settings You are going to want to use an aperture of wider than f/2.8. To do this you need to have a prime lens. If you don’t have a prime lens, don’t stress, you can still get this same effect. Using a zoom lens with a higher aperture is great as well. I recommend setting your camera to Aperture Priority mode. Then turn your dial to its widest aperture and set your ISO to Auto. When doing this you will want to watch your shutter speed. If is it 1/100s or slower I would recommend using a tripod to avoid camera shake. When focusing need your focus point to be as close to your camera as possible. When you are shooting with any lens it has a limit on how close you can. If you are too close the camera won’t be able to focus. Decreasing the distance between you and your subject more will allow the background to fall out of focus. Creating more distance between your subject and the background will also increase the effect. Focus When all your settings are correct and ready to go switch your camera into manual focus. Then you are going to turn your focus ring to the closest focus distance. I actually would prefocus on my subject before and then slide my shape sleeve onto the lens, allowing me to get a tack sharp image. Keep in mind throwing a black circle with a small cutout over your lens will cause the overall exposure of your image to be darker due to the lack of light you are letting in through your tiny cut out. It seemed that my images were a whole stop to a half stop darker with the sleeve one. The fun From there you take your cut out shapes and place them in front of your camera. While doing this you might notice that your shape is too big or too small, causing you to have to do some tweaking from there to see what size your shape cut needs to be. But once you have gotten that done, it is all fun and games from there on out. The great thing about this technique is there is no limit to what you can create.
Creating movement with festive food photos - Add a little pizazz to your festive food photos with some movement and even an element of human touch. A little movement in a still image is easier than you think and can really bring your images to life. Here’s how to add an element of human touch and really make your festive photos sing. Behind the scenes Whether you are going for something a little more dramatic and dark and moody, or if you are after light and bright, lighting is important. Especially if you are trying to capture a little movement. Sure studio lights are fabulous, but unless you are shooting in the studio a little difficult to lug around. Natural light is your friend and be sometimes all you need. Not much light? You can also add a desk lamp or LED for a bit of fill light. Don’t forget those reflectors, catch every bit of available light and bounce it back onto your subject. Sprinkling When it comes to festive food photos, there is nothing quite like a sprinkling of some extra Christmas joy, through elements like icing sugar, powdered chocolate or cocoa. You can capture the powder or sugar falling in slow motion (like a waterfall) or as high impact action with individual grains. It is all dependent on your shutter speed. Working with the exposure triangle, you need to have either a shutter speed of under 1/60s or slower to catch a waterfall-like effect or higher than 1/125s for an action shot. Obviously the slower shutter speeds you would need to place your camera on a tripod to avoid camera shake. If you have a willing assistant, makes things so much easier, but if not a remote trigger will do the trick. Set you shot up and obtain focus on your subject. Make sure everything is set to go and then move into position to start sprinkling over your food. Taking multiple shots to achieve the desired result. Check the back of your camera to get the desired result. Pouring I personally feel that the pouring images with just a hand in just in shot, adds a human element and movement as well to still photos. Again this can be slow or quick, but if the shutter speed is too slow you may get blurry hands. While this is a look that some people like, I prefer a sharper focus on the hand in the shot. This can be created in the same way as the sprinkling image above, on a tripod with a remote trigger, using yourself as the hand model. Whether you are pouring the cream onto pudding or cake or pouring milk into a coffee, it’s all about an even consistency in the actual pour. If pour too fast you could miss the shot, but if you pour too slow it may be blurred. Make a few trial runs first. Glistening There are different ways to had a glistening effect to your festive food photos. I recently wrote a post on creating bokeh and that can look amazing with your festive food as well. Using a small water spray bottle with water on fresh fruit can make it look like it is glistening too. Try adding half glycerin and half water and spray onto glasses, bottle or cans, for an icing look that can also glisten in certain light too. Reflections in shiny baubles and decorations can also make for some interesting photos too. Tip: If you are using icing sugar, cream or milk, try using a dark background to make it stand out more. Likewise, if using powdered or melted chocolate use a lighter colored background.
