If you want to see how I made this (and how you can too!), visit my HDR Tutorial. I hope it gives you some new tricks!
When dad is a photographer, then there is a major degree of pressure to deliver photos on all the requisite holidays and celebrations! So, I decided to try to re-invent the family Christmas photo with HDR. Please note that many of my inventions go down in flames, but, as Winston Churchill said, “success is the ability to go from one failure to the next with no loss of enthusiasm”.
Christmas scenes have a lot of light levels. The lights on the tree, the deep greens withn the branches, a roaring fire, lights in the room, reflections off the ornaments, and the like. It’s wild! I’m pretty sure this is why people like Christmas scenes so much - a wonderful treat for the eyes that is rich in texture and rich in light. Traditionally, it’s been very difficult to capture so much richness in a single photo, saving a lucky and heroic combination of shutter speed, aperture, ISO, and lenses.
The tree lights made the faces of my three stunt-children (who are also my real children) glow perfectly. No flash could have achieved this, unless you are the kind of Rambo-flash guy that would go bury one inside the tree to hit their faces from the left. But, let’s face it. That’s hard.
This was a 5-exposure HDR. You will notice that I often use 5 exposures, but note I could have done it with 3 exposures at -2, 0, and +2. Some silly Nikon cameras, like the D3X I use, will not let you step by twos, so I had to take 5 at -2, -1, 0, +1, and +2. The middle exposure, from which the kid’s faces were masked in and perfectly lit, was shot at f/4 aperture, shutter speed of 1/250, 100 ISO, and at 28mm.
From the blog at www.stuckincustoms.com
Bobby Ramirez Photography, and 706 other people added this photo to their favorites.
View 20 more comments
A.C.Photography 44 months ago | reply
This is one of the most beautiful images I have ever seen and feels like TRUE Christmas. I am so determined to try an HDR image of my boys by the tree this year now!
fifao 44 months ago | reply
How on earth did you keep them still for 5 exposures!? Love the shot!
sophia@ 43 months ago | reply
Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Stay At Home!, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
mscott207 [deleted] 43 months ago | reply
WOWWW!!! This picture is absolutely spectacular! Stunning...I'm nearly speechless.
ohhector 42 months ago | reply
merry (belated) christmas! =]
sixty8panther 41 months ago | reply
Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Star, universal symbol, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
DTrigoPhotography74 41 months ago | reply
Inspiring!!! Thank you!!
robin & simona benea 40 months ago | reply
Hi, I'm an admin for a group called BADorGOOD - Post 1 / Award 3 , and we'd love to have this added to the group!
W o n d e r f u l !
photography by Lara 35 months ago | reply
omg this photo is amazing
Jessica Hackett 32 months ago | reply
This is an AMAZING photo! Two Thumbs Up!!!!
seryani 32 months ago | reply
Incredibly magical image! Love this one, just a perfect shot. Thanks a lot for sharing!
William Kwan 31 months ago | reply
Well done! This is a work of art its so surreal! I wish you have some snow white christmas outside the window too :)
GlobeTrotter 2000 31 months ago | reply
Just lovely !!
vidterry 30 months ago | reply
Ricardo F. M. 28 months ago | reply
Muito lindo este quadro Natalício!!! Bjs.
OlyaA (busy) 26 months ago | reply
wonderful image!
Please share this wonderful image with group Show Room
This invitation counts as an award as well
23gxg 26 months ago | reply
Very good, thank you for
adding to The MAGIC EYE
I love this image!
The MAGIC EYE - Post 1 / Award 3
Kim Ledin 26 months ago | reply
Vivid
cwizeolowl 13 months ago | reply
that is truly outstanding. What a beautiful image.
cbroult 6 weeks ago | reply
Beautiful one.