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Album: South Bay Christmas Lights House Displays 2005
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Xmas Displays 2005: 6408 San Anselmo Way, San Jose
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Added: Sheldon On: Dec 13 2005, 12:41 AM Views: 820 · Comments: 4 |
 
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Xmas Displays 2005: 6408 San Anselmo Way, San Jose
There's three slide projectors, cut out figures, lotsa lights, and blow-up globes all around the front and side of this house. This house is likely to be a little out of the way for most people, but it's worth the trip, especially since a number of the neighbors are in on the act of decorating too. Besides this standout display that was mentioned in the SJ Mercury, there are three other houses with really cool displays within a few doors. As the lighted sign suggests, you can donate to Toys for Tots at this location.
Photo Comments: Xmas Displays 2005: 6408 San Anselmo Way, San Jose
More Christmas display photos are coming! There are some locations that I still need to get to. Also, if you've got some good photos of light displays, don't keep 'em all to yourself! Share the good ones with us.
Sheldon,
Thanks, will do. And thanks for the exact
address too, b/c I didn't write it down after
viewing it on Monday and of course forgot
by the time I got home. Maybe after I learn
some of your secrets I can take a better photo...
-Don
Thanks, will do. And thanks for the exact
address too, b/c I didn't write it down after
viewing it on Monday and of course forgot
by the time I got home. Maybe after I learn
some of your secrets I can take a better photo...
-Don
LOL, I don't think I have any big secrets. The thing that probably helps me most in shooting stuff in low light situations is having very steady hands. I also practiced Shaolin Kung Fu for 10 years so I can settle into fairly steady stances to keep the body sway at a minimum. I often assume unusual looking crouching positions while shooting. I don't think you'll need the Kung Fu background to replicate some of my shots though. A simple short tripod will do.
As for the actual shooting part, there's no rocket science here. I set the f-stop as low as I can and try an exposure at 1/5 sec. shutter speed. I'll increase the shutter speed one step until I get a shot that I like and then go one step further just for good measure.
This won't work too well if there are a lot of different types of lights. If you've got a bunch of LED lights and then something lit by a big bulb, something is always going to look wrong so I'll go back to the 1/5 shutter speed, turn the flash on, and increase the f-stop to keep the flash from washing the lights out.
I also like to keep the ISO at 400 or under, but if it's too dark and I can't get anything that seems to capture the spirit of the display, I'll budge and go up to 800.
As for the actual shooting part, there's no rocket science here. I set the f-stop as low as I can and try an exposure at 1/5 sec. shutter speed. I'll increase the shutter speed one step until I get a shot that I like and then go one step further just for good measure.
This won't work too well if there are a lot of different types of lights. If you've got a bunch of LED lights and then something lit by a big bulb, something is always going to look wrong so I'll go back to the 1/5 shutter speed, turn the flash on, and increase the f-stop to keep the flash from washing the lights out.
I also like to keep the ISO at 400 or under, but if it's too dark and I can't get anything that seems to capture the spirit of the display, I'll budge and go up to 800.
re:
| QUOTE |
| LOL, I don't think I have any big secrets. The thing that probably helps me most in shooting stuff in low light situations is having very steady hands... |
Sheldon,
Thanks for the insights. I had actually done some of them: setting camera to lowest hand-held held shutter speed (which I thought was 1/60 or 1/125), balanced against a tree, setting ISO to 400 (the max for my camera).
I'll now try taking shots at various shutter speeds and increasing f-stop to prevent flash wash-out (thanks!). And I'll have to watch those old "Walker" (Chuck Norris) and "Green Hornet" (Bruce Lee) series! ;-)
