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Album: South Bay Christmas Lights House Displays 2005 (Sheldon)
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Album: South Bay Christmas Lights House Displays 2005 ( Launch Viewer)
In preparation for our annual Winter Wonderland Bus Event, I've gone out all around the South Bay looking for standout Christmas Light Displays. Here's a collection of highlights that I've spotted. Most of these displays will be part of our Winter Wonderland Bus event 2005. I've included the addresses of these spots if you want to go out and see them on your own. If you want tips on setting a route to see them all together, get in touch with me.Related Content:
- Album: 2007 Christmas & Holiday Light Displays in Silicon Valley
- Album: 2006 South Bay Christmas Lights
- Topic: Best Christmas Light Displays in South Bay 2006?
(Album Owner: Sheldon)
Album Comments
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.
Good idea. I'll post cross-streets to some of the other ones too. Or maybe someone else will be willing to contribute that info.
Just add the photos to the San Jose Album here:
http://socialwave.net/main/index.php?act...y&cmd=sc&cat=16
I'll link it into the album after you've added it. In the next release you can add directly to other users' albums. Right now it's a workaround.
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
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.
re:
by Sheldon on Dec 13 2005, 01:24 AM
Posted to: Xmas Displays 2005: 595 Nido Dr, Campbell
It would be helpful to have cross-streets and I know I am being a bit ambitious here, but maybe even directions (pick a central point of reference like directions from Downtown Campbell).
by mobyfan on Dec 13 2005, 09:50 AM
Posted to: Xmas Displays 2005: 595 Nido Dr, Campbell
The cross street for this one is Budd Ave. It's right behind the Safeway on Winchester Ave. Good idea. I'll post cross-streets to some of the other ones too. Or maybe someone else will be willing to contribute that info.
by Sheldon on Dec 13 2005, 10:12 AM
Posted to: Xmas Displays 2005: 595 Nido Dr, Campbell
Wow, Sheldon, great pictures! Next time I see you, you'll have to give me a couple tips. I took some pics of a nice display on Lantz Ave. at Union Ave (one block So. of Curtner). Please let me know how I can add a photo to this album.
by trumpman on Dec 13 2005, 12:07 PM
Posted to: Xmas Displays 2005: 595 Nido Dr, Campbell
Oooh, ok. Yes please post the photos of 2740 Lantz Ave, Don! That'll save me a trip to shoot the house. I have photos of our passengers checking out that house last year, but nothing of the scene itself in general. Just add the photos to the San Jose Album here:
http://socialwave.net/main/index.php?act...y&cmd=sc&cat=16
I'll link it into the album after you've added it. In the next release you can add directly to other users' albums. Right now it's a workaround.
by Sheldon on Dec 13 2005, 04:59 PM
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
by trumpman on Dec 14 2005, 12:20 AM
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.
by Sheldon on Dec 14 2005, 01:15 AM
Posted to: Xmas Displays 2005: 2740 Lantz Ave, San Jose
Usually the Haverson's (the Lantz house) also turn their garage into Santa's workshop, but there was an illness in the family this year and they had to scale back on their display this year. Their Santa's workshop is really cool. I think I have a photo of it from last year. It's not a great photo, but I'll try to find it anyway.
by Sheldon on Dec 14 2005, 01:19 AM
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! ;-)
by trumpman on Dec 14 2005, 08:21 PM
Posted to: Xmas Displays 2005: 2740 Lantz Ave, San Jose
2006 Update: Unfortunately, the folks at the 2740 Lantz Ave house don't appear to be doing their usual Christmas display this year. There are other houses nearby on Lantz that have pretty nice displays, though nothing approaching the scale of what the Haversons had up annually at 2740 Lantz.
by Sheldon on Dec 12 2006, 01:04 PM
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