Taking a shot of Christmas lights reflecting in my daughters eyes

[Rocketman1978]

A couple of months ago we were blessed with our first child, a healthy bouncing baby girl, and I must admit I am among the proudest of dad's :heart:. One night I was walking around our dark, Christmas tree-lit living room with our daughter and I stopped in close to the tree while holding her and noticed how gorgeous the Christmas lights looked in her huge blue eyes. Every time I repeat the above my thoughts surround how to catch that shot with my camera. I don't have a macro lens but have a decent beginner steed as seen below. I am very new at photography so I'm curious what your recommendations are on how to capture this, including your choice of lens (below), potential environment and camera settings?

Thanks SO much folks, much appreciated!

-Cory

 

[jake337]

So you want the christmas lights to be the catchlights or want to have a real closeup of the eye with the christmas lights being the subject? I'm not sure about the closest focusing distance on any of those lens you have but you'll want to get real close.

 

[Mully]

Try using the tree light to light her in someones arms..... ISO 800+ Mess with it ....you will learn a lot by doing.

 

[mrpink]

Take a mental picture and just enjoy the moment. Worry about the camera stuff some other time.






p!nK

 

[Rocketman1978]

So you want the christmas lights to be the catchlights or want to have a real closeup of the eye with the christmas lights being the subject? I'm not sure about the closest focusing distance on any of those lens you have but you'll want to get real close.

Catchlights is (are?) what I am seeking.

 

[Rocketman1978]

Try using the tree light to light her in someones arms..... ISO 800+ Mess with it ....you will learn a lot by doing.

I'm planning this too but with my wife included. I will play with this using ISO 800 using my wife as the subject before bringimg my daughter in, thanks for the help!

 

[JohnYoung]

What I would suggest is shooting in RAW as you can have full control and the camera won't be fooled by lack of light and ruin the atmosphere by over compensating. I have a candle photo of my wife I will rake out tomorrow to show what I mean

 

[Rocketman1978]

What I would suggest is shooting in RAW as you can have full control and the camera won't be fooled by lack of light and ruin the atmosphere by over compensating. I have a candle photo of my wife I will rake out tomorrow to show what I mean

Sent from my Hannspad using Tapatalk 2

I shoot everything in RAW but I'm curious to see your example and how you achieved it. Much appreciated!

 

[JohnYoung]

Well here is the photos

Manual
F1.8
1/45
ISO 400
Used my 50mm lens

 

[thetrue]

From the OP, it seems to me that you want to have a photo of the actual Christmas light as the subject as a reflection in your daughter's eye? I would definitely have wife hold her and get as close as you can focus with the 18-135. Can you paint more of a mental picture for us? What all are you planning to include in the picture? Just her eye? Her whole face? I'm still not quite clear on that...

 

[Rocketman1978]

From the OP, it seems to me that you want to have a photo of the actual Christmas light as the subject as a reflection in your daughter's eye? I would definitely have wife hold her and get as close as you can focus with the 18-135. Can you paint more of a mental picture for us? What all are you planning to include in the picture? Just her eye? Her whole face? I'm still not quite clear on that...

I'd like the picture to clearly show that it was her, so some, perhaps all of her face. I may try to get a little bit of the tree along with her face and the catchlights in the eyes, not sure if I can manage that.

So you would go 18-135, huh? I can give that a try! I always seem to have trouble getting the eyes sharp, which I know is one of the main goals I read about. I tend to set my focus point, whether the dead center one or far right if I am holding my camera in portrait, right between her eyes. I'm not sure if that is the best technique for sharp eyes, but I always seem to have a problem achieving that. I suppose its because of the lighting and my need for a low aperture, especially in a Christmas tree shot.

 

[mrpink]

I have a daughter. I have christmas lights. I have a camera.

Here's my go at it (I am sure what you have in mind is very different from this)


_DSC7415 by Matt Francosky, on Flickr

D700 & 85mm 1.4
settings: ISO1600, f/1.8, 1/80th sec.
Some light noise reduction and color correction (green cast from the wires of the lights) in post, but fairly SOOC.






p!nK

 

[Rocketman1978]

I have a daughter. I have christmas lights. I have a camera.

Here's my go at it (I am sure what you have in mind is very different from this)


_DSC7415 by Matt Francosky, on Flickr

D700 & 85mm 1.4
settings: ISO1600, f/1.8, 1/80th sec.
Some light noise reduction and color correction (green cast from the wires of the lights) in post, but fairly SOOC.






p!nK

That is an awesome picture! My daughter is only 10 weeks old so I couldn't reproduce it yet, but I like it!

 

[mrpink]

10 weeks old..... yeah. not gonna happen.

next year maybe.

another from the "shoot". Just messin around with my littles and some lights.


_DSC7398 by Matt Francosky, on Flickr

same setup as above. A little more post work (had to remove a couch)






p!nK

 

[millerd66]

As one who just started "messin" with his SLR, those pictures are out of my scope of understanding. I have a canon rebel t3i with the kit lense, and have more bad pictures than good especially when "light" is a problem, and usually indoor lighting i.e Christmas Tree

10 weeks old..... yeah. not gonna happen.

next year maybe.

another from the "shoot". Just messin around with my littles and some lights.


_DSC7398 by Matt Francosky, on Flickr

same setup as above. A little more post work (had to remove a couch)






p!nK