Capture Your Holidays

Transcription

1 Capture Your Holidays

2 Capture Your Holidays with Katrina Kennedy LESSON 1 capture lights LESSON 1 OBJECTIVES: At the end of this lesson you will be able to: Use two techniques to create light bokeh Create a star burst light effect I love holiday lights. They add the magic to Christmas. Knowing a couple of techniques will help you photograph lights in beautiful ways. We ll start with blurring lights and then explore creating a star burst effect. You can use these techniques throughout your holiday photos and in our future lessons. Please enjoy this process. If you find yourself frustrated over the settings, ask questions. Make this holiday about capturing your memories with as little stress as possible! We are here for you! All images and lesson content 2014 Katrina Kennedy. All rights reserved.

3 LESSON 1: Capture Lights 2 LIGHT BOKEH The blurred lights in a photo s background are called bokeh. Christmas lights give bokeh a unique, artistic look. The aperture of your camera determines the size and shape of the circular light effect. The wider your aperture (the smaller the f/ number), the larger and more circular the light will be. Grab your fastest lens, the one with the smallest f/ number. I ll explain four ways to achieve bokeh: Manual Focus Bokeh (the easiest and most artistic method) Aperture Priority Mode Bokeh Manual Mode Bokeh Point & Shoot Bokeh Try them all or just give one a shot. Each method will work with any lens, but the lens with the widest aperture (smallest f/ number) will give you the best results. Please turn your flash off for each of these methods. LENS CHOICE Any lens can create light bokeh. Lenses with longer focal lengths (the mm number) will create creamier bokeh.

4 LESSON 1: Capture Lights 3 Manual Focus Bokeh: The key to manual focus bokeh is to have a lot of lights in your frame. A small portion of your Christmas tree or a string of lights will work for this. Multi-colored lights work especially well. A specific aperture is not important with this method. 1 Select Program (P), Aperture (AV or A). 2 Select Spot Metering. 3 Turn your lens to Manual Focus. 4 Turn your lens focus ring until the lights form large circles. 5 Press the shutter button. 6 Check your results.

5 LESSON 1: Capture Lights 4 Round Bokeh In Aperture Priority Mode (AV or A): With this method you will leave distance between your subject and the lights to create bokeh. The more lights, the more glowing circles you will have. 1 Turn your lens to Auto Focus. 2 Select Aperture Priority Mode. (AV or A on the top dial) 3 Select Spot Metering. 4 Move your Aperture to f/1.4, or your widest aperture (smallest f/ number). Your camera will select the shutter speed when you point your lens toward your subject. 5 Double check your shutter speed. If it is faster than 1/50th move to the next step. If it is slower than 1/50th, and you are hand holding, move your ISO up until your shutter speed equals or is faster than 1/50th 6 Press the shutter button. 7 Check your results.

6 LESSON 1: Capture Lights 5 Round Bokeh In Manual Mode (M): 1 Select your widest aperture (the smallest f/number). 2 Select Spot Metering 3 Meter on your subject for a correct exposure. METERING MODES: Follow this link to read more about metering modes. 4 Looking through your viewfinder, adjust your shutter speed until it indicates a correct exposure (the middle line on your light meter). Adjust your ISO and shutter speed, leaving your aperture at its widest number. 5 Shoot. 6 Review your results. Round Bokeh with a point and shoot: Point and shoot bokeh is a bit trickier, but not impossible! 1 Choose the Macro mode (flower mode). 2 Turn off the flash. 3 Focus. 4 Shoot. 5 Check your results. 6 Play with changing your distance to change the light effect.

7 LESSON 1: Capture Lights 6 STAR BURST To create star bursts you will use a small aperture and slow shutter speed. The combination results in blur if you hand hold your camera, so grab your tripod or flat firm surface. Since we are using a narrow aperture (large f/ number) any lens you have will work! You can use this method inside or out any time of year. One quick note on LED lights! If you have LED lights on your tree, the starburst effect will be difficult to achieve.

8 LESSON 1: Capture Lights 7 Star Burst In Aperture Priority Mode (AV or A): 1 Place your camera on a tripod or stable surface. 2 Select A or AV (Aperture Priority Mode). 3 Select Spot Metering. 4 Select an ISO of 400 to 800. NO TRIPOD? Place your camera on a bag of rice to hold it steady if you don t have a tripod. 5 Move your Aperture to f/22, your camera will select the appropriate shutter speed. 6 Select your self timer mode. (This helps to avoid extra camera shake!) 7 Shoot and wait the several seconds it may take your camera to take the photo. 8 Check your results. Star Burst In Manual Mode (M): 1 Place your camera on a tripod or sturdy surface. 2 Set your camera to M (Manual Mode). 3 Select an ISO of 400 to Move your aperture to f/22 or narrower (larger f/ number). 5 Meter for your subject, using spot metering. 6 Looking through your viewfinder, adjust your shutter speed until it indicates a correct exposure (the middle line on your light meter). 7 Focus on your subject. Manual focus may be necessary in your low light situation. 8 Press the shutter (or use your self timer or a remote release). 9 Review your result. What did you find? You should see a star burst around each of the lights in your photo. Try playing with your aperture and shutter speed combination to see what you find. The wider your aperture (smaller the f/ number), the less of a star burst you are going to see.

9 LESSON 1: Capture Lights 8 INSPIRATION & IDEAS Here are a few bokeh ideas to try: Photograph lights against a solid background. Find lights in your everyday life and grab a photo of someone in front of them. (The photo on the left was at Target when my son was still small enough to fit into a cart!) Place an object (ornament, figurine, cup, stuffed animal, present) in front of bokeh lights. (leave 5-10 feet between the object and the lights) You will need a bit of light to illuminate your object. Try a lamp, window light, or a diffused flash. In a pinch the light from your phone can work. Place your lights in a shape and use the Manual focus technique. Post your photos in the Capture Your Holidays Flickr Group to inspire all of us! Looking for more bokeh examples? Flickr Lights of Christmas Gallery Capture Your Holidays Pinterest Board

10 Capture Your Holidays with Katrina Kennedy LESSON 2 capture the tree LESSON 2 OBJECTIVES: At the end of this lesson you will be able to: Create a photo of your Christmas tree using a slow shutter speed. Create a zoomed or bokeh d Christmas tree. Create a silhouetted Christmas photo. Expose for a person in a low light situation. O Christmas Tree, how you ve stumped so many as we expose for thee. You ve seen those classic Christmas tree shots. Perhaps you ve attempted your own. How do you get it to work? What are the secrets? This year you are going to get a great shot! Just a few things to keep in mind and you are on your way. I hope you enjoy this lesson. My little holiday reminder! Please enjoy this process. If you find yourself frustrated over the settings, ask questions. Make this holiday about capturing your memories with as little stress as possible! All images and lesson content 2014 Katrina Kennedy. All rights reserved.

11 LESSON 2: The Tree 2 SLOW SHUTTER SPEED SHOTS For capturing our Christmas trees we will rely on a slow shutter speed and a tripod to avoid camera shake. Once you ve got the settings dialed in, your effort will go into composing an interesting shot. A steady camera is essential for this shot. Without steadiness, the shutter speeds we are using will produce a blurry shot and leave you frustrated. If you don t have access to a tripod place your camera on a steady surface. You can support it with a bean bag or simply a bag of rice from your pantry. This is also a great opportunity to use a remote shutter release or your camera s self timer. Christmas tree in program mode (P): This method is not the ideal way to get a photo of your tree, but it will work in a pinch. Your shutter is going to stay open for a long time, so secure your camera with a tripod or on a steady surface. 1 Place your camera on Program Mode (P). 2 Set your ISO to 100 (this will force a slower shutter speed). 3 Place your camera on a tripod or solid surface. 4 Shoot. TWINKLE LIGHTS The more lights you place on your tree, the easier getting a great tree shot will be!

12 LESSON 2: The Tree 3 Your Christmas Tree in Aperture Priority Mode (AV or A): 1 Select Aperture Priority Mode. (AV or A on the top dial) 2 Select Spot Metering. 3 Move your Aperture to f/22. Your camera will select the shutter speed when you point your lens toward your subject. 4 Place your camera on a tripod or solid surface. 5 Position the tripod in the room so you have a floor to ceiling view of your tree. 6 Turn off all the lights in the room, except the tree lights. 7 If your lens has a UV filter, remove it. 8 Press the shutter button. 9 Check your results. 10 Try different apertures to see the different effects you can achieve. The lights will be starred at the narrowest aperture (largest numbers) and bokeh d at the widest apertures (smallest numbers). YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE with a point and shoot 1 Choose your indoor party scene mode or landscape mode. 2 Turn your flash off (most often in the menu) 3 Place your camera on a tripod or firm surface. 4 Shoot. MAKE IT GRAND To make your tree appear larger shoot with a wide angle lens from a low position. 35mm or lower is considered a wide angle lens. 5 Review your results.

13 LESSON 2: The Tree 4 PLAYING WITH LIGHTS Manual Focus Christmas Tree Bokeh: Let s revisit a favorite technique from the first lesson, this time including the entire tree! 1 Select Program (P), Aperture(AV or A). 2 Select Spot Metering. 3 Turn your lens to Manual Focus. 4 Turn your lens focus ring until the lights form large circles, getting the entire view in your frame. 5 Press the shutter button. 6 Check your results. Zooming Your Christmas Tree: Zooming on your tree creates a fun, artistic photo. A tripod is helpful to get a smooth zoom. A wide lens is helpful for this technique. 1 Set your camera to Aperture Priority(AV or A).* 2 Set your Aperture to f/20. 3 Set your ISO to Secure your camera to a tripod. SEEING YELLOW? Adjust your white balance to eliminate the yellow cast in your photos. Click here for more about white balance. 5 Place your hand on the zoom ring of your lens. 6 Press the shutter button. 7 Slowly turn your zoom ring. 8 Check your results, try zooming faster and slower. In to out and out to in. *You can also use Program Mode (P) or Manual Mode (M) for this technique.

14 LESSON 2: The Tree 5 ADDING A PERSON The silhouetted child in front of a tree evokes so many emotions about Christmas. For the best luck taking this photo, prepare your camera settings before you take the photo of your child. I typically use my husband to help me get the exposure right and then find a way to entice my son to stand in front of the tree to look at something. Because I know my settings are going to be correct, I can then focus on composition. Manual mode is going to be your best choice for this photo. The more lights your tree has the better your results will be. This is not an easy shot to get right. Don t worry if you don t get it with your first attempts. Silhouette 1 Select Manual Mode (M) 2 Select Spot Metering. 3 Select an ISO of 800 to Select a wide aperture (small number). 5 Adjust for a correct exposure. 6 Take a test shot of the tree. 7 Check on your histogram that it is well exposed (the histogram data will stretch across, with a little bunching to the left) WEIRD REFLECTIONS? If you have a UV filter on your lens, remove it when taking Christmas tree light photos. 8 Adjust exposure if needed. 9 Place your subject in front of the tree 10 Shoot. 11 Review your results.

15 LESSON 2: The Tree 6 EXPOSING FOR A PERSON IN LOW LIGHT 1 Select Spot Metering. 2 Set your camera to Manual (M). 3 Leave your lens on AF (Auto Focus). 4 Set your ISO to 800. The less light you have, the higher your ISO needs to be. 5 Choose a wide aperture (the lowest f/number). 6 Aim your camera at your subject, zooming in or walking as close as you can. 7 Find the area you want to have most correctly exposed. (While zoomed on your subject you don t need to be in focus.) 8 Check your shutter speed, keep it above 1/50th of a second (displayed as 50) to avoid camera shake if you are not using a tripod. 1/125th of a second is a good rule of thumb to stop most movement, if your subject is a little uncooperative. 9 Move your in-camera light meter until your indicator falls on the midpoint or 1/3 stop over exposed (one small line to the right).

16 LESSON 2: The Tree 7 10 Recompose your shot. 11 Ignore your light meter settings as they bounce all around. Your camera is seeing light from all around your subject and warning you that your exposure reading is wrong. Ignore it, you are now smarter than your camera! 12 Focus. 13 Shoot. 14 Review your shot on your LCD and in your histogram. 15 Adjust your exposure. Don t be afraid to play with your exposure. Take a shot. Review it. Adjust your exposure up or down in 1/3 stop increments. Shoot. See what you get. You can also try lighting your subject from the front with a lamp, flash or other light. We ll discuss using flash in a future lesson. HISTOGRAM: Stacked to the right = overexposed Stacked to the left = underexposed ACTIVE CHILD? If you are photographing an active child, you can use your own hand to set your exposure, as long as your hand and child will be in the same light.

17 LESSON 2: The Tree 8 INSPIRATION & IDEAS Here are a few tree ideas to try: Use the manual focus bokeh technique to photograph your entire tree. Drape lights around an object or person in front of tree to illuminate them with your tree in the background. Photograph your tree during the day using only natural light. This is a great hand held option. I ve created a gallery of Flickr tree photos for your inspiration. Enjoy. Are you on Pinterest? I have even more photo examples on the CaptureYourHolidays board. If you are having difficulty with anything during the lesson, ask questions! I m here for you. Post your photos in the Capture Your Holidays Flickr group to inspire all of us!

18 Capture Your Holidays With Katrina Kennedy LESSON 3 capture ornaments All images and lesson content 2014 Katrina Kennedy. All rights reserved. LESSON #3 OBJECTIVES: At the end of this lesson you will be able to: Select creative backgrounds with things from around the house. Capture the details of ornaments. Create a reflection photo. Go on a scavenger hunt. Is your head spinning with settings and lights and ideas? In this lesson we are going to explore getting creative with backgrounds and composing ornaments. I ll take it easy on you with camera settings, using the techniques you ve already covered. I m including a fun list of shots you can use to spark some creativity, go on a scavenger hunt, or pick and choose. My little holiday reminder(once again)! Please enjoy this process. If you find yourself frustrated over the settings, ask a question in the classroom or on flickr. Make this holiday about capturing your memories with as little stress as possible!

19 LESSON 3: Capture Ornaments 2 LIGHT & FOCAL POINTS Photography is about finding and using light. Well lit ornaments are a beautiful sign of the holiday season. So where can you find great light? Light is flattering when it is diffused and even. Look for light: From windows or doorways. Under patio covers or open garage doors. On a white overcast day. Wander around your house and find the best light. Great photos have is a clear focal point. When shooting ornaments, make your focal point very obvious. Avoiding other clutter in your frame will create a stronger, more eye pleasing photo. FOCAL POINT: For more information on focal points click here. A few things to consider for a stronger focal point: Place your ornament on a third intersection. Place your ornament against a contrasting, plain backdrop. Blur the background using a large aperture (small f/number). Leave negative (empty) space around your ornament or place your focal point predominantly in the center of the frame. Get closer. STUDIO SET UPS You don t need an elaborate studio set up for great photos. A solid surface with great window light is really all it takes. The top of my washing machine often had the best light in the house. I ve since remodeled my laundry room and placed an ironing board in front of the window for an excellent spot for beautiful light.

20 LESSON 3: Capture Ornaments 3 BUDGET BACKDROPS Have you seen Pinterest boards or catalogs with beautiful, crisp ornaments? As we explore ornaments, keep in mind that many photos you see in catalogues and online were created in studios with lighting, reflectors, backdrops, stylists and many shots. You may not have the budget, time or energy to go that effort, so we re going to improvise a bit! Let s start with some ideas for backdrops beyond the obvious of your Christmas tree. You could use: Fabric Towels Blankets Shirts Scrapbook Paper Table tops Sheets Cardboard A pile of lights Cutting board BACKDROP HINT: Drape your backdrop so it curves slightly where it meets your surface. It willl look more pleasing in photos. While you are looking for something to use, grab something with a large white surface too. Maybe a piece of foam core from a school project? A white used carton or box. A white table cloth. I challenge you to use what you have, avoid buying anything. This found object will become our reflector!

21 LESSON 3: Capture Ornaments 4 Budget background ornament photo: For this method, any Mode will work. Challenge yourself to use something other than Auto. 1 Find something to use as your background. 2 Place the background item over a chair or other item in good light. (I tape my backgrounds to the cupboard above ironing board.) 3 Drape the backdrop onto the surface below your ornament. 4 Position your ornament. 5 Frame your shot. 6 Press the shutter button 7 Try several different positions. 8 Don t worry if you have a little bit more than your backdrop in the frame, you can crop it out if needed. If you need to add more light, position your reflector close to the object so that it bounces the light back into your ornament. You can hold it yourself or have someone help you out. You want it close. Once you get it in the right spot, you will see a difference. SEEING YELLOW? Adjust your white balance in camera or in your favorite editing program to eliminate the yellow cast in your photos. Click here for more about white balance.

22 LESSON 3: Capture Ornaments 5 CAPTURING THE DETAILS Macro photography is a creative way to capture details in a unique way. To achieve a macro photograph, the focal distance between the lens and the subject is shortened producing a close up, 1:1 image. You can produce that effect with a macro lens. For many of us a macro lens may not be practical, but there are some creative work arounds! Reversed lens Extension tubes Auto Macro Setting (the flower mode) Olloclip or similar clip on lens for your phone Reversed Lens Macro First a note of warning: this technique is not easy and can expose your camera s sensor to dust and other gunk. 1 Remove your lens from your camera. A lens with the widest aperture of 3.5 or 5.6 will work well. 2 Reverse it and hold it close to your camera. EXTENSION TUBES Macro extension tubes are an inexpensive alternative for macro shooting. They have no optics, but give you a macro effect. 3 Move it back and forth until you find focus. 4 Shoot. This technique will take several shots to get right. Close Up Ornament Photo with a Point and Shoot 1 Select Macro Mode (the flower photo). 2 Cover your flash with a tissue paper to diffuse the light or turn it off if there is enough light. 3 Frame your subject. 4 Shoot.

23 LESSON 3: Capture Ornaments 6 YOU - REFLECTED You ve seen the image. The photographer s face peering into an ornament. A fun way to include your self portrait in your December documentation. How can you go about it? Select a silver or gold ornament for the best reflection. The color of the ball will help tremendously. Lighter colors will reflect more light, creating a better reflection. OUT OF FOCUS? Want more of your ornament in focus? Choose a narrow aperture (larger number) or back up a bit. Place it in great light and shoot! What you see should be what you get! It is all about light!

24 LESSON 3: Capture Ornaments 7 INSPIRATION & IDEAS I love creating lists for inspiration and scavenger hunting! A little something to get the creative juices flowing. 12 items to hunt for as you take your ornament photos: 1 A Grinch 7 A Favorite Ornament 2 Shimmering 8 A Peppermint Stick 3 A Sad Santa 9 The Number 25 4 Peace 10 Naughty or Nice? Post your photos in the Capture Your Holidays Flickr Group to inspire all of us! PHOTO IDEAS These ideas are on the December CY365 Photo Challenge List. You can see the entire list here. 5 On A Table 6 An Orange 11 Up In The Air 12 With Bells On Here are a few ornament ideas to try: Fill the frame with ornaments. Shoot ornaments from above. Take a macro photo of part of an ornament. I ve created a Flickr Ornament Gallery for your inspiration and a Pinterest Capture Your Holiday board. If you are having difficulty with anything during the lesson, please ask questions! I want you to be successful!

25 Capture Your Holidays with Katrina Kennedy LESSON 4 capture presents, paper, and ribbon LESSON #4 OBJECTIVES: At the end of this lesson you will be able to: Create well composed present, paper, and ribbon photos. Find the best angle of view for your subject. Are your presents wrapped under the tree or are they stuck in closets awaiting the moment to be tied with a ribbon? With all of the work you put into creating beautiful packages, it is only fitting you capture them before they are ripped open on Christmas day! All images and lesson content 2012 Katrina Kennedy. All rights reserved. My little holiday reminder(once again)! Please enjoy this process. If you find yourself frustrated over the settings, ask questions! Make this holiday about capturing your memories with as little stress as possible!

26 LESSON 4: Presents, Paper and Ribbon 2 WELL COMPOSED Have you ever wondered why some things placed in a frame look amazing and others look, well, ho hum? As we shoot the paper and packages of our holidays, think about a few design components to move your photos to the amazing side. RELAX! For this lesson, use settings you are comfortable with. Focus on composition! In the ornaments lesson we discussed creating a strong focal point. Now lets add in a few angles to our composition. The composition of a photograph relies upon three things: 1 The Frame: the frame refers to the crop, perspective and placement of your subject. PRACTICE This is a great lesson to practice composition with the techniques you ve learned. 2 Negative Space: the negative space is the white space around your subject. 3 Positive Space: the space filled by your subject. We work with these three elements to create a visually appealing photo.

27 LESSON 4: Presents, Paper and Ribbon 3 RULE OF THIRDS Let s start with the frame. How do you know where to place your subject? When you look through the viewfinder, imagine your image divided in thirds both horizontally and vertically. Use any of the thirds to create visual appeal. An L shaped connection between the three intersection (or inverted L shape) can be effective too. The present photo shows a not quite so obvious use of the rule. See how the strong parts of the photo fall along the lines? Taking a look at the present photo, notice how the weight falls into the right hand side of the frame. This is where our eye typically rests in a frame. A heavier object on the left side of the frame would make this photo look unbalanced, causing the viewer some confusion. Photograph the same item placing it on each of the four red intersection points. What do you notice?

28 LESSON 4: Presents, Paper and Ribbon 4 NEGATIVE SPACE Negative space draws the viewer s eye right to your subject leaving them with little question about the story being conveyed. It can isolate an important detail and create a feeling of curiosity about the surroundings. Negative space is also referred to as white space. It is the same technique used on a layout, applied to our photos. Leave space with nothing. No clutter, no body parts, no stuff, simply nothing. It pleases the eye and the brain! I think of two types of negative space: Negative space through absence. Negative space through blur. POSITIVELY NEGATIVE Negative space helps to place emphasis on your subject. A viewer is left with no question about where you want them to look. Negative space is created using some of the same techniques we used shooting ornaments. Nothing else is in the frame. You can get this look by: Placing your subject against a solid colored wall Shooting with the sky as your backdrop Placing your subject on a backdrop or solid colored table Your negative space is actually not negative at all. The space left without detail of your subject creates shapes. If we look at a photo in this way, you can see how the negative space creates visual appeal and movement through the frame. When shooting negative space, consider too the shape of the negative space as much as you consider your subject. Play with placing the negative space in different parts of your frame to see how it changes the image. Of course all rules are made to be broken!

29 LESSON 4: Presents, Paper and Ribbon 5 LINES & REPETITION I find leading lines a little more difficult to find in my own everyday photography. With a little creativity we can create them in our holiday photos. Notice the lines created in the animal bins at a local store. I shot this while shopping for my son s stocking stuffers. Notice how the lines lead you through the photo? Where do you notice your eye falling? Repetition in photos creates lines that lead us into the photo as well. SHOPPING SHOOT Photograph presents as you are selecting them in the store. Its a great record and a source of repetition!

30 LESSON 4: Presents, Paper and Ribbon 6 FILL THE FRAME When filling the frame with your subject we can still draw from the other rules of composition we ve covered. Think about the lines your subject creates and how your eye physically moves around the frame. In the reindeer photo, do you notice that you start somewhere and end somewhere? Where does your eye naturally rest? Does anything distract you? You also want the elements of your photo to be balanced. Avoid creating a feeling that something is going to slide right out of the frame. Remember, our eyes naturally go from left to right expecting the weight to be in the right hand bottom corner.

31 LESSON 4: Presents, Paper and Ribbon 7 ANGLE OF VIEW There are so many ways to see the same thing. Differences occur as we look at something from above, from below, or from eye level. Not only do you emphasize different features, but your subject is transformed through the lens. Playing with your angle of view will change your photos no matter what mode you shoot in! Try bending your knees getting on the level of your subject, looking down on things you might not normally view from above. Consider standing on a chair or stool to shoot down on your present. Avoid just standing and clicking the shot. High angle: minimizes your subject, making it smaller, more delicate. From above (bird s eye view): a dramatic view, unusual, emphasizing proportion. From eye level: creates a sense of equality. Shoot the same present from each angle. What do you find? From below: makes your subject larger, and more powerful.

32 LESSON 4: Presents, Paper and Ribbon 8 INSPIRATION & IDEAS Here are a few present ideas to try: Fill the frame with presents. Shoot presents under the tree. Shoot presents on the floor at their level. Not wrapped? Photograph the area and items you use to wrap. Photograph presents before they are wrapped. While you have your camera out, consider taking photos of the decor around your house. I ve created a Flickr Ornament Gallery for your inspiration and a Pinterest Capture Your Holiday board. Try to recreate one of your favorite photos! If you are having difficulty with anything during the lesson, please ask questions! I want you to be successful! Post your photos in the CY365 Flickr Group to inspire all of us!

33 Capture Your Holidays with Katrina Kennedy LESSON 5 capture food & drink All images and lesson content 2014 Katrina Kennedy. All rights reserved. LESSON 5 OBJECTIVES: At the end of this lesson you will be able to: Create appealing food photos. Set a custom white balance.. It wouldn t be the holidays without yummy cookies, cakes, candy, and warm drinks. We all need a few extra calories to prompt our New Year s resolutions! This lesson is another opportunity to reference techniques from our previous lessons as we add in a few new ideas. Once again, the quick note. Please enjoy this process. If you find yourself frustrated over the settings ask questions. Make this holiday about capturing your memories with as little stress as possible!

34 LESSON 5: Capture Food & Drink 2 5 FOOD & DRINK TIPS There are five specific things to think about when shooting food and drink during the holidays. 1 Find the light. 2 Shoot at eye level, just above, or straight down 3 Give your photos context. 4 Adjust your white balance. COMPOSITION: Repetition and angle of view are both important in food photography. 5 Focus on the front of the plate or one-third in Let s explore them in more detail. Good Light Light comes into our camera to create a photo in a few ways: External sources window, overhead, flash Aperture the hole in the lens, the smaller the number, the more light in Shutter speed the longer the curtain is open, the more light you get ISO sensitivity to light, the higher the number, the more light is collected Like ornaments and presents, look for the light when photographing food. Open your blinds and let the light pour in. Move to somewhere you can get more light. Bump up your ISO. Yes, you may get a little noise or a grainier image Sometimes I will take the trade off to capture the moment. See how far you can push your ISO. Shoot with a wide aperture to get the most light in your camera, knowing you can back up from your subject if you want to get a bit more in focus. Food typically looks best when more of it is in focus, with a simple blurred background so try a midrange aperture if there is enough light. If you can t find light, use a long shutter speed to gather light for your photos. You will have the most success with a tripod or other solid surface. Are you wondering why I ve not mentioned using your flash here? You can. Definitely. I tend to avoid the flash, but sometimes you just need that extra light. Think bouncing and diffusing when using your flash.

35 LESSON 5: Capture Food & Drink 3 Shoot At Eye Level The angle we shoot from changes our food. When you adjust your viewpoint lower than where we would see food when seated, it looks a bit larger, taking on a bit more personality. Think about shooting it from a child s level. Your family may look at you funny at first, but they ll get used it! If time and space allow, I like to shoot straight down on food. Cropping a portion of the plate out, giving it a bit of space. Give It Context Food photographers sometimes isolate a single item on a plate or dish for great impact, but they also find props to compliment their subjects. Consider placing your food in front of a centerpiece, with a glass or including your place setting in the shot. I wish I had photographs of my childhood dinner plate with the name tags as context. The food is important, but it is the occasion I m hoping to remember. PLATING YOUR FOOD Food looks great in the frame on small white plates. White plates provide the cleanest photos without distracting from the food or adding extra business to the frame. In the photo on this page and the pie plate on the next page, you will see glimpses of my mom s kitchen. While the photos may not have meaning to others, they capture small details of a very special place for me.

36 LESSON 5: Capture Food & Drink 4 Adjust White Balance Indoor fluorescent lighting can give your photos a yellow cast. Switch your white balance to fluorescent or consider shooting in RAW to get the best color tones. Even when your light doesn t look yellow to your eye, the camera may capture yellow. WHITE BALANCE: Shooting in RAW will give you the most data when editing your photo. Pick Your Focal Point If you are shooting with a wide aperture to get the most light on your subject, you are also going to get a shallow depth of field that blurred background look. Focus on the front of your food so that more is in focus. If you are focusing on your dinner table or similar scene, focus about a third into the frame to blur a bit of the foreground and background. Focus on on a visually strong part of the table to focus on to get the most impact in your composition. Many of you know I use my laundry room for many of my food shots. It has a great north-facing window with lots of natural light. To photograph my favorite dishes I place a white sheet of paper, dish towels or a tablecloth on my ironing board. Cutting boards can add nice texture and white tablecloths can be propped up on the left hand side of the frame to act as a reflector, opening up any shadows on the food.

37 LESSON 5: Capture Food & Drink 5 Telling A More Complete Food Story: 1 Place your camera in AV or Manual Mode in order to control your aperture. 2 Choose a wide aperture, f/5.0 or wider. Don t shoot wide open though. 3 Place the food item with side light from your window. 4 If needed, use a reflector. 8 Position your camera so that you look straight down on the food. (Consider placing your food on the floor or using your tripod for the easiest set up.) 9 Shoot. 10 Restyle your shot, adding or subtracting items from the frame. 5 Add elements that help tell the story of your food. Place them in the background of your image. 6 Position your camera slightly above eye level 7 Shoot.

38 LESSON 5: Capture Food & Drink 6 Set A Custom White Balance 1 Get a piece of white or neutral grey paper. Use a grey card if you have one! 2 Position the paper in the same light as your subject. 3 Fill the frame with the paper and shoot. 4 Go into your camera s menu. 5 Find custom white balance and use your photo as the reference point. (This process will vary based on the make and model of your camera.) 6 Use this custom white balance setting until you shoot in different lighting conditions. POST PROCESSING FOR WHITE BALANCE You can take a photo with the grey card in the frame and use that to set your white balance in Photoshop or Lightroom. Use the eyedropper tool, select the card, and you are set. You can apply the same edit to the photo without the grey card in the frame.

39 LESSON 5: Capture Food & Drink 7 Point & Shoot Tips If you are shooting with a point and shoot, check to see if you have a food setting. It will give you a shorter focal distance, so you can get a bit closer to your food. It can substantially improve your food photos. No food setting? Try the macro or portrait settings. HOLIDAY PROPS: Put Christmas lights or ornaments into your food shots just for fun! INSPIRATION & IDEAS Here are a few food and drink ideas to try: Place your warm beverage or sweet treat in front of lights to get bokeh behind. Fill the frame with something yummy. Get up close. Take a photo of Santa s cookie and milk awaiting his arrival. Find memorable context for your food and beverage. Include the cook in your photos. I ve created a Flickr Food and Drink Gallery and a Pinterest CaptureYourHoliday board for a little added inspiration! If you are having difficulty with anything during the lesson, please ask questions! I want you to be successful! Post your photos in the Capture Your Holiday Flickr Group to inspire all of us!

40 Capture Your Holidays with Katrina Kennedy LESSON 6 capture outside LESSON 6 OBJECTIVES: At the end of this lesson you will be able to: Photograph outdoor light displays. Expose correctly in a snowy scene. It s cold outside! I m sitting in California with a blue sky and a high in the mid-50 s, while many of you are looking out at mounds of white! This lesson is really for you! For those of us without the fluffy white stuff, we ll step outside to capture outdoor light displays. In fact, look for the biggest, brightest displays for the most fun with this lesson! All images and lesson content 2014 Katrina Kennedy. All rights reserved. Once again, the quick note. Please enjoy this process. If you find yourself frustrated over the settings, ask questions. Make this holiday about capturing your memories with as little stress as possible!

41 LESSON 6: It s Cold Outside 2 OUTDOOR LIGHT DISPLAYS Outdoor light displays are beautiful to view, but not quite so easy to shoot. At night you have the choice of exposing for the lights or for the home. If you expose for the lights, everything else is black. If you expose for the structures in your photos, the lights can lose some of their twinkle. The best time of day to shoot outdoors is at dusk, right before the sunsets. If you life is like mine, getting out at that precise time can be a little tricky. No matter what time you get out, the following techniques will be helpful. BEST LIGHT TIME? Try going to view lights at dusk when the sky is blue. You will achieve the most even exposures. For the best holiday light photos, turn off your flash.

42 LESSON 6: It s Cold Outside 3 Outdoor Light Photos on AV Mode: 1 Using a tripod or other solid surface will improve this photo. 2 Set your camera to Aperture Priority mode (AV or A). 3 Choose evaluative metering. 4 Choose an aperture of f/22 to capture starburts, try smaller apertures for different effects. The camera will choose your shutter speed. GRAB YOUR TRIPOD? Any time your shutter speed is slower than 1/50 of a second or the reciprocal length of your lens, grab your tripod! 5 Choose an ISO of 400 to Shoot. 7 Check your histogram and LCD. 8 Adjust your exposure compensation if necessary. 9 Reshoot. Outdoor Light Photos in Manual Mode: 1 Place your camera on a tripod or steady surface. 2 Set your camera to manual mode (M). 3 Select Tungsten White Balance or shoot in RAW. 4 Select Evaluative Metering. 5 Choose a narrow aperture (large f/#). 6 Expose for the lights. Adjusting ISO and shutter speed until you find a correct exposure. WHITE BALANCE Choose a tungsten white balance setting for outdoor light displays. Play with others, for different creative looks. 7 Consider bracketing, to obtain several different exposures. 8 Shoot. 9 Check your LCD. 10 Shoot again. 11 Play with your aperture. 12 Have fun!

43 LESSON 6: It s Cold Outside 4 A Quick, Fun Light Play with Shutter Priority: We ve been playing with Aperture Priority Mode most of class, we are going to shake things up a bit and switch to Shutter Priority! This is a fun, easy technique! 1 Set your camera to Shutter Priority (TV or S). 2 Select Tungsten White Balance or shoot in RAW. 3 Select Evaluative Metering. 4 Select a shutter speed of 1-4 seconds. 5 Press the shutter button and move the camera from left to right, up and down, or any combination. Point and Shoot Pointer Most point and shoot cameras, have a night portrait sighting. Typically a person with a star in the corner. This setting will fire the flash to illuminate a person, but keep the shutter open long enough to expose for the lights as well. Give it a try and see what you find! IN A PINCH? Shoot in Program mode (P), so your flash doesn t fire. Steady your camera and see what you get.

44 LESSON 6: It s Cold Outside 5 SNOWY SCENES Snow is white. Are your photos of snow often grey or blue? There is a simple fix, that may seem just a bit counter to your thinking! When you shoot a snowy scene, you need to overexpose. There are two ways we can overexpose: Exposure Compensation Adjusting the exposure in Manual mode. Exposing for Snow in AV Mode: 1 Set your camera to Aperture Priority mode (AV or A). 2 Choose evaluative metering for a scene, spot metering for a person. 3 Shoot an aperture for your creative intent: f/5.6-f/11 for all in focus f/1.4-f/3.5 for a blurred background. LET IT SNOW Overexpose +1/2 to +3 stops in snowy scenes. 4 Choose an ISO of 100 if a sunny day, a higher number if there is less light. 5 Shoot. 6 Check your histogram and LCD for clipping, the blinking areas that have been blown out. 7 Adjust exposure compensation. 8 Reshoot.

45 LESSON 6: It s Cold Outside 6 Exposing for Snow in Manual Mode: 1 Set your camera to manual mode (M). 2 Choose evaluative metering for a scene, spot metering for a person. 3 Shoot an aperture for your creative intent: f/5.6-f/11 for all in focus f/1.4-f/3.5 for a blurred background. 4 Choose an ISO of 100 if a sunny day, a higher number if there is less light. 5 Adjust your shutter speed until you ve found a correct exposure. 6 Overexpose by slowing the shutter speed, moving your light meter between 2 to 6 clicks to the right. 7 Shoot. 8 Check your histogram and LCD for clipping, the blinking areas that have been blown out. 9 Adjust shutter speed and ISO as needed. 10 Reshoot. Point and Shoot Pointer Does your camera have a snow scene preset? Use it if it does. If you have exposure compensation, you can also increase it +1/2 to +3 to get a properly exposed photo. PHONE EXPOSURE If you are shooting with an iphone, play with adjusting your exposure by tapping on different parts of your scene until you get an exposure you like.

46 LESSON 6: It s Cold Outside 7 INSPIRATION & IDEAS Here are a few snow ideas to try: Shoot a contrasting color against the white. Place the horizon on a third line. Here are a few outdoor light ideas to try: Try a sweeping, wide angle shot. Make one part of a light display prominent. Photograph your own home from the outside, even if you don t have lights! I ve created a Flickr Snow & Lights Gallery and a Pinterest CaptureYourHoliday board for a little added inspiration! If you are having difficulty with anything during the lesson, please ask questions. I want you to be successful! Post your photos in the Capture Your Holiday Flickr Group to inspire all of us! RELAX Sometimes, you just need to put the camera down and soak in the holidays!

47 Capture Your Holidays with Katrina Kennedy LESSON 7 capture christmas morning LESSON 7 OBJECTIVES: At the end of this lesson you will be able to: Use your flash for better low light photos. Be ready for the photos before they occur. Wow! THE DAY is almost here! You can feel the anticipation. You ve charged your batteries and cleared your memory cards. YOU are ready. There are so many small details and big moments to capture on this special day. Once again, the quick note. Please enjoy this process. If you find yourself frustrated over the settings, ask questions. Make this holiday about capturing your memories with as little stress as possible! All images and lesson content 2012 Katrina Kennedy. All rights reserved.

48 LESSON 7: Capture Christmas Morning 2 CHRISTMAS MORNING Christmas morning, as you know, can be exciting and maybe even a bit overwhelming. Make sure you ve got a few things covered to save you a few headaches. Charge your batteries. Clear your memory card and have extras ready. Check the batteries in your flash. Have spares ready. Place your camera on a setting for the morning. On Christmas Eve, before I go to bed, I like to take photos of the tree as Santa has left it. It is easier to move around, take my time, and use my tripod. On Christmas morning I go with the flow. Our living room gets really cluttered with paper and boxes and people. I don t worry about perfect composition and clean backgrounds. I want my Christmas morning to feel and look like the actual event. I love how clutter in Christmas morning images can trigger memories of moments, gifts, and time with family. If you find that you ve fiddled too much with your settings and don t know what you ve done. In your camera s menu, reset to factory defaults. It can be helpful just in case you unintentionally bump something. WHAT IF I FORGET? If all your photography knowledge jumbles together on Christmas morning, place your camera on Auto and capture the memories.

49 LESSON 7: Capture Christmas Morning 3 Use Available Light You may be reluctant to use your flash on Christmas morning. I know my family is never thrilled to have a bright strobe greet them first thing in the morning! If you want great Christmas morning photos without the flash, you will need to create a little light! Recall from Lesson #5, we get light from ISO - bump it up to a higher number. Aperture - choose a wide aperture (small f/#). Shutter speed - leave it open longer. On Christmas morning, get your light from ISO and Aperture. If you slow your shutter speed down, you will have blurry photos with unidentifiable people in them. Let me give you one more source for light, not a source I typically suggest. Turn your room lights on. Create ambient light by turning on lamps, overhead lights, and Christmas lights to brighten your room. Open the shades and let any light from outside pour in. This will give you that extra boost so you can get a shutter speed fast enough to stop motion. WHITE BALANCE Watch your white balance again! Most indoor settings use a Tungsten setting. If possible, test it out beforehand.

50 LESSON 7: Capture Christmas Morning 4 If you have available window light, try to position yourself so the window light is on the faces of the people you are shooting. Christmas Morning, No Flash, AV Mode: 1 Set your camera to Aperture Priority mode (AV or A). 2 Choose spot metering. 3 Choose an ISO of 800 (this will vary based on your light). 4 Make sure your shutter speed stays above 1/125 to avoid motion blur. 5 Shoot. 6 Check your histogram and LCD. 7 Adjust your exposure compensation if necessary. 8 Reshoot. 9 Have a wonderful day. POINT AND SHOOT WITHOUT FLASH For Christmas morning photos without your flash, shoot in portrait mode. It will give you a large aperture, bringing in more light. Review your images to make sure you like the results. Point and shoot cameras are not as sensitive to light and may need the flash.

51 LESSON 7: Capture Christmas Morning 5 Using Your Flash If you are going to try your flash on Christmas morning, I suggest you familiarize yourself with it before the big day. Try to shoot in the same light at the same time for practice. There are many options for setting your flash. I m going to give you settings to start from so you can get great results. Know this is not the only way to use your flash! Christmas Morning, Flash, Manual Mode: When using your flash, remember the narrower the aperture, the more recycle time the flash will need. 1 Set your camera to Manual Mode (M). 2 Choose spot metering. 3 Choose an ISO of Set your shutter speed to 1/125th of a second. 5 Set your aperture to f/ Turn your flash on. 7 If you are using an external flash, adjust it to bounce off of a ceiling or wall. 8 Shoot. 9 Check your histogram and LCD. 10 Adjust your flash compensation if necessary 11 Reshoot. 12 Have a wonderful day. FLASH SETTINGS Too much or not enough light? Adjust the flash power with the camera s flash compensation on onboard flashes or on the flash for external flashes. MODIFYING YOUR POINT AND SHOOT FLASH Like we ve covered before, point and shoot users don t have as much control of their flash. To reduce the direct burst of flash, cover it with tissue paper or a plastic container. The light will be reduced and diffused eliminating its harshness. Some, but not all, will let you adjust the intensity of the flash.

52 LESSON 7: Capture Christmas Morning 6 INSPIRATION & IDEAS Here are a few Christmas Morning ideas to try: Grab a self portrait (you are part of these memories). Capture what Santa has left before anyone arrives. Take outdoor photos of new toys being used. Ask happy children to hold out the presents they receive, for a photo. Try a wide aperture to blur their face and keep the gift in focus. Put the camera down and soak up all of the goodness! If you are having difficulty with anything during the lesson, please ask questions. I want you to be successful!! The flickr group and classroom are available after class. I will be available for questions as well! I d love to see your photos from your Christmas Morning! HAPPY HOLIDAYS! Put the camera down and soak up all of the goodness. Post your photos in the Capture Your Holiday Flickr Group to inspire all of us!

53 thank you! I have loved spending December with you as you Captured Your Holidays. You ve all shared marvelous photos and asked many great questions in the forums. I hope you are finishing class with photos you are happy with and an increased understanding of how your camera works! I d love to have you join my daily inspiration list at CaptureYour365. I provide daily prompts as well as technical information and details about upcoming classes. Happy Holidays! Facebook Twitter Blog Instagram

54 YOUR Capture HOLIDAYS: Your Holidays CAPTURED with Katrina THROUGH Kennedy THE LENS BONUS LESSON looking for light I love this time of year! It s filled with so many photo opportunities. And yes, there is ONE simple thing you can do to get photos you ll cherish! Looking At Light So what is that one thing that will change your photos, no matter what camera you have? Light. Yes. Light. Morning light and later afternoon light give the most even, beautiful light to shoot in. When the sun is at an angle, rather than overhead, you get a more indirect, diffused light. You can t always shoot at those perfect times though. All images and lesson content 2012 Katrina Kennedy. All rights reserved.

55 BONUS LESSON : Looking For Light 2 Where Can You Find Light In December? Near a window North facing windows are preferred for the indirect light they provide, but any window can work if the light is indirect. Place your back to the window and put your subject in front of you, be careful not to shadow your subject. Turn your subject to see the different ways the light falls. If you can t find a window, try opening your door and grabbing that light. Open shade Find a tree outside with even shade. Make sure you move out of dappled spots which will create uneven patches on your subject and cause you frustration in post processing. During December, this may not be an issue! OH LIGHT! Your eye always sees more light in a room than your camera! Your camera sees more color! Open your garage door Shoot just inside the door. The light will bounce off the driveway onto your subject. USE WHAT YOU FIND You don t need an ABUNDANT amount of light to create photos. A small amount of light directed on your subject can create compelling images. Use your tripod and work the exposure triangle to make the most of low light situations..

56 BONUS LESSON : Looking For Light 3 Overcast days White overcast days act as a huge diffuser for the sun. The light is even and not too bright. Add a nice blanket of snow to the overcast day and you have an instant reflector to bounce light back onto your subject. Alleys/sides of buildings Alleys are great spots for light as they tend to block direct sunlight and then bounce it off of the walls. Look for sides of buildings where light is bouncing off of the ground or adjoining walls. Work The Light Sometimes finding the light means moving yourself just a few inches to change the angle. Watch for shadows that distract from your subject, creating dead space. Move around your subject before you shoot. See where the light looks best. When you can see the catch lights in your subjects eyes - those little white reflective spots - you know you ve found the light. Catch lights make your subject come alive.

57 BONUS LESSON : Looking For Light 4 Look At The Color Of Light Take a walk around your house. Look at the light. What color is it? If you do this at different times during the day you will notice different colors and light intensities as the lights temperature changes. While natural light is always considered ambient light, not all ambient light is natural. Ambient light from a lamp, overhead light or other man-made light source can play tricks with your exposure. With most ambient lighting, a color cast is produced on our subject. Even completely natural light from the sun can produce a color cast as it reflects off of our wall and clothes. Tungsten lighting, typical in many homes, lacks color in the blue and green spectrum, causing it to look yellow when photographed. Getting Rid of That Ugly Yellow Color Cast If you are shooting in your auto modes, the modes will adjust for some, but not all color cast. For these photos, editing software can correct the color cast. If you are shooting in Program or semi- manual modes, you can adjust your white balance setting. You will find white balance settings in your camera s menu or activated with a button on the outside of your camera, typically labeled WB. There are many different settings to choose from including: AWB (auto white balance), a house with sun rays beside it (for photos in the shade), and a light bulb (for artificial indoor light). As a rule of thumb, you want to select the symbol that matches your light source.

58 BONUS LESSON : Looking For Light 5 One (or Two) Last Thoughts Avoid using your flash if you can! It creates a frighteningly bright, deer in the headlights look. If you must add flash to your holiday photos, try placing a tissue paper over the flash to diffuse it some. You ll be pleasantly surprised! Enjoy! Whatever camera you have and however you celebrate, remember to set your camera down from time to time and just soak in all of the goodness! For daily photo inspiration in 2015, stop by CaptureYour365 where you can join our FREE daily inspiration mailing to get an idea straight to your mailbox.

59 Capture Your Holidays with Katrina Kennedy BONUS LESSON phone photography BONUS LESSON OBJECTIVES: At the end of this lesson you will be able to: Create beautiful photos using your phone Add some quick extras for holiday fun Have you turned to your phone for photos? Most of us are using our phones to document the details and moments of our lives. Yes, it is simply easier to grab your phone and create photos. You CAN take great photos of your holiday with your phone, so there is no reason to put it away or to feel guilty about using it as a go to method! If your phone can make the holidays easier, why not use it? Let me share some of my favorite things to do with my phone during the holidays. All images and lesson content 2012 Katrina Kennedy. All rights reserved.

60 BONUS LESSON : Phone Photography 2 WORK THE CAMERA Treat your phone like any camera. When you pick it up, remember the key elements to a great photo: A strong subject Great light Sharp focus An interesting angle A Strong Subject: Do you know the easiest way to take a better photo? Make sure you know EXACTLY what you are taking a photo of. Don t leave any question about what you were intending to show off in your frame! Great Light: Light. Light. Light. You ve got to have it! You get a little extra help from your phone. Most phones have a fairly wide aperture (somewhere around f/2.4 depending on your phone). Look for window light, the reflection off of snow or white surfaces, or even an extra room light to help illuminate your subject. WHITE BALANCE Use an editing app to help eliminate any of the ugly yellow cast that may appear in your phone photos. Afterlight and Camera+ do a great job with white balance.

61 BONUS LESSON : Phone Photography 3 Sharp Focus: Hold your phone steady or place it on something as you shoot. You ll get a sharper focused shot. Did you know that in most camera apps, touching the screen selects the area to focus? Try separating your focus from your exposure for an even better photo. You can do this in many photo apps by using two fingers. An Interesting Angle: This is where your phone can shine with it s size and ability to be flipped in a few directions! Try a few of these angles for a little fun: 1 Shoot low - Place your phone so the lens sits on the ground, for a floor level view of your tree. The bonus? You don t have to be on the ground for this shot! 2 Shoot high - Hold your lens above your dining room table or above your Christmas decor. I love to use an arm outstretched method with a finger on the shutter. 3 Place it where you can t go - Shoot inside the Christmas tree, out of a stocking, up the chimney, or somewhere else creative that you wouldn t (or couldn t) take your dslr.

62 BONUS LESSON : Phone Photography 4 PLAY WITH APPS Apps make our phones fun and our creativity almost unlimited! Here are a few of my favorites. Camera & Editing Apps To Improve Your Photos: 1 Camera Awesome - more control of taking photos and lots of editing options from the people behind SmugMug. 2 PicTapGo - simple camera feature, with many recipes for edits. 3 Afterlight - my favorite phone app for editing with great control. 4 Camera+ - advanced control of shooting and editing. A Little Something Extra: 1 Project Life - create quick and beautiful scrapbook pages with your phone photos. 2 Diptic - another collage app. Clean and straightforward. 3 A Beautiful Mess - add text, doodles, and edit your photos. 4 TimerCamera - an app to simply get yourself in the shot this holiday! 5 Big Lens (IOS only)- blur the background of your photos, just like a dslr. 6 BokehBooth (IOS only) add a little festive bokeh to your photos. Find the work flow that works for you. Start with free apps and then look for low cost apps that will help you do what you want. Be warned though, it can be addicting! WANT FREE APPS? Starbucks often has free codes for iphone apps. Follow the theappwhisperer.com.

63 BONUS LESSON : Phone Photography 5 GET CREATIVE Here are a ideas to try: Add bokeh to the background of your photos with a bokeh app. Try taking an out of focus photo with your phone to create a bokeh look. Try a slow shutter speed app to capture outdoor lights. Add a lens to your phone for more creative options. Try the Olloclip. Check Photojojo.com for fun lens options. Try a panaroma photo of your living room or another decorated area. SHARE YOUR PHOTOS Our phones make sharing so easy! Share your holiday photos on Instagram with the #captureyourholidays hashtag so we can see what you create! Share a few in the Capture Your Holiday Flickr Group! We d love to see them.