Photographing a New Year's garland with pulsed light. New Year's studio photo session. Photographing in two exposures

During the winter season, many cultures and religions around the world celebrate holidays that include special lighting. For example, New Year and Christmas. Since the use of lights and candles is often explained in terms of the rituals of a particular culture, most scholars have concluded that lights first appeared and then explanations were given. However, ever since humans gained power over fire, light has been used to illuminate darkness - especially in the middle of winter.
Christians view candles, tree lights, and the Christmas log as symbols of the birth of Christ and the Star of Bethlehem. The influence of these lights - if not the explanation itself - is so powerful that contemporary Buddhist and Shinto Japan is lit up with lights and decorations during "Christmas Time". And on those same dark days of the winter solstice, Jews all over the world celebrate Hanukkah, the “Feast of Light.”

Many years ago, it was difficult to photograph the festive lighting beautifully, since the films in those years were not very sensitive. It was difficult for them, for example, to capture an image in the dim light of a candle.
Now it is not difficult, because technology has solved these problems. Many DSLRs can be set to ISO 800, 1600 or even higher with little noise.
In addition to this, most photographers today rely on auto exposure in their hobby or SLR cameras. Unlike older luxmeters, for which poor lighting situations were often an insurmountable obstacle, modern luxmeters in auto exposure cameras are able to give good readings even in poor lighting conditions.
This is an important point, as holiday lights usually look best when not illuminated by additional light. In fact, this is Rule number one when it comes to good photography of lights: Turn off the flash. Let's repeat this: For most holiday lighting shots, turn off the flash!
Notice "for the majority". On very rare occasions you will want to add light, but usually you won't. This statement is followed by the question: When should flash be used and when should it be avoided?
Let's remember one important aspect to consider if you're shooting without a flash: You may need a slow shutter speed. This means that you will need to firmly fix the camera to a solid, stationary surface to avoid even the slightest shake. A tripod is the best way.
When else would you like to use flash? For example, if you take pictures of your children under the tree. How else can you light up their faces? On the one hand, you may find that the Christmas tree lights are enough and they cast a very soft glow on their faces. Or perhaps, if it is early morning, their faces are illuminated by the light from the window that pours into the room. In this case, you don't need a flash. But, on the other hand, there may not be enough light for you to clearly see their faces. Then you have to use flash. How to figure out what to do?

First way- take a picture with and without a flash, and then choose best shot. But perhaps it's better to think things through in advance and determine the subject of your shooting. Remember, recommendation number one of the three recommendations from the New York Institute of Photography is to decide on your subject before doing anything else. You can learn this in photography school. In this case, you decide that the subject is the faces of the children. Recommendation number two is to draw attention to this subject. One method of getting attention is to make sure your subject is well exposed. So, measure the light that falls on their faces from an illuminated Christmas tree. Get closer and measure only the illumination of the faces. If you have enough available light for a well-exposed shot, shoot. If not, use flash.
Now let's go outside. The subject of street photography includes elaborate lighting and decoration of houses, shops and streets. Again, if you want to capture the lights themselves, don't use a flash. Another tip about shooting street lights is that you will get better results if you shoot at dusk. This way, you will capture some color in the sky, rather than the jet black tone that will be captured in the picture at night. But what if you want to take a picture of your friend in front of a brightly lit shop window?
You want to shoot both bright lights and your friend. If you use a flash, you will take a picture of a friend, but there is a danger of minimizing the effect of bright lights behind him. On the other hand, if you do not use flash, you can get the lights in full detail, but your friend will turn into a dark silhouette.
Here is the answer to this puzzle. Most modern amateur cameras, both film and digital, have a funny setting that looks like a man with stars in the background (Night portrait). Main Modes digital cameras described in the article.
This setting tells the camera that you want to use the flash (which will light up your friend in the foreground), but that you also want the lens to stay open long enough to capture the lights in the background. In fact, the symbol for this setting on many cameras is a kind of hieroglyph that attempts to represent "a person at night in front of the lights." Your decision to light up your friend's face and remove the shop window lights involves using this setting. The flash will let you see his face. Long exposure will catch the lights.

But again, be careful. Long exposures - typically a quarter of a second - require you to hold the camera steady so it doesn't shake. Once again, the use of a tripod is recommended.
So, to take great holiday photos during the holiday lighting season, here are four tips from photography school:

Turn your flash off unless you have a good reason to use it..
Use ISO 800 or more.
Avoid camera shake.
Use a tripod...or at least keep your camera firmly in your hands. Rely on the camera 's built - in sensors .

A few special aspects

Digital ISO sensitivity

Amplifying a digital signal is like making a radio as loud as possible. At maximum volume, any hiss, noise or squeak is heard and, depending on the quality of the equipment, the purity of the sound decreases. The same thing happens with digital camera. By increasing the ISO values, any distortion or imperfections in the image will also be exaggerated.
For achievement best quality images can be tried to work with lower ISO settings first. If you're having trouble getting a good exposure, increase your ISO if necessary. You can even try using auto ISO and see what exposure the camera chooses. You can read more complete information about ISO settings in the article.

digital noise

Regardless of which one is chosen, the most inexpensive digital cameras produce "noise" during long exposures. Noise is caused by small electrical disturbances that are present in every electrical system. To capture a weak light signal, such as a subject in low light, longer exposures are usually required. The longer the camera shutter is open, the more electrical noise gets into the frame.
So, this seems to be a double-edged sword.

Raise the ISO value to achieve more high speed closing the shutter and you will increase noise and other picture problems.
Decrease the ISO value and the shutter speed will slow down. As a result, you will get the inevitable noise that you might not see with a "normal" exposure.

Limited dynamic range

The situation is made even more difficult by the limited dynamic range of a digital camera. Image sensors are only sensitive to a specific range of brightness. Anything outside this range is photographed as pure white or pure black. As a result, you can get a picture without shadows or distinct details.

Solutions

Here are some ways to solve these problems. Noise can be reduced with software. In fact, some cameras offer built-in noise reduction options. own software camera is rarely used, as this can lead to unpredictable results. Check the capabilities of your camera before relying on this feature. There are many noise reduction programs on the market now, some of them as standalone applications and others that are plug-ins that work alongside your favorite image editors. For example, . This means you can opt for a noise-cancelling camera, or have problems sorted out later in a digital "photo lab".

Timing is everything

As already noted in this article, when shooting holiday lights on the street, the best can be obtained at dusk. Twilight is the period of time from sunset to nightfall. This delicate balance between light and shadow will result in the glow of the lights and the sharp details in the shadows. But do not underestimate the help of objects in the shadows to create yours. Read your camera manual for details on white balance options and how to set them. In the resulting photograph, the viewer will perceive twilight as night.
When photographing holiday lights indoors, try not to use a flash, but turn on the lights in the room to enhance the ambient light. The flash can produce a harsh high contrast quality that completely destroys the glare of the light. Precisely placed artificial lighting can enhance outside light without overpowering your holiday lights.

Photographing in two exposures

One way to expand the tonal range of digital images is to take two exposures of your subject. When photographing in manual mode, take one aimed at capturing all the subtleties of lighting effects. Take a second exposure to capture all aspects of the shadow. Then merge the two exposures as separate layers. Using an eraser, erase hard to see areas in order to make details visible and take advantage of what came out best on each exposure/layer. Using this technique, it is possible to expand the tonal range far beyond the capabilities of any single exposure taken with the same camera. Of course, you will need a sturdy tripod to ensure that both compositions match exactly. Consider using remote control to reduce the chance of the camera moving.

Experienced photographers can also create two separate images - one to better show the lighting and the other to better show the shadows, from one .

Turn off auto white balance

In many situations, white balance is a real lifesaver. With the help of automatic neutralization of extreme color shades, all possible digital colors formed without the slightest effort. It's important to remember that not all photos require white balance. Loosen the rich, intense colors of a sunset and you're left with nothing. Try using white balance on a fireworks image and you'll end up with dull, lifeless, low-intensity flashes and streaks of light. Festive lighting also requires a similar approach. By turning off the auto white balance feature, you are guaranteed to get the stunning colors that a holiday should have.
You can try turning white balance off altogether, or even experiment with any of the other manual settings to find a color balance that suits your visual needs. Either way would be better than providing the solution to the camera.

Check, check, check

For immediate results in digital photography you will be required to check the exposure to determine which one will be better. Take advantage of the metadata that most digital cameras display on every digital frame you shoot. Metadata may include camera make and model, exposure, flash, white balance, and other important information to help you determine what works and what doesn't. This means you don't even have to take notes! To access the metadata of your digital images, open the file in .
Select file > file info. A window will appear file info(information file). Choose an option camera data(camera data) on the left side of the screen. Window camera data will show shutter speed, aperture, ISO settings, lens focal length, flash settings and even distance measurement modes. Each year, holiday lights are lit everywhere, usually for quite a long time, so take advantage of the opportunity to photograph them at the beginning of the season, and then retake them later if you need to.

Publication date: 30.12.2016

New Year- the very holiday when you want to give gifts not only to loved ones, but also to yourself. And what could be the best gift for a woman (except diamonds, of course)? Photo shoot, yes. A photo session allows a woman to escape from the everyday and everyday rhythm of life, put on her best dress (and not only a dress, the same diamonds), be charming, as attractive and bright as possible. And then, on long winter evenings, she will be able to look at these photos and see herself - the beauty queen. But the responsibility for the expected result lies not with the model, but with the photographer, who must see her beauty and be able to capture it. And if he doesn’t try hard enough, a completely different story can turn out: on long winter evenings, a woman no-no and even looks at holiday pictures, sighing from her imperfection and eating her grief with diet cookies. This cannot be allowed!

NIKON D800 / 24.0-70.0 mm f/2.8 SETTINGS: ISO 1000, F2.8, 1/100 s, 24.0 mm equiv.

In most cases, the scenario of the New Year's photo shoot is standard. This is either an elegant evening look near the Christmas tree, or at home, in a sweater with deer and knitted socks. Of course, it is possible, sometimes even necessary, to come up with more creative, original images, especially if the girl already has filming experience. But most often this is unnecessary, because the girl has never been photographed in the studio and just wants to feel like a fashion model. And her main desire is to see herself beautiful. And your task is to make this first experience positive and memorable.

NIKON D800 / 24.0-70.0 mm f/2.8 SETTINGS: ISO 1600, F3.2, 1/60s, 32.0mm equiv.

Let's start from the very beginning. Studio selection

The choice of studio depends on the idea of a photo shoot and the style of shooting. Be sure to ask what plan the photos should turn out to be: bright and aggressive, gentle and modest, feminine or businesslike.

Next, find out what clothes your model has for shooting. Remember that in an hour you can have time to change clothes 2-3 times. If she wants something special, but she doesn’t have the desire and time to buy, advise her to rent exclusive evening dresses (you have all the passwords and appearances, don’t you?!).

NIKON D800 / 24.0-70.0 mm f/2.8 SETTINGS: ISO 320, F4.5, 1/200 s, 48.0 mm equiv.

A professional makeup artist is the photographer's main assistant. Perhaps this is not obvious to everyone, and then you should definitely explain how important the makeup artist is on the set. Properly applied makeup not only completes the image, emphasizes the merits of the face, but also hides skin imperfections, which are especially visible when shooting with a lot of light in the studio.

When the choice of clothes is made, select several studio options for the model. Let her choose which one she likes the most.

Book the selected room according to the room you want to rent from natural light or with impulse. If the first option, then this is a hall with large windows, and daylight hours will be the best time for booking. In winter, this is approximately from 11:00 to 15:00. If the studio is busy at this time, and you do not like or are afraid to work with pulsed light, order constant light sources.

NIKON D800 / 24.0-70.0 mm f/2.8 SETTINGS: ISO 640, F2.8, 1/200 s, 55.0 mm equiv.

Equipment selection

I have a Nikon D800, this camera allows you to shoot on high ISO so you can work with natural light even on cloudy days. For shooting in the studio, you can safely take lenses with a fixed focal length. Zoom lenses are more important for reportage photography, but they are also suitable for shooting in the studio. One of my lenses is the Nikon 50mm f/1.8G AF-S Nikkor. This fast lens, which makes it possible to blur the background beautifully. What is especially true for New Year's photo shoots when there are a lot of lights from the Christmas tree and other decorations in the background. For portraits, the fixed Nikon 85mm f / 1.4G AF-S Nikkor is also suitable. For both 50mm and 85mm lens options, a room with an area of 50 sq. m. If you decide to shoot with a zoom lens, then the Nikon 24-70mm f / 2.8E ED VR AF-S Nikkor universal lens is quite suitable. Thanks to the ability to zoom from a small wide angle of 24mm to portrait 70mm, you can take both wide shots and portraits without distorting the picture too much. total area shooting area for such a lens - from 30 sq. m.

When shooting girls in a studio, it is better not to use wide-angle lenses, as the face will be distorted and stretched in portraits, and waist-deep or general plan there is a possibility of distortion of the limbs. Most likely, telephoto lenses will not work either, because they can only be used from a long distance. Not all halls have large areas, which means that you make it difficult for yourself to shoot a model in full height. Remember that a lens is a tool that should make your tasks easier, not the other way around.

Camera settings

The settings depend on what kind of light you prefer to shoot with and in what mode (I only shoot in manual mode M). If it's pulsed light, it's simple. ISO set to the minimum (for Nikon D800 I usually set 160 or 200), white balance - to your taste (I put direct sunlight). The aperture, along with the values of the light sources, can be changed depending on whether you want to separate the model from background or not. By changing the aperture value, you will receive a different amount of light in the frame. So change the light intensity of your lamps as well. You can work with auto settings in the studio, but only when using natural light or with constant light sources. If you work with pulsed light, then it is better to change the camera settings manually.

When shooting with natural light, I use an ISO value of 800 to 1250. But you can safely leave the ISO value in auto mode. I open the aperture in the following order: if I shoot at 24-70mm - aperture value is 2.8 or 3.2, and if 50mm - aperture is 2.2 or 3.2. Because my Nikon lenses are incredibly sharp, I'm not afraid to shoot wide open. I use Auto white balance more often, because Nikon's color accuracy matches how I myself see colors in reality.

Don't be afraid to take test shots to set all the settings, this will help you get a great result without resorting to hard work in photo editors on your computer.

Nozzles for lighting

For a female portrait, softer light should be used, which means that softboxes for pulsed light are optimal. If you need hard light for some creative tasks, use reflectors.

NIKON D800 / 24.0-70.0 mm f/2.8 SETTINGS: ISO 250, F3.5, 1/200 s, 70.0 mm equiv.

You can place two softboxes at a 45 degree angle from the model, or one softbox at a 45 degree angle in front and one behind. There is also a rather simple scheme with one large octobox on the crane: place it a little above the model and in front - the light will be softer. Avoid light exactly on top of the model, otherwise you will get dark shadows under the nose and eyes.

NIKON D800 / 24.0-70.0 mm f/2.8 SETTINGS: ISO 400, F2.8, 1/250 s, 60.0 mm equiv.

When using natural light, place the model in front of a window so that the light is even. Ask to turn your face towards the light to avoid strong shadows. You can also use reflectors. From the name itself it is clear that they reflect light, so the reflector must be placed on the opposite side, highlighting the shadow on the face.

NIKON D800 / 24.0-70.0 mm f/2.8 SETTINGS: ISO 400, F4.5, 1/200 s, 50.0 mm equiv.

Working with the model

When you have already agreed on shooting, give some recommendations to the model. Let him pick up accessories for all the images - the details in the portrait play a big role. Be sure to remind about interchangeable shoes that match the clothes.

And a few more important tips. Firstly, the model should get enough sleep before shooting so that there is no tired look and bruises under the eyes. Secondly, if the model wants to visit a solarium, a procedure with a cosmetologist, increase eyelashes (especially if she has never extended them before), and so on, then all this can be done strictly at least a week before the shooting itself. Believe me, in my practice there was a case when a girl came who had been in a solarium the day before the shooting. Red skin throughout the shoot! Therefore, the photographer should warn the model in advance that all procedures are done long before shooting.

NIKON D800 / 24.0-70.0 mm f/2.8 SETTINGS: ISO 250, F3.5, 1/250 s, 62.0 mm equiv.

Angles and poses

If the model has a double chin, position yourself a little higher, above her, and ask her to raise her head. Be careful not to have your head thrown back, but everything looks beautiful.

NIKON D800 / 24.0-70.0 mm f/2.8 SETTINGS: ISO 2000, F2.8, 1/60s, 60.0mm equiv.

If the model has a big nose, avoid profile shots, try to set her head in such a way that the nose does not go beyond the border of the cheek, so it will look more elegant.

NIKON D800 / 24.0-70.0 mm f/2.8 SETTINGS: ISO 200, F3.2, 1/250 s, 44.0 mm equiv.

The most important, of course, are the eyes and gaze. To match the mood of the shoot, try to create an atmosphere of trust. Be sure to talk, help to relax in every possible way, sometimes joke and, if you like what you get, be sure to give compliments.

Remember, everyone needs some time to feel comfortable in front of the camera. Try to focus on what the model really succeeds, and not on what is bad. If you see a clamp in the jaw, an unnatural smile, do not be silent, pay attention to this, tell them to feel it and let it go. If the clamp is in the hands and fingers, ask them to twist the wrists, shake the fingers so that they relax. From a clamp in the neck, a simple exercise will help - a few circular movements of the head, soft, feminine turns.

The photographer must carefully monitor everything that gets into his frame - clothes, body position, look, background. I advise you to start shooting from a sitting position (it doesn’t matter - in an armchair, on a bed, on the floor).

NIKON D700 / 50.0 mm f/1.8 SETTINGS: ISO 200, F7.1, 1/200 s, 50.0 mm equiv.

Thus, a person has a support and a limited space where he can act under your guidance without getting lost or worried. When the first exciting moments are behind, you can already move to any other place in the hall.

But most importantly, don't be silent. There's nothing worse than telling a girl, while pointing your lens at her, "do something," and then shut up and wait. Don't expect her to immediately turn into Claudia Schiffer and start practicing professional model poses. Most likely, it will be stretched, awkward and uncomfortable, and for both of you.

Take control, tell the girl the position of the body, arms, legs, so that it looks elegant and feminine in the frame. And so that a genuine light burns in your eyes, and a sincere smile plays on your lips, do not forget to support good mood and positive atmosphere in the studio.

New Year holidays are in full swing. Cities are filled with holiday colors, textures, lanterns, Christmas lights, and other fun and dressy goodies. So you want to keep the colorful decoration of the city as a keepsake.

But such a task can be difficult for those new to photography due to the fact that you have to shoot bright objects in low light conditions.

Our cheat sheet will help you understand and remember the fundamental indicators. Just keep it with you and use it when you go out for a walk in the evening. Sooner or later, you will memorize the indicators for the camera and will be able to easily (and hints) take great pictures of the elegant city in the evening.

Most urban centers are transformed by the brilliance of New Year's lights. When adjusting the exposure, it is necessary to monitor the loss of detail directly in the lights themselves. You may need a tripod to be able to use long exposures at low settings ISO .

To determine the required ISO for photography, you will need to take a test shot. Scale it, check the sharpness. If the image is blurry, you will have to increase the ISO by 1/3 steps and try again.

And don't forget that a good vantage point is one of the most important factors when shooting, especially festive festive cityscapes!

11816 studio photography 0

We continue a small series of publications of the studio photography course about winter photo shoots in the studio, started yesterday, because the New Year is the very holiday when you want to give gifts not only to loved ones, but also to yourself. And what could be the best gift for a woman (except diamonds, of course)? Photo session, yes! A photo session allows a woman to escape from the everyday and everyday rhythm of life, put on her best dress (and not only a dress, the same diamonds), be charming, as attractive and bright as possible. And then, on long winter evenings, she will be able to look at these photos and see herself as a beauty queen. But the responsibility for the expected result lies not with the model, but with the photographer, who must see her beauty and be able to capture it. And if he doesn’t try hard enough, a completely different story can turn out: on long winter evenings, a woman no-no and even looks at holiday pictures, sighing from her imperfection and eating her grief with diet cookies. This cannot be allowed!

STUDIO SELECTION

When the choice of clothes is made, select several studio options for the model. Let her choose which one she likes the most.

Book your chosen room according to whether you want to shoot with natural light or pulsed light. If the first option, then this is a hall with large windows, and daylight hours will be the best time for booking. In winter, this is approximately from 11:00 to 15:00. If the studio is busy at this time, and you do not like or are afraid to work with pulsed light, order constant light sources.

SELECTION OF EQUIPMENT

I have a Nikon D800, this camera allows you to shoot at high ISOs, so you can work with natural light even in cloudy weather. For shooting in the studio, you can safely take lenses with a fixed focal length. Zoom lenses are more important for reportage photography, but they are also suitable for shooting in the studio. One of my lenses is the Nikon 50mm f/1.8G AF-S Nikkor. This is a fast lens that makes it possible to blur the background beautifully. Which is especially true for New Year's photo shoots, when there are a lot of lights from the Christmas tree and other decorations in the background. For portraits, the fixed Nikon 85mm f / 1.4G AF-S Nikkor is also suitable. For both 50mm and 85mm lens options, a room with an area of 50 sq. m. If you decide to shoot with a zoom lens, then the Nikon 24-70mm f / 2.8E ED VR AF-S Nikkor universal lens is quite suitable. Thanks to the ability to zoom from a small wide angle of 24mm to portrait 70mm, you can take both wide shots and portraits without distorting the picture too much. The total area of the shooting area for such a lens is from 30 sq. m.

When shooting girls in a studio, it is better not to use wide-angle lenses, as the face will be distorted and stretched in portraits, and in waist-high or general shots there is a possibility of limb distortion. Most likely, telephoto lenses will not work either, because they can only be used from a long distance. Not all halls have large areas, which means that you make it difficult for yourself to shoot a full-length model. Remember that a lens is a tool that should make things easier for you, not the other way around.

CAMERA SETTINGS

The settings depend on what kind of light you prefer to shoot with and in what mode (I only shoot in manual mode M). If it's pulsed light, it's simple. Set the ISO to the minimum, white balance to your taste (I put direct sunlight). The aperture, along with the values of the light sources, can be changed depending on whether you want to separate the model from the background or not. By changing the aperture value, you will receive a different amount of light in the frame. So change the light intensity of your lamps as well. You can work with auto settings in the studio, but only when using natural light or with constant light sources. If you work with pulsed light, then it is better to change the camera settings manually.

Don't be afraid to take test shots to set all the settings, this will help you get a great result without resorting to hard work in photo editors on your computer.

NOZZLES FOR LIGHTING

For a female portrait, softer light should be used, which means that softboxes for pulsed light are optimal. If you need hard light for some creative tasks, use reflectors.

WORKING WITH THE MODEL

When you have already agreed on shooting, give some recommendations to the model. Let him choose accessories for all the images - the details in the portrait play a big role. Be sure to remind about interchangeable shoes that match the clothes.

If the model has a double chin, position yourself a little higher, above her, and ask her to raise her head. Be careful not to have your head thrown back, but everything looks beautiful.

If the model has a big nose, avoid profile shots, try to set her head in such a way that the nose does not go beyond the border of the cheek, so it will look more elegant.

Remember, everyone needs some time to feel comfortable in front of the camera. Try to focus on what the model really succeeds, and not on what is bad. If you see a clamp in the jaw, an unnatural smile, do not be silent, pay attention to this, tell them to feel it and let it go. If the clamp is in the hands and fingers, ask to twist the wrists, shake the fingers so that they relax. From the clamp in the neck, a simple exercise will help - a few circular movements of the head, soft, feminine turns.

The photographer must carefully monitor everything that gets into his frame - clothing, body position, look, background. I advise you to start shooting from a sitting position (it doesn’t matter - in an armchair, on a bed, on the floor).

But most importantly, don't be silent. There's nothing worse than telling a girl, pointing your lens at her, "do something," and then shut up and wait. Don't expect her to immediately turn into Claudia Schiffer and start practicing professional model poses. Most likely, it will be stretched, awkward and uncomfortable, and for both of you.

Take control, tell the girl the position of the body, arms, legs, so that it looks elegant and feminine in the frame. And so that a genuine light burns in your eyes, and a sincere smile plays on your lips, do not forget to maintain a good mood and a positive atmosphere in the studio.

Everyone associates the New Year with magic and a fairy tale. Creating New Year's photos, I want to convey this atmosphere of the holiday, make the picture bright, beautiful and positive. One of the most simple ways to convey the atmosphere of the holiday - shooting with bokeh effect. Decorated, garlanded Christmas trees and city lights will be a wonderful backdrop. Below we will give the concept of bokeh, give recommendations for its creation and analyze examples.

In Japanese, bokeh means blur. This is a defocused area in the picture, blur. It is created by combining light and shadow behind the object. The play of color also plays an important role. To create this effect, there are several rules.

It is better to take the right lens. You can, of course, use any one that is at hand, but if you have a choice, use optics with a larger aperture. The larger the aperture, the more beautiful the effect will be. The background will get more blur, and the bokeh will be larger. For example, you can take /1.or. These are the ideal settings;
Use manual focus. This will highlight exactly the object on which you focus;
To give more expressiveness, highlight the subject. This will highlight the silhouette. The main thing here is not to overdo it. A flash is also suitable for backlighting, but it is better to do without it. If there are no more options, then it is better to use it separately from the camera.

As an option - a halogen spotlight, but something muffled. In extreme cases, if there is nothing at hand at all, just a flashlight or any other home light source will do;

Shoot with a large aperture. Choose a small number using manual mode or aperture priority. In this case, the depth of field will be small and, accordingly, the background will be blurred, which will create the bokeh effect;
Distance increase. This again allows you to blur the background even more. Try to find the ideal option empirically. In any case, it is necessary to place the model no closer than one and a half meters from the background;
Get closer to the model. Ideally approach the minimum distance at which the camera can focus;
If the camera has a zoom, then use large focal lengths. This gives the best effect even at smaller apertures;
Pay attention to the front as well. There may also be areas out of focus, which will give even more effect to the picture;
As for our topic (shooting against the background of a garland), here you will have to photograph in the twilight, the shutter speed will by itself be 1/30, 1/40, so a tripod will not be superfluous.

Example shots with bokeh effect

Below we will analyze the pictures with the bokeh effect taken against the background of the garland. New Year is the time to experiment in this area. And you won’t have to choose the background for a long time - it is in every home, and there are enough elegant models.

Photo taken from photography site 500px.com. Its author is Vladimir Zotov. He shares the secrets of creating such a background.

The model is shot against the background of a window on which a garland hangs like a curtain. Please note that the background is dark. This is due to the fact that the window is night. During the day, this effect is not achieved. The distance from the model to the background is about four meters. Aperture 1.7, shutter speed 1/40, ISO 100. It is not advisable to use a flash in these conditions. She will extinguish all the lights of the garland. In this regard, the author used for lighting two strips on the sides of the model, directed at each other. The light was set to pilot. Summing up, the author gives following tips: shoot at the maximum aperture, place the garland on a dark background so that there is no reflection. And here is the schema:

Following the advice of Vladimir, one of the photographers took similar pictures and this is what came of it.

In the first case, the following parameters were applied: shutter speed 1/135, ISO 800, Helios 2.0 lens. In the second - shutter speed 1/80, ISO 800.

Lighting as in the original source did not work, the light from the softboxes was not enough, so the author used a halogen spotlight, covering it with a studio umbrella. Thanks to this, the light scattered and became soft, did not give sharp shadows.

Another example that will cover the features and rules for creating bokeh with a Christmas tree garland in the background is from Marie Sturges.

This example uses a 50mm f/1.8 lens.

The camera is set up like any indoor shoot, but remember that the wider the aperture, the better. If possible, then the indicator should be maximum.

The garland on the background can be placed both evenly and in a certain order, depending on the planned effect. It is most convenient to fix it with stationery clips.

If the lens is with a variable focal length, then choose the maximum value. Example done Nikon lens 55-200mm at 95mm position is the maximum under given conditions. As you can see, even at f / 4.5 the effect is well manifested. It's better than not zooming at all.

Get as close to the subject as possible. For comparison, a picture taken from a greater distance than the final photo. Notice how much worse the bokeh looks.

It doesn't have to be a person in the frame. Beautiful photo it will turn out using any souvenir. Lights will add charm and a light flair of fabulousness to any trinket.

The depth of the photo will be given by several objects located at different distances from the lens.

Look for new angles.

Play with lights. They can be juggled, or poured from a teapot, or drowned in a glass.

Think about color harmony.

Monochrome photos are great too.

New Year's treats are a separate subject of shooting. They are appetizing not only in life, but also in the photo.

Take pictures of friends, family and pets.

Use special attachments for bokeh. This will allow you to complement the photo with bright hearts, stars, rhombuses and everything that fantasy is capable of.

By playing with the focal length, you can also change the shape of the bokeh. In this case, various polygons are obtained. The number of corners in them depends on the number of petals in the diaphragm.

Get out into the city. Holiday illumination lights, headlights, signboards. Fix the image of the festive city.

Bright lights to you and Happy New Year!