When I visited my good friend Myra over Christmas, she told me that her tree didn’t photograph well… that every photo she has seen of her Christmas tree looked awful. It was adorned with glimmery shimmery things and every ornament had a special place, perfectly distanced from the next ornament. Myra also said she didn’t like her photo taken, which is why she has been wearing her sunglasses — indoors or outdoors, day or night — as long as someone with a camera was snapping it her way. So, OF COURSE this put a lightbulb over my head — it was an “Aha!” moment. It’s a photography challenge! 🙂
Here’s how I did in the challenge…
My quick tree assessment: The first thing I noticed was that there was only natural light coming from one side. There were also a lot of things surrounding the tree that would take away from the tree in a photo. The tree itself had a lot of ornaments, so I thought a photo where everything was in focus would make the image look a little busy where your eyes wouldn’t know what to focus on. So it was an easy decision: lay on the floor and take the photo straight up. Have the aperture open wide. That way, I’d capture the entire length of the tree and yet I could highlight a few details. Pretty tree, huh?
Since Myra has fantastic skin and great facial features, it was a no-brainer to put her next to the tree. This should be her holiday card for 2009!
I like the lighting in this photo. The light is warm and dances around her, creating interesting shapes. If Myra had turned toward the sun, her face would be blasted by the sun and we would’ve lost good details. If she had turned to look directly at me, then she would’ve gotten harsh shadows on one side of her face, which would not have been flattering. This was perfect.
I like that Myra is not looking at me in this photo. She almost looks demure and shy… almost. 😉
Classic Myra photo
I think Myra and her tree look gorgeous. I will now be searching for my next photography challenge!