Every year and particularly with the advent of social networking, people like to post pictures of their Christmas tree.  Generally, there are either very dark (with lots of grain) or flashed to the point that one can not actually see the lit lights on the tree.  Photographically this is a problem shooting a picture with very bright objects (the lights) against a very dark background and unlike the fireworks principle of lighting, one would really like to see the tree and ornaments.

I show three different approaches to this problem.  

APPROACH #1

The first approach is perhaps the most straightforward.  I simply adjust the settings on the camera to obtain an exposure slightly under exposed (-.5 to -1 EV)  The settings for this picture were ISO 200, f2.8 at 1/4 of a second (not hand held) and then I bounced a strobe light off the wall behind me at an TTL setting of -0.7 addiing just enough light to brighten the room a bit.

APPROACH #2

To capture a broad range of light, the technique of high dynamic range (HDR) imaging can be useful, although some people feel that it makes the picture look artifical.  To use this approach you need to set the camera on manual mode, set the ideal exposure ( 0EV) and then take a series of pictures by adjusting the shutter speed to under and over expose the picture in equal segments.  I typically use 7 or 9 exposures in approximately 1/3 EV values:  -1EV, -2/3EV, -1/3EV, 0EV, 1/3EV, 2/3EV and 1 EV.  As example, if the 0EV shutter speed is 1/100, then -1EV would be 1/200 and 1EV would be 1/50.  I use Photomatix HDR software to recombine the 7 or 9 images to generate a single picture, but there are several different options for HDR image generation.

APPROACH #3

And this is the last approach which will 'work' when you can use a strobe effectively or HDR imaging technology.  This is the Christmas Tree in the Walnut Room in the Macy's store in downtown Chicago.  For this picture, I shot at an ISO of 2500 at 1/80 with an aperture of f2.8.  I opened the aperture as wide as it would go, set the shutter speed to a level that I am comfortable shooting handheld and then adjusted the ISO upward until I had a good exposure.   I did a little bit of post process in Aperture to brighten the darker areas of the picture a bit.

I hope this will help you have a very merry holiday season as you tackle those difficult lighting situations and get all the new camera gear you want!!!