Christmas 2014

Seeing this photo instantly takes me back to Disneyland, where I was kneeling on Main Street and shooting up at this gorgeous Christmas tree.

Disneyland is so magical, especially when it's all decorated for the holidays.    

Not only am I a fan of Disneyland, but I love good bokeh, too!

Because I wanted the lights to be out-of-focus, I switched the lens I was using (a Canon 50mm f/1.2 that I rented from Borrow Lenses) from auto focus to manual focus. Then, I turned the focusing ring as far as it would go to completely blur the lights.

I was shooting in manual, and although this image was shot at f/2.2, it probably would have been even better with a larger aperture (smaller number) such as f/1.2.

In post-processing, I made a few simple edits in Lightroom and then used RadLab in Photoshop to boost the color saturation and add contrast.  Lastly, I sharpened the image using a free action from MCP.

It's seriously super simple to capture holiday light bokeh! Here's an easy tutorial and some great tips if you want to give it a try.

Last December,I learned you could customize your bokeh, creating nearly any shape. I made a hood (out of black card stock) with a heart shape, took a few shots, and shared this image on my blog.

If you're interested in making your own unique bokeh, here is a simple tutorial.

Whether you find yourself behind the lens, in front of the lens, or a combination of both this Christmas, here's hoping your heart is filled with peace and joy.

Blessings,