and then she snapped: wordless wednesday but with words

Hi Again! Are you having fun photographing the holidays yet? I've gotten re-inspired with my camera lately and have actually TAKEN some pictures the past few days.

One thing I love to photograph this time of year is bokeh (that pleasing, "blurriness" that I especially love when it involves Christmas lights!)

How to create bokeh with Christmas lights:
It's super easy.

Set your camera to Aperture Priority. (This is A on a nikon and Av on a canon).
Adjust your aperture as wide open as it will go (this means the smallest number). (I used my 35mm lens at f1.8).
Turn your ISO as low as you can. (I used 100 ISO).
Let your camera figure out shutter speed : )
Ok, ready, now you want to focus on something in front of the lights. The farther away your focus is from your lights, the bigger the bokeh will be.

Here I focused on a little star shaped card holder:

Here I focused on my finger just right in front of the camera then moved my finger before taking the picture. Genius, I know, I know...

Seriously, anybody could do this, as long as you can manually adjust your aperture, but it looks really difficult.

To prove how easy it is for "regular people" like you and me to take amazing photos, Olympus recently gave (yes, GAVE!) over 1,000 people in 6 different cities their own Olympus PEN-E-PM1 camera. Seriously? Where was I when they were handing those out?

Anyway...to see what these "regular people" shot with their brand new (FREE!) cameras, visit The PEN Ready Project.

I don't really "get" wordless wednesday. So around here words are totally ok, and actually encouraged! So if you like words too and want to link up your wordless wednesday, but with words, please do. And if it's Thursday by the time you get around to it, well heck, that's ok too.

Link up below and with some of my favorite wordless wednesday hostesses: project alicia, the paper mama, and naptime momtog.

PS. Before you go have you entered the awesome giveaway I have going on right now?

This post is sponsored by Olympus.

31 comments:

ChristinaDecember 13, 2011 at 5:26 PM
Very pretty photos.
HeidiDecember 13, 2011 at 5:38 PM
Dude, I LOVE that first shot. So pretty.

And seriously, how come I get inquiries regarding plastic surgery and not cool shiz like a free camera? It's because of self portraits like the one I took at the airport, huh?
MichelleDecember 13, 2011 at 5:44 PM
oooh love the first one! so pretty!
(sorry if my link comes up twice..I got a weird error message..fell free to delete if I've doubled up!)
Daogreer Earth WorksDecember 13, 2011 at 5:56 PM
You have inspired me to try some bokeh. Now I just need to go get a Christmas Tree...
Urban EarthwormDecember 13, 2011 at 6:33 PM
Great info (and beautiful pics, as always)! I don't know if our camera even has a manual setting . . . ha.
Moments and ImpressionsDecember 13, 2011 at 7:02 PM
Oooh love the second one... sneaky finger trick. Nice.
AnonymousDecember 13, 2011 at 7:41 PM
I love these. Such awesome photos.
JohiDecember 13, 2011 at 7:54 PM
That's it. I want a new camera.
Karen @ Pieces of ContentmentDecember 13, 2011 at 8:13 PM
Thank you!!! I spent ages trying to catch some bokeh the other night and gave up, thinking my camera (not a DSLR) couldn't do it. I was missing the info on focusing on something nearby, makes all the difference. Now I can have a play later (time permitting).
UnknownDecember 13, 2011 at 8:40 PM
Great photos! Glad you are feeling inspired to shoot some new photos! I usually just switch my lens to manual focus and adjust it so it is out of focus. Easy peasy bokeh. :)
AmandaDecember 13, 2011 at 9:11 PM
Thanks for the tips! LOVE that first shot.
Desirae RDecember 13, 2011 at 9:14 PM
Love the photos. I need to figure out how to do this on my point and shoot..
AnonymousDecember 13, 2011 at 9:29 PM
great tips! Will have to try these out too :)
AnonymousDecember 13, 2011 at 10:10 PM
I love those photos, I want to do that too! But you lost me at Apeture Priority and ISO. Um, where do I even find those settings?? Gah, I'm so clueless re: my camera, makes me sad panda. Totally my 2012 goal!
Amy NielsonDecember 13, 2011 at 11:32 PM
gorgeous. we JUST got our tree up tonight & i can't wait to take me some shots w/ that glorious bokeh!!
MelanieDecember 14, 2011 at 12:27 AM
Stunning bokeh! Sneaky finger trick... genius!
DarylDecember 14, 2011 at 3:18 AM
NYC with words and photos
NancyDecember 14, 2011 at 3:59 AM
Gorgeous shots, Rachel. Well done. :)
Lish @ ImprintalishDecember 14, 2011 at 4:40 AM
LOOOVE your first one...bokeh is so pretty :)
UnknownDecember 14, 2011 at 8:43 AM
I've been playing around with the bokeh lights a lot this year, so much fun!
Honey MommyDecember 14, 2011 at 8:48 AM
I love photographing bokeh! My sister got me a bokeh kit for Christmas (our family party is over already), so now I can make bokeh in all sorts of fun shapes!

Woo-hoo!
Christina KlasDecember 14, 2011 at 9:44 AM
Yay! I'm lovin' all the Christmas Bokeh!
April @ Red-Dirt-Mama.comDecember 14, 2011 at 10:12 AM
I love the bokeh shots! This looks fabulous!
UnknownDecember 14, 2011 at 10:23 AM
love your bokeh, I'm going to give it another shot Sat.
KristinDecember 14, 2011 at 11:16 AM
great tips on taking bokeh shots! thanks so much for sharing! i am so loving that first shot! such a beautiful capture!!
ChandraDecember 14, 2011 at 11:28 AM
The first one is my favorite! Your photography is always so aH-mazing~
NinaDecember 14, 2011 at 2:35 PM
That's what I always do when taking bokeh shots- focus on my finger and then move it.
CoriDecember 14, 2011 at 2:54 PM
Wish I would have seen this post before my last blog post! Thanks for the tips!
JaniceDecember 14, 2011 at 5:24 PM
I love the bokeh effect, but I've yet to try it on my Canon Rebel. I'm more of a point-and-shoot Canon Powershot camera mom, you know? For those moments when you don't have time to adjust everything? =) Maybe one of these nights when the kiddos are asleep, I'll try this!
UnknownDecember 14, 2011 at 7:32 PM
I love me some Christmas light bokeh! :D
UnknownDecember 14, 2011 at 9:30 PM
Beautiful photos! The first photo is simply stunning. Thank you for sharing!

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