Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree...

I finished putting up the Christmas tree Monday night and I thought that I would take some pictures of it since my younger sister Angie did such a fine job decorating it - I put on the lights, though. I guess everybody likes Christmas lights, but I'm especially fond of them, even though for so many years I was the only one who would ever put them on the tree as a kid. Despite the fact that our old tree made putting on the lights an absolute nightmare, I still would put them on every year because I just love the look of it once it's done. Maybe that's why I became a photographer, because I love light! Anyway, it was always a tradition for me to put on the lights while listening to Christmas music. Every time I listen to Traditions of Christmas by Mannheim Steamroller I feel like a little kid again, totally entranced by the hundreds or thousands of lights that gently lit the room. When I say thousands I mean thousands. That's how much I liked those colorful glowing bulbs.

This project was a lot of fun. The exposure times were very long, anywhere from 10-30 seconds, and my ISO was up to 400, but that's what it takes when you're shooting in a room lit only by a Christmas tree. If you want to try taking pictures of your tree and you're using an SLR, be sure to stop your lens down (set an aperture number as high as it will go, say 22-32) and be sure to have a sturdy tripod. Mine would have worked out much better if I had a better ball head for my tripod, but oh well. I guess I'll just have to take some more next year, right?

I really like the picture behind the tree because it shows the real meaning of Christmas. Without Christ, there wouldn't be a Christmas at all. This picture is from the Hill Cumorah Pageant and it's a portrayal of what would have been the first time the Nephites would have seen Christ in person, an event they had anticipated for hundreds of years. While it wasn't on Christmas, it might as well have been because of the significance of the event. Could you imagine such a present for yourself this Christmas?! Yeah, I love this picture and I'm glad that I can see it every time I look at the tree.