Before photography evolved into the art form we know of today, it began simply as a piece of equipment to record landscapes and portraits. Before the flash and long before digital technology, subjects would sit completely still for long periods of time so the photographer could capture an image in focus. The slow shutter speeds and lack of artificial light meant the exposure needed to be lengthy. Such was the necessity to keep still that some photographers were known to point a gun at the subject to scare them into a frozen state.
Although photography is still a capturer of memories, it is much more instantaneous and a lot less terrifying today. Memories tend to be punctuated with events within certain time frames. We remember life before and after the pandemic, we remember how different things were before we lost a loved one and many of us will bookend our childhood memories with flashes of memorable periods like Christmas. Some Christmas memories may be difficult to differentiate from others, but photos can serve to arrange our recollections and to separate periods of time.
Memories
The photograph of the chaos in the dining room reminds us of the year the flambéed pudding set the tablecloth on fire. Or perhaps the photograph of Grandad asleep on the couch will always be the year of the blizzard that locked us in the house for three days. Having these moments captured on camera, forever etched onto a piece of paper or a screen, helps us to differentiate between this memory and that one.
Although today, billions of photos are taken every day, some images or perhaps a series of images, demand a little more care and attention than a simple point and shoot. In some societies, Christmas can be a visual feast of lights and decorations and depending on which side of the equator you are, there can be a pristine blanket of white glistening under the faerie lights.
That special photo
People will be pointing their phones at each other throughout the festivities, but a true photographer will get down on their knees or up on that chair. They will focus in on those old or indeed brand-new hands or a detail on the tree. The magic in the eyes of a child or the sweat on the brow of the chef may be the essence of the chaos they are trying to capture. Photographers have an opportunity to get creative with angles and lighting, to get up close and to step far away. The whole season has pockets of visual magic, the photographer just needs to find that unique viewpoint.
Photographers using digital SLR’s will be on the constant lookout for those moments and with just a few manual adjustments, beautiful images can be quickly captured.
For dreamy close ups of wide-eyed children at the tree, it is the aperture that needs attention. There are lots of distractions and the very busy background can detract from the subject matter. In order to keep the focus on the subject in the foreground, while blurring the lights behind, a shallow depth of field is ideal with an aperture of f1.4 or f2.8.
Christmas lights are a brilliant opportunity to play with light and while the shutter speed is vital when controlling the amount of light that enters the camera, this can be adjusted for some interesting effects. Depending on whether it is day or night, when experimenting with shutter speed, moving lights can result in some interesting and creative results.
Americans have a tradition of using family portraits as holiday cards which, is a nice way to track a family’s life together through the years. Over time, new babies and new partners come and sadly, people and pets go, but it serves as a seasonal timeline to the history of a family. While these are portraits, some families get very creative, or oftentimes, very funny.
The greatest gift of all
Smartphones are generally equipped with excellent camera capabilities and a global culture of photography has certainly taken hold, but comparatively speaking, how often do people print and frame an image?
Photography as an art form is a wonderful gift idea but art can be a very personal choice and there’s always a risk of getting it wrong for another person. However, a small, framed photo of a memorable moment or event could be thoughtful and personal. Ring lights, accessories, and lenses may be a useful gift idea but there is nothing as treasured as a moment in time, a memory that will always make people smile, laugh or cry.
If the lens is an extension of the eye, then magic truly exists.
The camera has the power to preserve the memory of one of life’s most special days.
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