Christmas Light - Lighting

[wannabehorsephotographer]

I've sort of been hired/sort of doing a favor for a local non-profit org. They offer a free photo to all the children's families that come to their event and their ex-coworker always took pics (she was a pretty good amatuer) - We participate in this awesome org. and want to help out by taking the pics this year. They are shooting us a little for our time but not much to justify a fancy studio set up I probably won't use much if ever again. So here's my dilemma:

I want to do something different than a smile cheese shot and I don't want to have to pay for a fancy backdrop (I do all my stuff on location right now).

I have an umbrella, lightstand, and a way to get my 430EX off camera. I am looking into getting a second light setup by then, but I was also entertaining the idea of using Christmas lights - as a background light, fill light, etc.

Like these:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnengler/324176318/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chewychua/301664391/
and my personal fav, but probably not practical with families:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/_jaydee_/330264325/

What are your thoughts? Thanks!

[Rian Malynn]

Are you going for color or b&w? Just looking at the links and you wanting to use lights, what if you used foam board and poked lights through, making a tree or wreath or something...kind of like a light bright I guess? Just an idea...have no idea if it would work or not. But lights at Walmart and foam doesn't cost much....or one year, years ago, my daughter had her pick taken and they had a box decorated like a chimney and a bit of fluff for snow, you could take that idea and add lights to it...hope this sparks something creative.

I liked the links you posted. It gave a warm glow and that magical feel of christmas.

[OsmosisStudios]

The first is just done with a fast lens and ambient light.

The second has a flash off camera, slightly to the right, below shoulder level.


The third, Im almost 100% sure, is postwork. The picture was likely taken with the x-mas lights off and decent ambient lighting, then processed. It's really not that hard to do.