Most counties around here decorate their courthouse for Christmas, so I drove out to nearby Burnet Texas to photograph their Christmas decorations as I have in the past. I don’t live in Burnet County, but I didn’t want to drive into Austin traffic to have a look at the Travis County courthouse. Burnet is easier to get to and there is little traffic around the building in the late evening, so late yesterday afternoon, with temperatures in the low 20s Fahrenheit, I went to shoot some photos.
As you can see above, there was still some light in the sky when I started shooting. If you wait until the sky is completely dark, the light from the Christmas lights will overwhelm the picture. If taken in the blue hour, the Christmas lights will still pop but be somewhat balanced by the sky. And I think that the lights look a bit better against a sky with some color instead of a black sky.
Also, as you may have guessed, I shot this all using HDR as there is so much contrast between the lights and the background. The HDR really gives you a lot of shadow to pull up without over-exposing the lights, and I like the aura-like affect with Christmas lights. I usually try to keep the HDR effect very subtle, but with Christmas lights I don’t mind getting a little heavy-handed with the HDR.
I shot these photos with a wide angle (14mm) to take it all in, but this really tends to skew the building such that it appears to lean back. I corrected this and cropped it in Lightroom and I think it worked out well, though it does take a lot of your image away in the cropping.
It was also very windy and cold on this evening so there is some camera-shake in these images even though it was on a tripod. So, if you look closely you will see some motion blur in the details. The tree branches are mainly from a fast frame so they aren’t moving too much.
You might also notice a lack of leaves and acorns on the walkway. I got rid of most of that in Lightroom, though it is a very time-consuming process.
Did I mention that it was cold and windy? By this point, I could barely feel anything with my fingers but I managed to get all my gear packed up and get in the truck to warm up. It is difficult to manipulate the camera settings and shoot photos while wearing gloves, so I just suffered for a while. Merry Christmas
Jason Frels 
Merry Christmas to you too.
Photographing in extremely cold temperatures is often a challenge. I’m going to buy some heating elements to keep in my pocket. Riding a bike between the motives requires the right clothing 😊
I enjoyed your pictures and it is worth to enlarge them!
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Some hand warmers might be a good idea
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All of these are very lovely, Jason. Thanks for sharing the holiday visions with us from your part of the world. Merry Christmas and I pray you have a wonderful New Year as well.
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Thanks. I hope your new year is great too
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It looks almost like a painting. I love the bright colors. And it brings back memories, as I worked briefly in the town of Burnet, back in the ’70s. I was very good at working briefly in those days.
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Yeah, I was thinking about you when I made the post as you said you were there back in the day.
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I was a deejay at KHLB. The first radio station that ever hired me, and that ever fired me.
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Disc jockey is just an expression you know. You aren’t supposed to actually try to ride the phonographs.
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That’s what they were trying to explain to me, as they handed me my final check.
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I agres with Tippy that 2nd photo looks like a painting, amazing photo! Love the trees. Thanks for enduring the cold to take these photos.
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Thanks. It is a sort of plain looking courthouse. The one Georgetown is prettier but it is more crowded around there and difficult to photograph
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Well you made it look good with your photo.
So was Santa good to you? I was able to snatch the naughty list and scratch my name off and I scratched yours off too, you are welcome. 🙂
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I was very nice this year. I even tried to help a wayward Pennsylvanian find an armadillo. So, Santa was pleased with me.
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LOL! Oh gosh, sooo that how you were able to get on the nice list. By being helpful. 🙂
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I am naturally a very helpful person, as you know.
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Oooh yes, I can vouch for you being helpful and I assume that you are going to strive to be just as helpful in 2023?
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Yes, I know you are counting on me
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Annd I guess you are planning on practicing ducking more too…may be needed! 😉
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Merry Christmas, Jason!
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Nice photos, Jason. And I will be the first to admit that shooting in the cold is relative. When I did some Christmas lights earlier I did it when it was cold, teens, single digits, but before it got extremely cold, below zero, maybe -10 or -15 or colder with windchill. Sometimes it’s good to be a fair weather photographer.
It takes patience when shooting to balance that blue hour and one only has a few to accomplish the shoot. Enjoy the holiday.
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These are very ice; I mean, nice. 🙂
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