Shutter Sisters

the light fantastic

By

It’s a Small World this holiday at Disneyland

When the days are short and the nights are long, lights play a big role in keeping our spirits bright. Whether it be candle light, twinkle lights, or the blaze of a crackling fire, capturing the glow of the season isn’t always easy and takes some trial and error but from what I have been seeing in our flickr pool, it’s well worth the effort. I am delighted with visions from amp’ed, ArtfromM, Nikki P, the clikchick and andie.

 

How do you light things up? Illuminate us with the pride and joy of your collection from the season.

 

 

And speaking of collections, our giveaway today is a gem from the collection of Her Southern Charm. The Click necklace is very special perfect for us Shutter Sisters. The word on the sliver circle says “click” and has a little camera charm with it. How cute is that? Thank you Jennifer.

 

Congratulations to Shelli, Mama of Letters for winning both Stephanie’s book and the Snaptotes Bucket bag.

Comments

  1. WOW, we have been totally slack this year. The only lights we have up are on the tree. Oh, and the ones that are around the deck, but they have been up year round so I don;t think they count.

  2. okay… haven’t been clicking nearly as much as i should lately but these photos just lit a little fire under me bum :0

    and i just love Her Southern Charm’s work.

  10. This was a lighting experiment I did– long car trip, staring out the front window at car lights on hilly roads– messing around with exposures and camera settings to get this effect…. it took about 3 different adjustments and then I was able to capture:

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/84443905@N00/3130121207/

    One of my goals this year was to learn about and gain confidence in using most of my camera settings. It’s been a year of great progress and this photo sort of illuminates the learning I’ve done!!

  12. What a beautiful light show. Christmas night we are going to the Festival of Lights show in our town. I can’t wait to see what my 3 year old thinks of it.

  13. I have enjoyed reading your posts during the giveway season! I especially like the links to the websites of the winners. Thanks for that. The lights that come to mind for me are the "wood fairies" that begin their journey in the fire box as I put more log on the fire. They continue up the chimney and back to their home. I have always loved that thought.

  16. Great shot! We finally got lights up on the house. I love them but it’s a lot of work.

    unexpectedblissblog(at)gmail(dot)com

  23. Oh, how wonderful! What a great giveaway! Count me in!

    We are off to see the lights tonight! I’ll make sure the camera is ready! I haven’t taken any light pictures this season… shame on me! I’ve been just enjoying the ambience and snuggling with the family.

  24. I must say that I have definitely been looking at all the twinkle lights differently this year due to all the awesome shots in the group pool. Everyone has been so inspiring……

  30. I am not a holiday-decor person, but my now-9 year old wanna-be electrical engineer son certainly is. Since we had none he has put himself in charge of lighting, buying some with his allowance and getting subsidized by parents and grandparents for others. Each year our yard display grows in quantity and complexity, and while I joke about it of course I thoroughly enjoy his enthusiasm and pride. Without him it would be just lights, but now it is so much more.

  32. I haven’t seen It’s a Small World in years!! Beautiful shot! And Her Southern Charm is fantastic! How generous! Love the "Bite Me" necklace too.

  40. your title is beautiful & says it all.
    and the charm is indeed fitting for all the shutter sisters!

  41. I haven’t posted any pictures yet of our lights. We let our 2 and 4 year old kids decorate the trees outside with white lights and the results are fantastic!

  42. I love Christmas lights, but don’t have any out except our tree and a few alpine trees out front. I’ll have to bug my hubby more next year. We do the drive around town with hot chocolate looking for the big light displays ever year though.
    LOVE the necklace!

  43. Just found shutter sisters! This discovery is the best gift this christmas as you have reminded me that I am not just an overtired working mom but a passionate, creative being! I dusted off my camera and going to treat myself to a macro lens!!! Thanks for the inspiration!

  46. I’m afraid we don’t have many lights up … some blue ones to frame our front window. That’s it! Our whole street is about as bad. Up here, one has to have their outside lights up before the snow flies … we don’t tend to think about Christmas lights until it is too late to get them up!

    That necklace would be nice!

    TTFN …

  48. The little lights are the best part of the season for me… I love to drive around and look at light displays, and I love turning off all the house lights after the kids are asleep, and resting on the couch in the glow of the tree.

  52. great photo! I still haven’t quite mastered taking good night-light pictures… but I’m working on it.

  53. what is it about lights that just bring peace to the soul? I love the holiday light festival …. and wish we kept them up all year – only ON as opposed to just being up and waiting for the holidays to return …. 🙂

    that collection is lovely … and I would treasure that for sure!

  54. I live in a building where lights are not allowed, but I love Austin’s Zilker Park Parade of lights–it is huge and saturated with all kinds of color!

  57. On our trip last month to DL we missed the re-opening of IASM by 2 weeks……how fun to see it here all lit up!!
    (And her necklaces are lovely.)

  60. We live in a little apartment so all we have is a patio to decorate. This year we bought LED lights so we wouldn’t have to pay an arm and a leg on costs. I then headed to the dollar store to get some additional decorations and made Christmas trees out of lights out front and put bells on them to make it known they were Christmas trees. Then I put up our indoor tree right in the window so you can see it from outside.

    When we get a house though I’m going all out.

  62. The Chanukah candles have brought me special joy this year. Last night we gathered with friends and lit many menorahs. The blazing lights were just beautiful massed together.

    Now why didn’t I bring the camera?

  67. We only put up part of our outside lights this year … to much snow to get on the roof (much to my husbands delight!). Love the Etsy shop …

  68. I just love this photograph – so bright and festive. Of course, it brings back some wonderful childhood memories. I guess that is what always brings out that excitement of Christmas for me – it just seems magical.

    We have a small set of white ights around our first real Christmas Tree and those hanging across our bookshelves.

    Of course, it wouldn’t be complete without hanging a whimsical Christmas fairy ornament:
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/snapshotsunmade/2119605398/in/set-72157600737493045/

    You have such wonderful items your are giving away – I should be so lucky to have any! 😉

  69. NO Whammy, NO Whammy 😉 I just want to let you know that I have a Canon D40 in the box and I am afraid to open it because I am still an old school film girl……..not sure if I can make the jump…… wish me luck. Love your blog.

  70. I love taking photos of the kids with the Christmas tree with my new 50mm prime lens. Love it!

  71. I love those necklaces!
    I don’t have any pictures of lights, since here we don’t use them as much as there, and I haven’t even connect mine, because of the rush and the making and the illness I had.
    Anyway. I am loving all these light pictures!

  83. what a sweet giveaway! a very close friend of mine has recently taken a leap of faith and left her day job to pursue her photography dream– this charm would be perfect for her.

  85. i have been reading shutter sisters for a while now and enjoy all the inspiration and sharing here. Thank you shutter sisters for this space and happy christmas 🙂

  88. We love this time of year because we get to light up the dogs!!! Both are equipped with Puplights in the winter for those late evening walks. Unfortunately, one dog’s light doesn’t do much more than light up a lot of chest hair…..

  90. I am SO in the mood for Disneyland. I think we’re getting passes as our ‘family’ gift this year. When/if we go, I’ll let you know! Oh, and I SO need that necklace. LOL. Me, me, me please! lol

  96. it’s amazing how that picture brings back memories for me and my family. we use to live CA but, recently moved to chicago. Love the necklace – how perfect for this fun addiction we have.

  97. it’s amazing how that picture brings back memories for me and my family. we use to live CA but, recently moved to chicago. Love the necklace – how perfect for this fun addiction we have.

  98. I just got a Canon SLR for Christmas! I hope to learn and improve on my photography skill. Hopefully one day I can take really nice night pic like yours 🙂

  99. I just got a Canon SLR for Christmas! I hope to learn and improve on my photography skill. Hopefully one day I can take really nice night pic like yours 🙂

  101. I used to do up Christmas with a gazillion candles but now I have three rambunctious boys under six so that is right out! lol. Now all my holiday light is electric. I STILL don’t have any post-decorating pictures yet, but here is mid-decorating… if you can call it that when you let toddlers do all the work!

    http://shamalamamama.blogspot.com/2008/12/blog-post.html

    Gosh, those necklaces are SO SWEET! I am keeping my fingers crossed! Thanks!!

  102. oh light, how i love thee so!!!! its all about the light ALL the time for me and my vision. ;o)
    these giveaways are so much fun to watch!
    xo!

  107. lights galore! Actually, I try to take a minimalist approach to Christmas lights – too much energy used up. However, the ones we do put up look so lovely – especially from outside our home!!

  108. Wow, I feel like we’re all piled in the van looking at Christmas lights, whatta show!!
    Glad I clicked.
    Here’s hoping for another ‘click’!

  110. We downsized to a small apartment earlier this year… so no lights for us. Love your site. I could show you tons of our snowstorm in the Portland area though 🙂

  111. What a cool idea-gotta get some christmas light love on the camera this season-saw some cool ones on the way home tonight…

  113. I think it would lovely to win this. But I wish you all Peace on Earth, Good will towards all men, regardless. 🙂

    Laura

  114. Dag nabbit, I’m going to win something.
    I light things up with an afternoon nap in front of my wood fireplace and coincidentally, I’m listening to Cara Luft’s The Light Fantastic, good folksy tunes for long winter days.

  116. I just shot some lights in my house so far, nothing around the neighborhood. I’m hoping we’ll do that tomorrow night after dinner.