On Saturday we went to go see the lights at Saluda Shoals Park! It was freezing BUT I think that added to the experience. It felt really cozy especially after grabbing a hot chocolate & cider. I wish they provided mulled wine, but then again I'm a gluhwein {German mulled wine} junkie. We were starving after we had gotten there, there weren't too many options for food. I think they would of made a killing if they served stew or chili that night.
Since we were starving we decided smores was the way to go! They had a really neat huge fire pit to roast your marshmallows. It was really cute!
It was fun as a photographer to experience something like this. It was near dark everywhere! Obviously... because you want to be able to see the gorgeous lights! It was fun finding the light to take photos in. Noise {the specks in photos caused by conditions being really dark} in photos has a tendency to make me freak out. Which is utterly ridiculous, because noise is so natural to photography, while you should try to reduce it as much as you can you should also just let it happen so you can bring out details when it is dark outside.
It was fun as a photographer to experience something like this. It was near dark everywhere! Obviously... because you want to be able to see the gorgeous lights! It was fun finding the light to take photos in. Noise {the specks in photos caused by conditions being really dark} in photos has a tendency to make me freak out. Which is utterly ridiculous, because noise is so natural to photography, while you should try to reduce it as much as you can you should also just let it happen so you can bring out details when it is dark outside.
For the bottom pictures I really couldn't decide which I like better, it being in color or not so I added both! For this shot, trying to find light, I put her next to a Christmas decoration haha! I love how it turned out, so moody and gorgeous!
Seeing Santa at Saluda was amazing, he was amazing! It is always so cute to see all the kiddies nervous to meet the jolly man himself. They said no personal photos, which as a mom sucks, but as a photographer I completely understand. We did end up buying a sheet of Roo looking adorable next to Santa!
We decided to go on their train through the lights. Which was a great idea...it was just so cold. SO cold. It was fun though. The kids really seemed to enjoy seeing the lights from the train rather from the car window where you kind of have restricted amount of ways to look at the lights.
Overall, it was a fun experience! I definitely miss going to Busch Gardens for their Christmas stuff when we lived up in Virginia, I think that whole experience spoiled me. I miss the shows. The ballet. The hot cocoa. Leftover Thanksgiving sandwiches. Also seeing Santa there. Saluda was definitely something fun to do that was close to home though!
