Christmas season is upon us, and we all know that this is the time for striking poses with family and friends! This season is for making great memories, and there is no better way to remember dear moments clearly than by capturing great photographs that can last a lifetime. With everyone you love and great decor at your disposal, you will surely find that taking pictures during Christmas is fun and energizing.
Before we get into some great ideas to amp up your Christmas photos, here are some tried and tested tips that can make your photos pop in the sea of greetings online and offline:
- Take advantage of the lighting around you. Christmas is all about those bright ambient lights, so avoid using your flash. If you take the photo right, the lights will lend some wonderful illumination and appropriate shadows in your pictures. With all the lights around you, it may also be smarter to lower your ISO.
- If you are in a place where a flash is absolutely necessary, bring a flash diffuser to avoid overexposing your subjects. An external flash will also be better for the job because it will give you more flexibility in terms of where you want your light to hit. Try directing the light towards ceilings or walls to reduce its impact n the photo.
- Pack smart. Make sure that your batteries are fully charged, and bring extras for good measure. Have empty memory cards available to you to make sure that you can take as many beautiful shots as possible. A portable tripod will also be useful, especially if you want to be in some of the shots.
- Bring a macro lens to take better photos of decors, small details, or portraiture.
Now that you have these tips to remember, here are some creative ideas to try for your Christmas photography:
1. Go for bokeh.
Christmas lights and decor are great, but we all know that they can be a bit cliche during the holidays. However, these details can be your money shots when you know how to play around with your settings and imagination. Using the bokeh technique can make your photos look better and compelling. Bokeh refers to the colorful orbs created out of the background or foreground lighting and a wide aperture. The latter results in a shallow depth of field and blurring in the background. By using this technique, you will be able to let your subjects shine in photographs, whether they are people or minute details as the party venue.
Related Article: 6 Easy Tips to Create Bokeh in Photography
2. Highlight relationships.
The Christmas season highlights the importance of family and friends and is also a season of merrymaking among our circles. During this season, you will have a chance to photograph people who are enjoying themselves and their company. Take pictures of brothers and sisters, best friends, or husbands and wives. They will happily oblige and smile before your camera, and you will undoubtedly capture their genuine expressions. This is what makes holiday pictures treasurable--emotional moments that will be cherished for years to come.
3. Take pictures of well-decorated homes.
People in your neighborhood surely took their time to decorate their homes for the holidays. It may be worthwhile to stroll around your street to take pictures of their homes. While walking around, you may even chance upon carolers who are singing their hearts out. Whip out your camera and take advantage of these moments. Christmas really offers great opportunities to practice your photography skills.
4. Document gift opening.
In addition to merrymaking, this season is also a time of gift-giving and receiving. Get your cameras ready to capture the joyful reactions of your loved ones as they open their gifts. Do not fret too much about their smiles. You will surely be able to take pictures of their authentic smiles, and maybe even tears of joy. If you have the chance, focus on the children. There may be nothing more precious than a child’s elation from a new toy.
5. Jump into food photography.
Before your family and friends gather around the spread of delectable food, make sure to set some time to capture the food at their best. If possible, you may even be lucky to add human elements to your food photography by taking pictures of the cooking process. Do not forget that the key to this niche is composition and great lighting.
6. Experiment with long exposure.
Christmas lights and great ambient lighting are great for long exposure photography. Bring your MIOPS RemotePlus Camera Trigger or MIOPS Mobile Dongle Kit to instantly turn your smartphone into a cable release for your DSLR camera. With it, you can control your camera’s shutter through a button on your smartphone. Use this to take long exposure shots of your Christmas trees with ease.
7. Tell a story.
Christmas definitely lends some great stories. Approach the event as if you are a photojournalist who was tasked to tell stories through photographs. Be ready to capture your nieces’ laughter, a cousin’s wacky expressions, or your kid playing with his toys. Christmas is an eventful day. Show people how your food was prepared, how your family welcomed guests, and how they reacted to jokes, stories, or surprise gifts. At the end of the day, your goal is to document the day. Find expressions of love, happiness, and laughter around you. We are sure that there are hundreds of opportunities to capture these moments.
Christmas is a special day that happens only once a year, so keep these ideas in mind before you head for your family’s annual reunion. Among these tips, we would like to emphasize the importance of telling memorable stories through your photographs. Giving your loved ones a means to remember a wonderful holiday season is probably the greatest gift you could give them. Also, remember that the holidays are for merrymaking and enjoyment. While it is important to be creative in taking pictures, it is more important that you enjoy the holidays. Smile behind the camera and enjoy the beautiful Christmas moments around you.
