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How to Take Photos of the Holidays that You Will Treasure Series
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How to Take Photos of the Holidays that You Will Treasure Series

Who doesn’t love to capture the joy of the holidays, with the traditions, excitement and fantastic Christmas lights? Over the past few years I have put together a variety of Christmas photography tips and wanted to put them all in one place for you.

Please remember, this time of year is not capturing the perfect moment and making everyone miserable while doing it. Instead, it is about freezing these fleeting moments and putting down the camera to enjoy them not through a view finder.

Christmas photography tips

16 Tips to Photograph Christmas Morning This is by far my most popular Christmas photography tip post. Use these simple tips to capture the excitement of Christmas morning and not miss a single smile.

5 Steps on How to Photography Christmas Lights – Capturing the lights on your tree and house is a great way to remember that year and how you decorated.

Tips to Make Your Christmas Photos More Than Snapshots – It is easy to grab the camera and snap a couple of pictures to remember the moment. However, take some time to click those photos up a notch by photographing them in a new way.

How to Create Beams of Christmas Lights – Not your traditional Christmas photos, but these are a fun way to play with your photography and learn a new skill.

Christmas Tree Light Bokeh – Another fun one for capturing your Christmas tree. I love the bokeh it creates. This is a fun one to do with shaped bokeh as well.

Christmas Tree Light Photo with Your Children – This one is different and may be my favorite type of photo to capture. Use the lights from the tree to illuminate the sweet faces of your littles ones.

The Secret to Capture Christmas Tree Light Bokeh Background – I got a lot of questions on how to photograph your children and still get the lovely bokeh from the Christmas tree in the background. I share the secrets in this post.

christmas-photography-series
Learn how to photograph your holidays. Tips to photograph Christmas light and Christmas morning. Great photography tips!
17 Comments
  • November 14, 2013 at 3:50 PM

    Perfect timing thank you so much. This is my first Christmas in Manual mode and I am so excited to see what I can create. Inspired immensely by all this. Thank you enormously. Now for some clickety clicking.

    • November 19, 2013 at 11:02 AM

      How exciting! i’m sure you will capture some amazing images to cherish for years to come!

  • Julie Anne Moore
    November 20, 2013 at 9:16 AM

    I love these tips!

    I was wondering what you would suggest for photographing friends and family that come to visit during the holidays?

    Traditionally, we just garbed a snap shot in front of the tree or sitting on the couch; however, I would like to get better pictures this year.

    • November 21, 2013 at 2:54 PM

      That is tough. If you are wanting to capture them in a mini photo shoot that is a whole other ball game :)

  • Joy
    May 28, 2014 at 7:53 AM

    I have a Nikon d7000 and I was wondering what the settings are for a picture that is black and white with the camera focusing on one colour. For ex. If u wanted to pick up blue and leave everything else in B & W. I hope you can help me. Love my camera and your tips are great.

    Thanks joy

    • May 30, 2014 at 8:55 AM

      Hey Joy! I think you are talking about selective coloring. I don’t do that but I believe it’s done in post processing.

      • Mark A
        December 3, 2014 at 10:54 AM

        Joy,

        I’ve do this in post, by using a layer mask of the same image in full colour. I then paint in the coloured object (s) I want. Fun, easy and very dramatic! Play and have fun.

  • Mark A
    December 3, 2014 at 10:53 AM

    Joy,

    I’ve do this in post, by using a layer mask of the same image in full colour. I then paint in the coloured object (s) I want. Fun, easy and very dramatic! Play and have fun.

  • December 4, 2014 at 10:25 AM

    Perfect post!! Just love clicking Christmas Light Bokeh. Thank you for the awesome tips. Really helpful…

  • December 6, 2014 at 2:19 AM

    hi courtney, great posts/advice! thank you so much for sharing your valuable info and tips with us. they are very helpful and very much appreciated. you are awesome!

    loving your stunning photography!
    happy weekend!
    betty xo

  • Cindy
    December 21, 2014 at 2:19 PM

    What dlsr camera would you suggest for my first camera?

    • January 3, 2015 at 1:04 PM

      It really depends on your budget and what you like. I would suggest going to the camera store and playing around with different cameras to see which you like the feel of :)

  • Tina Batori
    November 28, 2017 at 2:00 PM

    I only use the camera on my Android phone. Will I be able to do any of these techniques? Looking forward to it all.

  • Stacey Thomas
    December 8, 2017 at 9:27 PM

    Hi Courtney, I am an amateur very new to Photography . I know nothing about aperature, settings,iso’s or anything. I have a new Canon Rebel T6 EOS and all my Christmas pictures are very dark. I’m shooting on manual mode and program. I have no idea what settings go where and I haven’t found any help on line. I just want clean,sharp,bright pics.
    Please Help.

  • Barb
    November 25, 2018 at 4:54 PM

    I signed up for a few of your webinars, but my internet is not working well and won’t let it play. Is there a way to download it after it is over so I can watch it?

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