Christmas is an absolutely fantastic time of year for photographers – not only because it is great to create a physical memory for

Christmas Lights at Dusk

all these wonderful times, but also because there is no better time to practice some of your more complex photographic skills. The festive season is often considered to be more complicated for photographers because of the bright lights in a dark setting. You don’t want glare, but at the same time you don’t want to use your flash and ruin the atmosphere. So what do you do?

Here are my three top tips on how to photograph Christmas lights and holiday decorations this Christmas 2014:

1. Get your light right.
Outdoor Christmas lights are actually best in the twilight, when your camera will be able to pick up the last rays of sunlight but also take in the lights from the Christmas decorations. This will give a moody photograph that you will still be able to understand what it is of!

2. Take your tripod.
This applies to photographs that you are going to take both inside and outside. The number one reason why seasonal photographs do not work out is because there is simply too much camera shake, confusing the camera and giving a very blurred image. A tripod will prevent that.

3. Learn about tungsten.
You may never have heard of it before, but now it is time to wise up. Tungsten is a camera setting that almost every single camera has, and it is designed to take photographs of electrical lights. This means that it is the best setting to handle Christmas lights and decorations, and looks stunning.

There you have it! These three tips should ensure that your Christmas photographs come out clear and sharp, but still with that wonderful Christmassy feeling.