Photographing Holiday Decorations

As the fall foliage gives way to holiday decorations, it’s time to plan your trips to photograph the holiday decorations and light displays! Here are some tips and techniques for creating memorable images:

• First, use a sturdy tripod and a remote release or the timer on your camera to keep the images sharp.
• Use a zoom lens so that you can try “zooming” in and out to create light trails of the holiday lights.

United States Capitol and the Capitol Christmas Tree

• Use a small aperture (large number) to create starbursts in your points of light.

Café Milano, Georgetown

• Use a larger aperture (smaller number) and place your lens close to a light grouping and shoot through it, focusing on an image in the distance.

Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, PA

• “Defocus” your lens (set it in manual focus to do this) and create an abstract image.

• Create silhouettes of people enjoying the light displays.

Festival of Lights at Mormon Temple, Kensington, MD

• Use a Crystal Ball to create some cool effects with light displays.

Winterwalk at Meadowlark Gardens, Vienna, VA

• Take your camera off the tripod and try Intentional Camera Movement (ICM) to create an abstract image.

Winterwalk at Meadowlark Gardens, Vienna, VA

• Photograph details – Ornaments and beautifully wrapped packages.

Hillwood Museum and Gardens, Washington, DC

• Photograph interior scenes, too!

St. John’s Church (Church of the Presidents), Washington, DC

There are many venues in and around the DC area that have beautiful holiday displays. WPS is also offering a series of Holiday Safaris where you can practice these techniques:

• Photographing Holiday Illuminations at Mount Vernon
• Festival of Lights at the Mormon Temple
• Winter Solstice at the National Cathedral
• John’s Church at Holiday Time

Photos by Sherryl Belinsky