Taking Pictures of Christmas Lights

A picture of your Christmas lights will make a great image for your yearly Christmas cards. But some photos come out blurry or the lights are hard to distinguish. When you want to take picture of your Christmas light display, whether it is the resplendent scene that you have just assembled outside on your house or inside on your Christmas tree, there are a few tips that you should keep in mind to assure that the scene comes out clear and bright on film.

Turn the Flash Off

You do not need to turn on the flash when you photograph your Christmas display. The light from your Christmas lights are bright enough to carry the picture. If you use flash you may just get a picture full of a bright gleaming light. So simply put your camera on its normal setting without flash.

Take it At Midnight

Wait until late at night to take your photos. You may be tempted to take the shots as sunset or early evening when there is still some light outside, but don't. The darker it is outside, the better your photo will turn out. If you're inside taking pictures of your tree, turn off the lights for a few shots to get a good contrast of the lights against the dark tree.

Distance

When you are taking pictures of the outside of your house, stand across the street from your home to take the shots. This will allow you to get the entire scene. Setting yourself up too close could cause the picture to look blurry.

Also, if possible, set your camera up on a tripod stand. Christmas lights are tricky because even just a little bit of movement can cause the picture to turn out blurry.

Try Other Angles

You would be surprised at how differently a photo can turn out when you simply step ten steps to the left or right. It might be the way the moon shines down on the house from a certain angle, or your security lights that will make the shot just right. Take your time and play with all angles of the house.

Film Speed

If you don't like digital cameras and prefer to use a traditional film camera to capture the image of your Christmas lights, purchase film that is ISO 400 or higher (ISO refers to the film speed). The higher the ISO speed, the better the quality of your shot. Many digital cameras also give you the option to change your film speed.