9 Tips to Take Memorable Christmas Photographs

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It is that time of the year again when families get together to celebrate. Christmas is a celebration with festivities that bring people together. It gives you an opportunity to enjoy special moments with your loved ones. You need to capture these special moments for posterity through photographs.

Christmas photographs will help you capture your Christmas celebration through images. Looking back at these images years later should bring a smile to your face. We have some tips that will help you take the best and most memorable photographs for this Christmas.

Tips for great Christmas photography

1. Focus on the children

For the best Christmas photographs, take many photographs of children. Whenever there are festivities, it is children who enjoy them the most. There is a genuine smile on their face with the smile coming from their eyes. There is sheer joy with emotions being transparently expressed. Capturing these in a photo will help you get the best photographs.

Focus on their eyes because that’s how you will make the photo effective. Get close-up shots for the best effect. If the children a bit wriggly, then avoid motion blur by ensuring shutter speed does not go lesser than 1/125. Try to capture the decor in the background with the children.

2. Don’t forget the family portrait

Christmas photographs will not be complete without the family portrait. Get the family together and capture them in a memorable image. The best way to do this is to assemble them around the Christmas tree. Ensure maximum décor elements and gifts are seen in the photo. This makes it more authentic. Ensure everyone is in the right mood when the photo is taken.

Take both posed photos and candid photos. While the posed photo makes for a good portrait picture, the candid photos are more fun. Capture your family members when they are laughing and having fun. Such photos would be more memorable. Use a tripod and timer for the portrait picture, so you also are a part of it.

3. Photograph family traditions

Every family has its own Christmas traditions. These traditions may have been followed for many years or may have evolved over a few years. You need to capture these traditions for posterity. This will ensure future generations continue the tradition. Discuss the traditions that are special for your family. This will help you plan your photography.

You can capture your private Christmas celebrations by photographing these traditions. It could be something as simple as decorating the home with lights or baking a cake. Take many such photos to create awesome memories.

4. Take self-portraits

Don’t miss out on taking a few self-portraits. You can do it using a timer or can ask another family member good with photography to do it. Dress up like Santa or in such a way as to showcase the Christmas spirit. Use different backgrounds and settings for the photos. Get as many photos as possible, so you can edit them later and choose the best ones.

5. Try to use natural light

The best photos are those that use natural light. Try to avoid flash. During Christmas, the house would be lit up by the Christmas lights. If you have a fireplace, that would also provide natural light. Use these lights for your photos, so they look natural. It will help you get photos that are warm and capture the mood perfectly. Flash lighting can make the photos look artificial.

6. Focus on details

There are many little things that make Christmas celebrations special. Try to capture these tiny details in your photos. It can be photos of children opening their gifts with joy brimming in their faces. It could also be pictures of the cake baking in the oven or plates full of food. Take close-up shots to capture the details. They would make for memorable photos.

7. Capture the atmosphere indoors and outdoors

Your photos should be able to capture the Christmas atmosphere and ambiance. You need to do this indoors and outdoors. Take photos of different rooms in the house. Also, take photos at different times. Take photos of individuals and group photos. All these photos will help you capture the atmosphere indoors.

Go out and get photos of the neighborhood. Take photos from outside. Get photos of the snow and decorations done by your neighbors. Visit the stores and malls. Take photos that capture the decor and lighting. These photos will help you get a complete picture of the Christmas celebrations.

8. Setup a photo booth

A great idea would be to set up a photo booth in your house. This is simple and does not cost much. All your need to do is create the right background using lights and decoration. You will find many photo booth apps. Use the apps to edit the photographs to create different effects. Take separate photos of all your family members in the photo booth. They will make for great photos that people will cherish.

8. Be prepared

You need to be prepared to capture special moments as they occur. As the celebrations are on, be ready with your camera. This will ensure you don’t miss out on getting candid shots that are special. Taking photos of events as they occur is the best way to capture the spirit of Christmas. The photos you take would be special and would stand out in your photo collection.

Apart from being active, ensure your camera is ready. Before the big day, check if your camera is working well. Ensure you have spare batteries and a battery charger on hand. Check if you have a spare memory card. Take test photos, so you adjust the settings in advance. Being prepared will help you get the best results.

9. Create an album

Once the celebrations are over, edit the photos. Then, create an album. You need not have to print it. Create a digital album and share it with family members. You can make a collage of different photos and share it on social media.