Christmas, with its twinkling lights, vibrant decorations, and joyful gatherings, presents a perfect canvas for photographers, both seasoned and new.

Whether you've got a camera on your Christmas list or you're looking for some fresh inspiration to capture the magic of the season, you've come to the right place. 

We've pulled together our top Christmas photo tips and ideas so you can get into the festive spirit. From capturing your Christmas dinner in all its delicious glory to creating the perfect Christmas card photo, we'll cover it all with expert advice from Product Specialist Lizzie James at Jessops.

Contents

Christmas photography tips

How to photograph Christmas lights

How to take Christmas images in low light

How to photograph your Christmas dinner

How to capture family photos

To capture a stunning Christmas bauble photograph with a beautifully blurred background, follow these steps:

1. Set the aperture – Adjust your camera's aperture to f/2.8 or lower (if your lens allows).

2. Select your mode – For a simpler setup, use Aperture Priority (Av) mode. This allows you to control the aperture while the camera automatically selects the shutter speed for balanced exposure.

If you'd rather have full control, choose Manual mode instead. In Manual, you'll set both the aperture and shutter speed, giving you complete creative control over exposure and depth of field.

3. Position your subjects – Keep the Christmas tree in the background, but hold your bauble in front of it and keep it as close to the lens as you can get it (while still being able to focus). 

4. Adjust the distance – Gradually increase the distance between the bauble and the tree. With the camera focused on the bauble, you'll notice the tree in the background becomes softer and more blurred.

5. Experiment with angles – Try different distances and angles to see how the level of background blur changes. The further the bauble is from the tree, the stronger the blur effect.

6. Capture your shot – Once you're happy with the composition and background blur, press the shutter to capture the photo!

This works well with still-life photography like baubles and Christmas trees, but it works even better with people. Get lots of blur in the background, and your subject will really pop out of the shot! To learn more, read our guide on how to capture perfect portrait photography.

“Don't worry if you don't have a super fast lens; you can still achieve a bokeh effect,” says Lizzie. “By creating more space between your subject and the background, even lenses with smaller apertures, such as f/8, are capable of capturing images with noticeable bokeh.”

"However, if you are aiming for that ultra-soft, creamy background blur, a faster lens might be just what you need. The Sony FE 50mm f/1.8 Lens is an excellent choice for achieving this effect – and it's great value for the price."

To create this effect: 

1. Put your camera on a tripod – Find a stable surface to place your camera, but for the best results, use a tripod. This ensures your camera stays completely still during the long exposure, helping to keep everything in your shot sharp and in focus. 

2. Adjust your ISO – Adjust your ISO to its lowest setting. This minimises any potential grain in your image, ensuring a clean and crisp final product. Read our beginner's guide to ISO to find out more.

3. Choose your composition and focus – Pick a spot where you want to capture the light trails. Look for a location with a good balance of static and moving illumination, like a road decorated with festive lights.

4. Set your exposure time (shutter speed) – A longer shutter speed (exposure time) is used to capture the movement of light across the frame, creating the trail effect. The exact shutter speed you choose will depend on the speed of the moving lights and the effect you want to achieve. Slower moving objects may require a longer shutter speed to create a noticeable trail. A good starting point could be an exposure time of around 10-30 seconds, but feel free to adjust as needed.

5. Take your shot – Once everything is set up and you’re ready, capture the shot. If you’re using a tripod, consider using a remote control shutter release or your camera’s timer function to take the image without touching the camera. This prevents any potential camera shake, ensuring a sharper photo.

If you’re looking to add a creative touch, try editing your image afterwards. For example, you could convert the image to black and white but keep one primary colour as an accent, creating a striking contrast and drawing attention to specific parts of your image.

Read our round-up of the best photo editing software for beginners to improve your skills.

Whether you’re shooting at a Christmas market or your own tree at home, photographing lights takes a bit of technique to properly capture their magic and prevent overexposure.

Choose a lower ISO

Lizzie explains: "When photographing Christmas lights, especially in dark surroundings, your camera's settings are vital. A lower ISO is best as it ensures the sensor is less sensitive to light, helping to avoid noise and maintain the clarity of the image. This is especially important in low-light conditions where higher ISO settings can result in grainy photos."

"However, using a low ISO also means that less light is captured, which could potentially make the image too dark. To counteract this, you could open up your aperture or use a slower shutter speed, both of which allow more light to reach the sensor."

It's all about finding the right balance to capture the twinkling lights in all their glory!

To learn more about these camera settings, read our beginner's guide to digital cameras.

Use a tripod

"A tripod is your best friend when photographing Christmas lights," says Lizzie. "It allows you to use slower shutter speeds and lower ISOs without the risk of camera shake, ensuring sharp and clear images. This stability also opens up possibilities for creative long exposure shots, capturing the lights' movement."

Check your composition

"Pay close attention to your composition," says Lizzie. "The placement of the lights within your frame can transform a good photo into a great one. Experiment with different angles and perspectives to find the most compelling composition."

"When I capture Christmas lights, I prefer to go for a wide-angle shot to include as much of the festive display as possible within the frame. A wide-angle lens is great for this."

You might try your best to capture moments during the daylight hours, but in the winter, most of the fun starts after dark. The shorter days and darker nights around Christmas time can make capturing the festive atmosphere a bit tricky, but with the right techniques, you can still create stunning images. 

Here are some tips to help you navigate photography in these low-light conditions:

Optimise your camera settings

• Lower your ISO – Start with a lower ISO to reduce noise. Just remember that lowering your ISO means less sensitivity to light, so you’ll need to compensate with a slower shutter speed or a wider aperture.

• Use a wide aperture – A wide aperture (a smaller f-number like f/1.8 or f/2.8) allows more light to hit the sensor, which is particularly useful in low-light conditions.

• Slow down the shutter speed – Slowing down the shutter speed allows the camera to gather more light. 

Search for light sources

“Utilise existing light sources such as street lamps, window displays, or even the Christmas lights themselves to enhance your image and bring out the details in low light conditions,” says Lizzie.

Avoid flash

Lizzie says: "In low-light photography, steering clear of the automatic flash is crucial, as it tends to overpower the scene, resulting in a flat and overexposed image."

"Flash can also create harsh shadows and highlights, which may not be flattering for subjects in the photo."

Use lighting equipment

"It's not as costly as you might think to invest in proper lighting," explains Lizzie. "Solutions like the Kenro Smart Lite Compact LED Light can be picked up for just over £150 (correct as of November 2024) and will illuminate your shots – especially posed portraits – fantastically. Simply mount it on a compatible stand or tripod for easy, on-the-go shooting."

"LED lights like this one are especially useful for photography, as they provide consistent, flicker-free lighting and let you adjust brightness and colour temperature to fit your scene."

Make your food look it’s best first

Lizzie says: "Making sure you've got something good to work with is the first step. If the food doesn't look appetising, you're already setting yourself up for a difficult shot — no amount of editing can truly fix a poorly presented dish."

"Avoid overcooking, especially with meats, as they can turn dull and lose their vibrant colour in photos, looking dry instead of juicy."

"For that extra mouth-watering effect, try brushing a light layer of oil on roast meats to give them a rich, glossy finish. A bit of gloss can go a long way in making food look appealing, and it adds that 'just out of the oven' appeal that draws people in."

Starting with beautiful, thoughtfully prepared food is essential if you want your photos to really stand out.

Experiment with textures and layers

"Adding different textures and props can really bring your food photos to life," says Lizzie. "For example, a rustic wooden board is perfect as a backdrop for bread and cheeses, while shiny accents like silver cutlery or glassware add contrast and catch the eye."

She continues: "Think about layering textures and complementary colours with tablecloths, placemats, or even the plates you're using. Instead of photographing just a plain white plate with your dinner on it, these elements add depth and make the image feel well put together."

"You could also sprinkle fresh herbs around the plate or add a sprig of holly on the table for a festive touch in the background. These small touches bring in texture and make the shot more visually interesting."

Consider the lighting

Lighting can make or break your food photos, so it's essential to get it right. 

Lizzie says: "For the best results, place your Christmas dinner near a window to take advantage of natural light, which gives dishes a warm, inviting glow."

"If it's dark outside, an LED light can be a fantastic tool. Position it at an angle slightly above or to the side of the food to create soft, even illumination without harsh shadows."

Play with positioning

"Simply shooting your Christmas dinner plate in front of you on the table from above before you tuck in can look a bit flat," says Lizzie.

"Instead, try having someone hold it or capture a moment where a serving spoon is just about to scoop onto a plate. These small, subtle touches make the photos feel interactive, almost like they're inviting the viewer to sit down and join in."

Think outside the box

Coming up with Christmas photo ideas is always a challenge. Anyone can position the kids in front of a Christmas tree and get them to smile, but the shot is so much more captivating when they're doing something. Blowing snowflakes at the camera, dressing up as Santa or just jumping up and down all make for more interesting photos. It's all about making it a bit different. 

Why not capture the kid's silhouettes in front of the Christmas tree or focus on their reflection in a silver bauble? If you're feeling ambitious, have them read a book with a light hidden between the pages so the glow illuminates their faces.

Mix it up with posed and candid moments

Lizzie advises: "For your family photography this Christmas, aim for a good mix of posed portraits and "documentary style" natural shots."

"For your posed portraits, avoid standing in rigid straight groups - after all, you wouldn't do that in real life, so it can look a little odd in a photograph. Try to mix up people's heights in group shots so it looks a little more dynamic and ask people to stand a little closer together than might seem normal to emphasise a feeling of family unity."

"Candid photos on Christmas Day are always a good idea. Try capturing people pulling crackers, family members laughing, or everyone enjoying Christmas dinner together. Keep it simple – less is often more, and a simple background helps the moment shine."

"Most importantly, have fun with it – ask for funny faces or tell a cheesy joke to help your subjects relax first."

Create your own Christmas card photos

Creating a Christmas card to share with loved ones is a wonderful way to capture the festive spirit and spread cheer. A personalised card lets you send a warm, festive message that family and friends will cherish.

When it comes to Christmas card photo ideas, think of a setup that feels meaningful to you and your family. Matching jumpers, a cosy scene by the fireplace, or candid shots of the kids playing by the Christmas tree all make for heartwarming options.

You have several options for printing. If you don't have a printer, many online printing services offer customisable templates that let you add a personal touch to each card.

Alternatively, you can design your card from scratch using photo-editing software like Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, or Canva.

Once your design is ready, print it at home on high-quality printer paper for a professional finish.

Read our printer buying guide to learn more about your printing options.

"Anyone can stand in a certain spot and press the shutter, but really good photos have something unique about them," says Lizzie. "And with time on your hands over Christmas, you have no excuse not to experiment!"

At Jessops, we have a wide range of cameras, lenses, lighting, tripods and supports, as well as accessories to help you capture your Christmas moments.

If you need more advice and inspiration, check out our blog. Or, if you have any questions or you're unsure about which product is right for you, contact us today.