Capture perfect portraits using holiday lights this winter

The festive season is upon us, and with it comes the challenge of capturing those magical moments under the warm glow of holiday lights. Whether you’re a seasoned photographer or a hobbyist looking to improve your skills, using holiday lights as your main or supporting light source can yield stunning, creative portraits.

In this video from Adorama, Gavin Hoey shows us a few different ideas for shooting creative portraits with fairy lights.

Embrace the tangle

Christmas lights often come tangled out of the box (how does that even happen?), so detangling them is step one. While you’re at it, prepare your shooting area by dimming or turning off room lights to create a darker ambience. A darker setting makes the lights pop, transforming them into glowing orbs of festive bokeh.

Camera settings tip: Start with a shutter speed of 1/100, an aperture as wide as f/1.4 to let in plenty of light, and an ISO around 400. Adjust these settings based on the brightness of your lights and the overall mood you want.

Create bokeh for a dreamy look

Christmas lights are fantastic for creating dreamy bokeh effects in the background of your portraits. They work well as foreground or background bokeh (or both) and should be placed a few feet away from your subject. Then simply choose a shallow depth of field, and the lights create a beautiful sparkly bokeh around the subject.

The closer the lights are to your lens, the brighter and blurrier they’ll appear. You might also catch some festive lens flare, which is perfect for a holiday vibe. Don’t overthink the arrangement; trial and error will help you find the sweet spot.

Let the lights take centre stage

For your second look, use the lights as the primary source of illumination. Gather the lights into a jar or container and have your subject hold it close to their face. This creates a warm, cozy glow and emphasizes the holiday spirit.

Since Christmas lights aren’t as bright as studio lights, bump your ISO to around 800 for a proper exposure. To enhance the image, use additional Christmas lights as a rim light by placing them behind your subject to add depth and separation from the background.

Add drama with reflections

Introduce reflective surfaces to take it up a notch. Lay down black glossy tiles or even a mirror to capture a shimmering reflection of your subject and the lights. To perfect this setup, position your camera at the same level as the reflective surface. Add a subtle top light, like a ring light, to prevent unnatural shadows and balance the illumination from the jar.

The reflection not only adds dimension but also doubles the visual impact of the glowing lights, creating a striking and unique composition.

Experiment and adapt

Photography with Christmas lights requires flexibility. You can’t control their brightness, so experiment with placement and distance to balance the exposure. Incorporate inexpensive tools like ring lights for supplementary lighting or mix in LED strings for consistent results.

Using Christmas lights as your primary or creative light source is a fun challenge. While they lack the precision of professional gear, they offer an unmatched festive charm. And sometimes, the beauty of photography lies in working with what you have lying around to create something extraordinary.

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