Moto Photo
Photo taken Jan. 3, 2015, in the early morning hours after the valley's first snowfall. By Donna Moto Hjelm.
During the month of December, Inland 360 will feature photos of people's holiday light displays. Photographing lights can be tricky, especially at the darkest time of the year. Here's five tips to help you get the best shot possible. You can submit your photos to inland360.com and we'll showcase them online and chose some of the best to feature each week in our print edition.
Tips for Taking Amazing Holiday Lights Photos
- Photograph while there is still some daylight but not too sunny. Late afternoon light in the hour before darkness falls will give your photo depth and detail. Night photos tend to be a blur of color on black.
- Avoid camera shake that causes streaks and blurs in low-light conditions. Use a tripod or lean against something solid to stabilize the camera.
- Take a lot of pictures at different times from different angles.
- Fill the frame with everything worth capturing and cut out unrelated details - like the neighbor’s yard or vehicles. However, it can add to your photo to include some sky.
- If possible, consider turning off the flash unless you have a reason to use it.
