
The days seem to be flying by faster and faster! My boys’ advent calendar “bags” are disappearing rapidly. As Christmas approaches, I’m thinking about what memories I still want to capture. I thought you all might also benefit from my research into holiday photo tips and tutorials.
So here we go, a roundup of holiday-centered photography tips and tutorials, from Christmas tree bokeh to family portraits, and ideas for capturing all your holiday cheer in between.
Custom Bokeh Shapes
A fun one to start with! This simple DIY custom bokeh tutorial doesn’t require any special equipment and is limited only by the number of punches you have or shapes you can cut out.
Smartphone Photo Tips
If your primary camera is now your smartphone, like mine, this article is for you. Great principles to remember when using your smartphone to photograph the holidays.
New York Institute of Photography – Holiday Lights
This is a fabulous, very in-depth article from a preeminent photography institute all about how to photograph all those gorgeous light displays, including trees, kids in front of the tree, candles, outdoor lights, and more. Lots of detailed technical information on what camera settings to use and why.
Ten Tips for Terrific Holiday Portraits
Excellent suggestions for capturing the traditional (or not-so-traditional!) family portraits.
Effective Christmas Photography
A selection of tips to take your holiday photography to the next level, from outdoor photo tips to suggestions for capturing the holiday preparations and other oft-overlooked moments.









Thank you so much for all these tips. Great reading and very informative. TFS