Holiday Photography · Night Settings
Make the Lights Glow
Five easy steps and the night settings I use to photograph Christmas lights, from the whole tree to the tiniest ornament.
What Are the Best Camera Settings for Christmas Lights?
Start with an aperture of about f/4, a shutter speed around 1/125 and an ISO between 1,000 and 3,000. Then adjust until the lights look as realistic as possible. Here are my five steps.
Aperture: f/4
A low aperture lets more light in. Bump it up if things aren’t in focus.
Shutter: about 1/125
Slower than usual to let in light. Speed it up to freeze falling snow.
ISO: 1,000 to 3,000
Enough to brighten a dark night. Save 3,000 for pitch black.
Step 01
Expose for the Tree, Not the Background
Your goal is to set your settings so the tree looks as realistic as possible.
You shouldn’t set your settings to expose for the background if your main focus is the tree.
Exposing for something means choosing settings that make that part of the photo look right: not too bright and not too dark.
Step 02
Set a Low Aperture (About f/4)
Set your aperture at a lower setting, like f/4, to let more light in. This should be the first setting you change.
But keep in mind that aperture also controls your depth of field. If you’re having trouble getting things in focus, bump your aperture up.
New to aperture? Read What Is Aperture in Photography?.
Step 03
Slow Your Shutter Speed (About 1/125)
Set your shutter speed lower than you usually would, about 1/125, because it’s dark outside and you want to let more light in.
Want to learn more? Read Shutter Speed Explained.
Shooting in the snow?
If it’s snowing and you want to capture the snow falling, bump your shutter speed up, then bump your ISO up to make up for the lost light.
Step 04
Raise Your ISO (1,000 to 3,000)
Set your ISO between 1,000 and 3,000 to make sure you have enough light.
3,000 is high, but when it’s pitch black outside, sometimes you have to do what needs to be done. You shouldn’t need that much ISO regularly, though.
Learn how ISO works in What Is ISO in Photography?.
Step 05
Get Close-Ups of the Branches, Ornaments and Lights
Get close-ups of the branches, ornaments and lights. These are my favorite types of photos to take, because they let you play with angles!
Behind the shot
My Camera Settings
1/20
Shutter speed
f/5.6
Aperture
3,200
ISO
115mm
Focal length
These are the exact settings for the close-up of the glowing lights and ornaments above, taken indoors on a Canon EOS Rebel T3i.
Common questions
Christmas Light Photography Questions
What are the best camera settings for Christmas lights?
Start with an aperture around f/4, a shutter speed around 1/125 and an ISO between 1,000 and 3,000. Then adjust so the lights look as realistic as possible.
Why are my Christmas light photos blurry?
If things aren’t in focus, bump your aperture up to get more depth of field. If the whole photo is blurry, your shutter speed may be too slow to hold the camera steady, so brace your camera on something or use a tripod.
Should I use a high ISO at night?
Yes, often. I use ISO 1,000 to 3,000 for Christmas lights at night. Higher ISO can add grain, so only go as high as you need.
“Don’t settle for inside-the-box pictures. Think outside the box!”
Keep learning
More Holiday Photo Ideas
Getting ready for the holidays? These guides will help.
