Christmas stands out, among other aspects, for the diversity of situations that arise and for the photographic opportunities that it gives us. If we add to this that many enjoy a few days of vacation, it is the perfect time to practice what you like the most, photography. That's why I bring you these photographic exercises to do at Christmas. So you will not have excuses that you did not have ideas or you lacked inspiration. If 11 exercises seem few to you, you will find many more in this guide in which we have collected all the exercises you may need to practice photography .
But today we are going with the promised ones, the exercises that you are going to want to do this Christmas:
- bokeh
- Family photo
- Photographing Christmas decorations
- Photograph shop windows
- food photography
- photograph a party
- Tell a story with your camera
- low key photography
- Immortalize the opening of gifts
- photograph the preparations
- make an album of the year
1.BOKEH
Since we already have the lights prepared, why not take advantage of them to achieve a heart-stopping bokeh? Well those of your Christmas tree, if you have decorative garlands at home, or those of the street. Depending on whether you prefer the warmth of the home or the street atmosphere.
To make a bokeh you only need these lights and a very bright lens or one that is less bright but is a telephoto lens to achieve greater blur. If you dare to make bokeh with shapes , we will explain it to you step by step in this article.
2. FAMILY PORTRAIT
If there is a time of the year when the whole family usually gathers, it is at Christmas. Take the opportunity to take a conscious family portrait , one beyond the typical selfie, or a "look running" and shoot them as you catch them, treacherously, with their eyes closed, or chewing.
Choose a good place, with the right light, with an appropriate background. Take care of the composition and disposition of the people who appear based on the clothes they wear. Plant the tripod and activate the timer, because you, like another member, cannot miss it.
A trick for the family bond and affection to be perceived is that there is physical contact between the subjects of the photograph: a hand on a shoulder, an arm around a waist, a hand on the arm or even eye contact. You can do one with everyone looking at the camera and another in which the eyes are directed at each other. So you can choose the one you like the most and compare the effect of one and the other.
3. PHOTOGRAPH CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS
In addition to the lights, the houses and streets are flooded with other decorative details. It is a good time to capture these small details by practicing photographic composition.
With a macro lens if you have one, creating interesting compositions, or even minimalist ones, or using large apertures to isolate detail with good blur. It all depends on your creativity and the desire you have to practice and experiment.
4. PHOTOGRAPH SHOP WINDOWS
Since we are talking about Christmas decoration, we cannot forget about street photography in general and shop windows in particular.
The shops are the ones that put the most effort into decorating their windows and displays. Which makes them a unique opportunity to practice with the reflections of the glass, the lights and the decoration, and if you combine that in another layer with the street environment, you can achieve the most interesting images. From the inside out or from the outside in are possibilities that you cannot miss.
5. FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY
Admit it, how many times throughout the year do you prepare such elaborate dishes? Unless you are a cook, the normal thing is the rush that catches you from day to day and these dishes to take a cool gastronomic photo leave few options.
This is your opportunity to photograph Christmas treats with these tips or practice food photography with these other ideas .
If you're full of desire and creativity, don't forget to freeze the flour falling at fast speeds, or the chocolate, or while you're at it, the splashes of a sauce or whatever you can think of (and don't mind cleaning up later , clear). Throw your own photo party in the kitchen, if possible find company, for that fun and because they will help you ? .
6. PHOTOGRAPH A PARTY
And, speaking of parties, it is very likely that more or less crowded, or more or less fun, you end up having one, right? Even if it's dancing with your children in the corridor, with some friends in a small committee , with your brothers laughing until the thousand or with your partner throwing flour at you while you take the gastronomic photos. Anything can happen when Christmas magic surrounds homes.
And where there's a party there's a photo opportunity. To play with lights, with movement, with emotions or with stories. If you don't know where to start photographing a party, you can't miss this .
7. TELL A STORY
Photography has a purpose, to move and tell stories. There are many emotions that you can awaken and the stories that you can narrate during these days, from joy to nostalgia, from distances to returns, through the small gestures of everyday life.
To tell a story sometimes you don't even need the human element; a footprint, a clue of what happened is enough, for example, an open package under the tree, a cat playing with a Christmas decoration, a flower next to a photograph, etc. Look around you and put your little head to think, surely you have a lot of stories to share.
The same thing happens with emotions, it is not necessary to show a face or a smile to show joy or a tear to spread sadness, there are other more subtle ways, playing with details, with colors, with high or low key, etc. Experiment!
8. LOW KEY PHOTOGRAPHY
I have just mentioned the low key because it is a very interesting technique when it comes to arousing emotions and Christmas is a great time to practice it. Dark environments illuminated punctually with Christmas lights or candles, are a great setting to practice this type of photography. Do not waste it. Objects, pets or portraits of people, the reason does not matter, but the how.
9. IMMORTALIZE THE OPENING OF GIFTS
There is a moment at Christmas full of emotions and it is the delivery or opening of gifts. And it is that receiving a gift is a joy, but sometimes the fact of giving the gift is more so. Especially when a lot of pampering has been put into it.
And let's not talk about the children's faces when they see the packages when they get up. I still remember the curse word (she rarely says one) that she let slip from my daughter last Christmas when she saw the presents under her grandmother's tree. She came out of her soul, what a face she put on. That's priceless, right?
Well, don't miss those moments. They are one of the best Christmas photos . Have the camera with the settings prepared in advance. Everything ready so you don't miss anything.
10. PHOTOGRAPH THE PREPARATIONS
The preparations for dinners, meals, putting up the tree or decorations are another opportunity in which you can put many of the previous exercises into practice. Bokeh, details, gastronomy, portraits, stories, emotions, etc... They are more relaxed moments in which you can recreate yourself more.
So don't keep your camera on these dates because any time is good. Always well charged battery and enough memory. From there, to put a lot of desire!
11. MAKE AN ALBUM OF THE YEAR
What better than closing the year by doing a photographic summary? It can be in the form of an album, printing the best moments in the form of photos, magnets for the fridge, or any other way you like. We trust Cewefor any kind of reveal, I already know you're going to ask that question sooner or later ? .
The important thing is to do the selection exercise. It is not easy to choose between so many photographs that we accumulate and it is a skill that every photographer has to acquire.
And here is today's article. If it has been useful to you, do not forget to share it on your social networks or send it to your photographer friends. Maybe you'll be encouraged by sending you the results ? You can also tag us on Instagramif you feel like it ? .
By the way... if you have not yet written the letter to Santa Claus, or to the Three Wise Men, because you are not sure, I will leave you with these photographic gift ideas that you will surely like.
Happy Holidays! Happy photography!
