Christmas Portrait Photography Tips

Christmas is coming once again, and streets and shopping malls are already filled with colourful festive lights and decorations. Many people take this opportunity to photograph a female friend or partner as a keepsake. I have some experience shooting Christmas portraits and would like to share it here. This article covers the equipment you need, camera settings, composition, techniques and shooting locations, in the hope that you can take a good set of Christmas photos of your partner, family or friends this Christmas.

Pre-shoot preparation:

Before shooting, first observe the location. I usually head to less crowded spots, because fewer people make shooting easier. A shoot also takes quite a long time, and there are many people visiting the Christmas decorations, so I try not to get in anyone else's way. If crowds cannot be avoided, I switch to an LED light and work quickly. I use an LED because exposure can be adjusted more quickly, so before the actual shoot, set up the camera's exposure and composition, and arrange the shooting position, and only then start shooting, to make sure everything goes smoothly.

Upon arrival, I usually first meter the background light, then attach a softbox (SOFTBOX) to the flash, decide the distance and angle between the flash and the subject, adjust the output power, and then take a test shot to make sure the portrait is correctly exposed. Once the camera and flash are set, each time you change position, as long as the distance between the flash and the subject is about the same as when you metered, the camera and flash settings do not need to be changed significantly.

Points to note while shooting:

While shooting, try to avoid capturing crowds, so use a 70-200mm lens to crop out unnecessary elements. You should also use a 24-70mm lens to capture the whole scene, and finish shooting as quickly as possible. Do not linger in the same spot for long and obstruct other people.
In addition, if the shutter speed is not too slow, only the flash affects the brightness of the subject, while the shutter speed controls the brightness of the background.

Shooting techniques:

If you want a more natural look, prepare a few different props, such as drinks, a handbag, books, flowers, a hat or a phone, so the subject does not wonder where to put their hands. Sometimes the hands can go into pockets, or hold a handbag, drink or phone. The photographer can also suddenly ask the subject to look back at the camera, so that the photo shows some interaction between the subject and the photographer.

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