The holiday season in Fairview, Texas, is a magical time when streets and homes glow with thousands of twinkling lights. From local neighbourhoods to downtown areas, every corner is filled with festive cheer, making this town a joy to explore. For photography lovers, capturing holiday lights is both a creative challenge and a rewarding experience. The colours, reflections, and shapes of the decorations can transform even an ordinary street into a scene worthy of a postcard. With the right tips and preparation, you can turn your camera into a tool for holiday magic.

Basic Camera Settings for Holiday Lights

1. Use Manual Mode

Manual mode gives you full control over your camera settings, allowing you to adjust shutter speed, aperture, and ISO exactly as needed. For holiday lights, this control is essential because the lighting can vary dramatically from one scene to the next. If you are not comfortable with manual mode, aperture or shutter priority modes are good alternatives. Avoid creative modes such as landscape or night presets, as they often limit your ability to capture the true beauty of the lights. Experiment with settings and check your results on the LCD screen to find what works best for each scene.

2. Use a Tripod

Holiday lights photography often requires slow shutter speeds to capture glowing bulbs without introducing blur. A tripod is your best friend in these situations because it keeps your camera steady. Even a small bump or hand movement can ruin a shot. If you do not have a tripod, you can use a sturdy surface, such as a bench, wall, or railing. Planning to bring a tripod can make a massive difference in the sharpness and quality of your night images.

3. Set the Right Aperture

Aperture settings control how much of your scene is in focus. For large displays or cityscapes, an aperture of f-8 to f-11 ensures both foreground and background elements are sharp. For close-up shots or single decorations, opening the aperture to f/4 blurs the background and draws attention to your main subject. Adjust your aperture to emphasise detail or create a softer, more artistic effect. Practising with different apertures helps you understand how to balance light and focus for every shot.

4. Adjust Shutter Speed

Shutter speed affects how light is captured. LED lights can flicker faster than the human eye can see, so starting with 1/125 of a second is a safe bet. Review your photos to ensure all lights appear as intended, then tweak as necessary. Longer exposures can create motion blur or light trails from passing cars, which can be used creatively. Paying attention to shutter speed lets you capture both static decorations and dynamic scenes effectively.

5. Set ISO Carefully

ISO determines your camera’s sensitivity to light. Keeping ISO at 400 reduces digital noise and preserves image clarity. Only raise ISO if necessary for proper exposure, as higher values can produce grainy or soft images. Experimenting with ISO helps you find the balance between brightness and image quality, especially in low-light photography. Understanding how ISO interacts with shutter speed and aperture ensures your photos remain vibrant and sharp.

6. Use a Remote Shutter or Self Timer

Even the slightest camera movement can blur your holiday photos. Using a remote shutter or your camera’s self-timer prevents this problem. It’s a simple step that greatly improves the sharpness of long-exposure shots. Combine this with a tripod, and you have the perfect setup for steady, professional-looking images.

7. Turn Off Your Flash

Using a flash often overwhelms the holiday lights, washing out colours and reducing their natural glow. Rely on ambient light from the decorations instead. A flash may also create unwanted shadows or reflections on nearby surfaces. By turning it off, you let the lights themselves become the star of your photo.

8. Shoot in Raw

Photographing in raw format gives you access to all the image data your camera captures. This is essential for night photography because it allows you to adjust exposure, highlights, shadows, and white balance after the fact. JPEG files compress this data, limiting your ability to fine-tune images. Shooting in raw gives you the flexibility to correct mistakes and make your photos look exactly how you imagined.

9. Check White Balance

White balance ensures that colours appear natural in your images. For LED lights, Auto White Balance works well. Tungsten or older lights may appear overly orange, so manually setting white balance can improve your results. Adjusting white balance helps maintain accurate colours and ensures that your holiday lights look lively and festive. Knowing how to set this correctly allows your images to capture the authentic atmosphere of each scene.

10. Shoot During Blue Hour

Twilight, known as Blue Hour, provides a soft, even light that complements the brightness of holiday decorations. During this time, you can capture details of homes, streets, and trees while the lights are still vibrant. Shooting too late may result in a completely dark background, while shooting too early may make the lights less noticeable. Timing your shoot around Blue Hour maximises both light and detail.

11. Keep Shooting After Blue Hour

Sometimes, the most dramatic holiday photos happen after Blue Hour when darkness enhances the lights. Experiment with different times to see how shadows and colours change. Some displays may be more interesting with darker backgrounds, emphasising the glow and colour of individual bulbs. Flexibility in timing allows for more creative and unique shots.

12. Compose Your Shot

Composition is key to creating visually appealing images. Decide whether to shoot wide to capture a full display or focus on more minor details. Highlight the most striking parts of the scene while avoiding empty spaces that distract from your subject. Consider angles, reflections, and framing to make your photos dynamic and engaging. Good composition turns ordinary light displays into memorable photographs.

13. Focus Manually if Needed

In low light, autofocus may struggle, causing blurry shots. Learning how to focus manually ensures sharp images even when light is limited. Practice manual concentrate ahead of time and use your camera’s focus assist features if available. Sharp focus combined with proper exposure makes your holiday photos stand out.

14. Capture Reflections

Reflections in water or shiny surfaces can double the impact of holiday lights. Puddles, ponds, or even wet streets can create dramatic and artistic shots. Look for these reflective surfaces when planning your photo walk. Reflections add depth, symmetry, and visual interest to your images.

15. Bracket Exposures

Nighttime lighting can be unpredictable, so take multiple shots at different exposures. Bracketing ensures you capture a correctly exposed image and gives options for post-processing. Combining shots can also enhance dynamic range, keeping both bright lights and dark shadows visible. Bracketing is a safety net for tricky lighting conditions.

Creative Techniques for Holiday Lights

Use Bokeh

Bokeh is the artistic blur of out-of-focus background lights. Use a wide aperture, such as f/4, and focus on a nearby object to create soft circles of light behind your subject. Bokeh adds a dreamy, festive quality to your photos. It is especially effective for close-up shots of decorations, ornaments, or tree lights.

Capture Light Trails

Light trails from cars passing through holiday-lit streets add movement and interest. Take one shot of the decorations and a long-exposure shot for the trails, then combine them in post-processing. This technique emphasises energy and creates a dynamic holiday scene. It’s perfect for streets and driveways decorated with lights.

Try Zoom Effects

Using a telephoto lens with a slow shutter speed, zoom in or out during the exposure for artistic effects. This creates movement in the lights and adds a unique, abstract look to your images. Practising this technique can lead to creative, eye-catching photos that stand out from traditional holiday shots.

Planning Your Holiday Light Shoot in Fairview

Before heading out, plan your photo locations carefully. Search online for the best displays in Fairview, Texas, and review daytime photos for composition ideas. Make a list of shots you want, including wide scenes, close-ups, and creative effects. Note the approximate apertures, shutter speeds, and locations. Practising with your camera in the dark beforehand ensures you are comfortable with your settings and creative techniques. A little preparation makes your outing smoother and more successful.

Extra Tips for a Smooth Photo Outing

Bring a headlamp with a red light setting to preserve night vision while staying safe. Wear comfortable shoes for walking on uneven streets and sidewalks. Keep your valuables out of sight when focusing on your camera. Most importantly, enjoy the holiday experience itself. Take time to appreciate the decorations, the community spirit, and the joy that fills the season. Photography is about capturing memories, but the experience is just as valuable.

Experience the Holiday Magic in Fairview

Holiday lights in Fairview, Texas, are not just a visual treat—they are an invitation to explore, celebrate, and enjoy the season. With preparation and the right techniques, your photos will reflect both skill and the festive atmosphere. The town’s combination of vibrant displays and welcoming neighbourhoods makes it a perfect place to live and experience annual holiday traditions.

Whether wandering through streets adorned with lights or capturing a favourite display, Fairview offers endless opportunities for holiday memories. Living here lets you enjoy this special time year after year while honing your photography skills.

Source: mariastrussphotography.com  
Header Image Source: Hayden Scott on Unsplash