Capturing Holiday Magic: A Photographer’s Guide to the Season of Light
There’s something about the holidays that feels different in the air — a softness, a sparkle, a kind of buzzing nostalgia that makes even the most ordinary moments glow. As photographers, this season gives us permission to lean into whimsy, emotion, and memory. It’s not just about documenting what’s in front of us, but translating the feeling of the holidays into our images.
If you’re ready to level up your holiday work this season, here are some simple, powerful ways to bring the magic to life — along with a few tools and resources inside Unraveled Academy to help you do it beautifully.
1. Chase the Holiday Bokeh
Few things say “holidays” quite like the warm blur of twinkling lights. Whether it’s a Christmas tree, a strand of lights in a bedroom, candles on the mantle, or a downtown display, bokeh adds instant enchantment.
Tips for capturing dreamy holiday bokeh:
Use a wide aperture (f/1.2–2.8) for that soft, glowing falloff.
Position your subject closer to you and farther from the lights. The distance exaggerates the bokeh.
Try shooting through lights for foreground sparkle — hold a strand of fairy lights a few inches from your lens for a washed-in-light effect.
Don’t be afraid to underexpose slightly; moodier frames can feel more nostalgic.
Inside Unraveled Academy, members get access to free holiday overlays, including bokeh overlays, snow, twinkle effects, and more — plus tutorials on exactly how to use them in Lightroom and Photoshop to deepen the magic when your scene needs an extra sprinkle.
2. Document Family Traditions (The Real Ones)
Holiday portraits don’t have to look picture-perfect — in fact, the best ones rarely do. Capture what people actually do this time of year. The messy, the cozy, the chaotic, the sweet.
Think:
Baking cookies with flour on their cheeks
Putting ornaments on the tree
Kids shaking presents they’re “not supposed” to touch
Grandma’s hands tying bows
Holiday movie nights
Wrapping paper explosions
Hot cocoa moustaches
Candle lighting, menorahs, advent traditions — whatever is real for them
Traditions hold emotional weight. They’re the moments families want to remember because they only happen once a year. Your job is to preserve not just the activity but the feeling — the warmth, the togetherness, the anticipation.
3. Show the Excitement of the Season
Holiday magic lives in the in-betweens — the gasp before a present is opened, the giggles during a snowball fight, the glow of a child’s face staring at the lights.
Ways to photograph genuine excitement:
Give prompts instead of poses (“tell your sibling your best holiday joke”).
Catch the candid transitions, not just the “smile for the camera” moments.
Shoot from below to emphasize wonder in kids.
Use motion — jumping on the bed in holiday PJs, spinning in the kitchen, stepping outside into the cold air.
Zoom in tight on expressions: eyes wide, hands clutched, smiles half-formed.
These micro-moments convey the emotion that makes holiday photos unforgettable.
4. Use Holiday Overlays to Enhance Atmosphere
Sometimes the weather doesn’t cooperate. Sometimes the lights aren’t enough. Sometimes the magic you saw isn’t fully what your camera captured.
This is where overlays come in.
Our free holiday overlay pack by Tiffany Beniquista inside Unraveled Academy includes:
Snow overlays
Sparkle overlays
Bokeh overlays
Light flares
Bonus creative effects
Plus step-by-step tutorials for Lightroom and Photoshop so you can use them even if you’ve never touched an overlay before.
Overlays should feel like seasoning — a pinch, not the whole dish. Add them subtly to enhance what’s already there. Lean into softness, mystery, and glow. They’re especially gorgeous when your shoot didn’t have enough light or atmosphere on its own. Not an Unraveled Member? What are you doing with your life? Join now for 19.00 a month to gain access to these overlays with tutorials on how to use them.
5. Tell the Story, Not Just the Scene
The best holiday photos don’t feel staged — they feel lived in.
Consider:
Shooting wide to show context (the whole room, the chaos, the coziness).
Shooting close to capture the details (garland texture, hands tying ribbon, cookie crumbs).
Showing contrast (cold outside / warm inside, dark room / glowing lights).
Following the rhythm of a tradition from start to finish — prep, action, aftermath.
Let your photos reflect the whole story, not just the curated moment.
6. Chase What Feels Magical
Holiday magic looks different for every family. Some homes are full of decorations and glitter. Others are quiet, simple, or rooted in cultural traditions. Some families go all out; others spend the season baking, resting, and reconnecting.
Your role isn’t to create a universal version of “holiday magic.”
Your role is to honor theirs.
Look for:
Tender moments
Genuine laughter
Nostalgia
Comfort
Connection
Ritual
Light (always the light)
This is the season when even the smallest moments feel sacred — capture that.
7. Create as a Family — A Shared Photo Idea Everyone Helps Build
One of the most magical things you can photograph during the holidays isn’t just what your family looks like — it’s what your family creates together.
The holidays are the perfect time to put the screens away, gather everyone in the same room, and dream up something fun and collaborative. When the whole family contributes ideas — poses, props, outfits, themes, silly moments — the final images feel personal, playful, and uniquely “them.”
A perfect example? Box photography.
It’s creative, customizable, and gets every single person involved. Kids can help decide what goes in each box, who sits where, what props to use, and how to make each square tell its own tiny story. Parents get to brainstorm right alongside them. And the finished collage becomes a piece of art the whole family feels proud of — because everyone had a hand in making it.
Inside Unraveled Academy, you’ll find an entire course on this exact concept:
✨ “Inside the Box” by Lauren Lewis
She breaks down everything you need — the setup, lighting, posing ideas, editing, and how to pull all the squares into one cohesive masterpiece. It’s beginner-friendly, totally customizable, and honestly one of the most joy-filled projects you can do together during the holidays.
Family creativity → Family connection → Holiday magic you’ll treasure forever.
