Echoes of Christmas Past
The holiday season has rolled around again, and while looking through some older images, I came across some photos of Christmas tree lights and ornaments. They were captured back in 2023, but these holiday images feel timeless.
I remember taking these late at night on the evening the tree was finally trimmed and decorated. The house had settled down, the day was done, and things were quiet. There may have been a little spirited eggnog involved, and there was definitely no tripod anywhere near me. These images were captured handheld and taken in low light. They were more about the moment than getting everything technically perfect.
Other than the Christmas tree, all the lights in the room were turned off. Every year, there is something special about the first time the tree lights come on. It is a quiet, reflective moment that marks the start of the holiday season.
These images are less about documenting decorations and more about capturing that feeling. The calm after the work is done. The glow filling the room. The satisfaction of seeing it all come together. That pause before the rush of the holidays really begins. It is a feeling I look forward to every year, and one I try to hold onto.
Here is hoping your holiday season is a merry and safe one, no matter which holiday you celebrate or how you choose to celebrate it.
___
Technical Notes:
These images were captured with a Canon DSLR using a Canon EF 24–105mm f/4L IS USM lens set to f/5.6 and shot handheld at a shutter speed of 1/30 second. Post processing was done in Lightroom with adjustments focused on texture and clarity, along with a subtle vignette and a small amount of noise reduction. All images are presented in a 16:10 aspect ratio.
