Amsterdam Christmas Photoshoot: Lights, Locations & Timing

Short days, early lights

Around the shortest day, the sun rises at about 08:45 and sets at about 16:30. That makes the timing for a festive session unusually simple:

• Meet around 15:15. You get the last low sun on the façades for half an hour.
• Sunset around 16:30. The sky warms, then cools quickly.
• Blue hour from about 16:30 to 17:00. The sky turns deep blue while street lamps, bridge bulbs and decorated windows come on. This is the half hour most Christmas photos are made of.
• Full dark by about 17:15. Lights still look good, but faces need more care from the photographer.

A morning session also works, especially for families, but the lights are off and the effect is wintry rather than festive. If the decorations are the point, book the afternoon.

Where the Christmas lights are

Amsterdam does not have one big Christmas set piece. The festive look comes from many small things spread across the centre:

• The Nine Streets and the Jordaan. Small shops add lights and decorated windows from late November. Narrow streets mean the glow is close to you, which suits portraits.
• The shopping streets around the Dam. Department store windows and decorations along the main shopping streets are the most elaborate, and also the busiest. Weekday afternoons are far calmer than weekends.
• The Magere Brug and the Amstel. The white drawbridge is outlined with bulbs all year, and in December they are on by about 17:00. Shoot from the quays on either side to get the whole bridge in frame; see the Magere Brug location page.
• Reguliersgracht. The line of small arched bridges, lit after dark, gives a classic frame with depth.
• Canal-house windows. Dutch homes often leave curtains open, and Christmas trees and candles are visible from the street. They are part of the atmosphere, but they belong to residents, so they stay in the background rather than becoming a set.

Some winters also bring temporary ice rinks or winter markets to squares and parks. What appears, and where, changes from year to year, so check what is on before you plan around it.

The Amsterdam Light Festival

Each winter the Amsterdam Light Festival places illuminated artworks along the canals and around the centre. It usually runs through the Christmas period and into January, but the dates, the route and the artworks change every year, so check the official festival website for the current edition before you build a session around it.

Many of the artworks can be seen from public quays and bridges; the festival also runs ticketed boat routes. For photos of people, the challenge is contrast: the artworks are bright and faces are dark. A photographer comfortable with low light will place you so the work glows behind you, or bring a small light. Popular pieces draw crowds in the early evening, so a short session straight after sunset is often calmer than a later one.

Dates that shape the season

• Sinterklaas. The Dutch gift-giving tradition comes before Christmas. Sinterklaas arrives in the city in mid to late November with a parade, and the main celebration is the evening of 5 December. Expect busy shopping streets in early December.
• Christmas Day and Boxing Day. 25 and 26 December are both public holidays in the Netherlands. Some shops and cafés close or keep shorter hours, and the streets are quieter in the morning.
• Between Christmas and New Year. The city fills with visitors, especially in the afternoons.
• New Year's Eve. Fireworks are everywhere and the streets are hectic; not a day for a calm session.
• Early January. Among the quietest days of the year, and the festival often still runs.

Cold, rain and the backup plan

Expect daytime temperatures of a few degrees above zero, damp air and wind along the Amstel and the IJ that makes it feel colder. Snow is occasional and rarely lasts.

Rain is the bigger question, and at night it is often a gift: wet cobbles and canal water reflect every light, and a clear umbrella keeps faces visible. Light drizzle rarely stops a session. For steady rain, photographers watch the radar and shift the start time, and covered spots such as the passage under the Rijksmuseum help for a few frames. Our guide to an Amsterdam photoshoot in the rain has more ideas. Ask how rescheduling works when you accept a quote, and if you can, keep a second afternoon free.

What to wear

Your coat is your outfit, so choose one you like. Colours that sit well against brick and lights: camel, cream, burgundy, forest green and deep blue. Head-to-toe black disappears after dark.

• Textures such as wool, knit and velvet look warm on camera.
• A scarf or hat adds colour and keeps you comfortable.
• Christmas jumpers are fun for families; for couples, keep them to one or two frames.
• Thin thermal layers under your clothes keep you relaxed for an hour.
• Flat, grippy shoes for wet cobbles and bridge steps.

See what to wear for an Amsterdam photoshoot for more.

Couples and families: two different plans

Couples usually book the classic afternoon-into-blue-hour slot, walking from the canal belt towards the lit bridges. It is also a popular time for proposals, because the early dark gives lights and golden sky in one hour; see our Amsterdam proposal photographer page. The Amsterdam couple photographer page covers routes and timing.

Families with young children often do better a little earlier, from about 14:00 to 15:30, with low sun and a café stop, home before dark and dinner. Parks give children room to move and keep them warmer than standing on a bridge. The Amsterdam family photographer page covers what a family session includes.

A sample 60-minute session

• 15:30 Meet near the Amstel and start with low sun along the quay.
• 16:00 Walk to the Magere Brug and photograph it from the quay as the light drops.
• 16:30 Sunset; head towards the Reguliersgracht as the bridge lights come on.
• 16:45 Blue hour on the bridges, then finish in a warm café.

Booking and cost

December weekends are popular, so it helps to send your dates early. A couple photoshoot starts from €180 and family photography from €250. The final quote depends on the photographer, duration, date and number of people, and public holidays may be quoted differently. See pricing, or start with the Amsterdam city page for the wider picture.