20 New Year's Eve photo ideas (sparklers, fireworks and midnight)

New Year's Eve photos are all about light in the dark: sparklers, fireworks, city lights and glitter. On iPhone, the trick is to expose for those lights (tap on them and lower the exposure) and to keep the phone steady. Here are 20 ideas for the night, from getting ready to the first morning of the year.

Getting ready

1. The outfit flat lay. Dress, shoes, earrings and a glass, top-down.

2. Mirror selfie in sequins. In front of a mirror with fairy lights behind.

3. Glitter close-up. Glitter makeup at 3x with window light.

Sparklers

4. The sparkler portrait. Hold a sparkler near the face, tap on the face and lower exposure until the sparks glow.

5. Writing the year. With Live Photo on, write "2027" in the air with a sparkler, then set the Live Photo to Long Exposure in the Photos app. Write backwards if you want it to read correctly from the camera.

6. Sparkler kiss. Two people kissing with sparklers held up between them.

7. Sparkler tunnel. Friends make two lines holding sparklers up, and a couple runs through.

Fireworks

8. Fireworks over the skyline. Phone on a wall or tripod, horizon on the lower third. The One-Third guide keeps it there.

9. Silhouettes watching. People in front, fireworks above. Expose for the sky.

10. Fireworks long exposure. Shoot a Live Photo and switch it to Long Exposure later for light trails.

11. Reflections. Fireworks over a river or lake double the show.

Midnight

12. The countdown. Phones and glasses raised in the last ten seconds. Burst.

13. The midnight kiss. At 2x, with party lights blurred behind.

14. The champagne pop. Burst mode as the cork goes. Point it away from people.

15. Confetti throw. Everyone throws confetti at once.

Groups

16. The rooftop group. City lights behind, everyone in a tight group.

17. Party hats line-up. Hats, horns and serious faces.

18. The dance floor from above.

The morning after

19. The leftovers. Empty glasses, confetti on the floor, morning light.

20. The first sunrise. If you are still awake, the first sunrise of the year.

Night settings that avoid blur

• Flash off. Use sparklers, city lights and party lights.
• Expose for the light. Tap on the brightest part and drag the exposure down.
• 1x lens. It gathers the most light.
• Steady phone. Lean on a wall or use a mini tripod for fireworks.
• Burst for action. Swipe the shutter button left and hold for pops, throws and countdowns.

A warm, grainy film look suits New Year's Eve. In slay you swipe through film stocks live before you shoot.

Frame the night

slay overlays composition guides and a horizon level on your live iPhone camera, so the skyline stays straight while the sky lights up.

Get slay on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/app/id6807513456?utm_source=slaycamera&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=new-years-eve-photo-ideas