Ron Leach

Christmas festivities are just three weeks away, and many folks have already decorated their homes with colorful lights and interesting objects. This means it's time to bone up on your skills and do a bit of practicing as the special season unfolds.

Millions of people from across the globe visit Yosemite every year, many of whom are photographers eager to capture the natural splendors that California’s national park has to offer. And when the stars align for two weeks in February to light up Horsetail Fall, a spectacular event occurs, making the water look like lava flowing from a volcano.

Spring is long gone, and summer ended almost a month ago, but that doesn’t mean the time for capturing great macro images is over. There are many opportunities to pursue close-up photography year-round.

One reason some street photographers shy away from shooting at night is that they dislike lugging around a heavy tripod to steady their camera when using long exposures under low light. But in the eye-opening tutorial below, you’ll see how a British pro makes compelling handheld photos at night.