Master five photography tips to easily capture beautiful and touching sky lantern group photos

▲ Even after the sky lantern has taken off, you can keep your hand raised high—this makes the photo more dynamic.

Reporter Chen Ruizhong / Comprehensive reporting and photography

As the weather gradually warms up, more and more travelers are visiting spots like Shifen, Pingxi, and Jingting to enjoy the fun of releasing sky lanterns. Nowadays, when releasing a sky lantern, shop staff often help take commemorative photos. However, many people only realize afterwards that the results turn out with “dark faces” or “stiff poses,” falling far short of expectations.

To help travelers take beautiful photos, Ettoday News Cloud has put together several useful tips for taking group photos with sky lanterns. By mastering these simple techniques, your photos are sure to come out more lively!

1. Pay attention to the position of the sunlight
For the average person, standing with your back to the light (i.e., in backlight) during a shoot can easily result in a photo with a pitch-black face, so the position of the sunlight is relatively important. Taking Shifen Old Street as an example, Shifen Railway Station is located to the west, while Shifen Elementary School is to the east. Therefore, if you visit Shifen Old Street in the afternoon to release sky lanterns and face toward Shifen Railway Station, your face won’t be darkened by backlight, and you can even capture the famous large banyan tree as your background!

2. Positioning is key
Releasing sky lanterns with a group of friends often makes the experience more fun, and naturally, no one in the photo should be left out. So when taking a group photo while holding the lantern, those in the front can crouch or bend down slightly—this way, people in the back won’t be blocked, and the photo will have more depth with varied heights.

▲ Just master these five tips to take sky lantern photos of higher quality.

3. Beware of strong winds
When releasing sky lanterns, if the wind is too strong, shop staff will often ask travelers to release the lantern quickly to avoid it catching fire “before it takes off.” So before lighting the lantern, pay attention to the wind conditions to ensure you can still take a photo with the just-lit lantern.

4. Hand gestures are crucial
When taking a photo at the exact moment the lantern is released, the way you hold your hands is very important. After releasing the sky lantern, keeping your hands raised high helps create a closer connection between the person and the lantern in the frame, making the body language more expressive. But be careful not to raise your hands too high, or you might accidentally cover your own face!

5. Explore your options first
In the bustling old streets filled with numerous shops, it’s a good idea to first observe how each shop’s staff releases sky lanterns and their photography skills. Compare a few options before deciding which staff member to go with—this will make your experience even more enjoyable.