I may have picked the wrong night for my family to trek to downtown Salt Lake City to see the lights at Temple Square. It was freezing outside, the food court at City Creek Center was beyond packed, and I would say that hundreds of families had the same idea as us. But if you’ve ever photographed in the crowds of Upper Antelope Canyon, then you’d be prepared to photograph Temple Square in the Christmas crowds.
That training and some patience paid off. Before joining the fray, I put on my 10-22mm Canon lens and jumped right in. I waited for my turn to get up to the center of the reflection pool just east of the facade of the Salt Lake Temple. Once there, I quickly set down my tripod, switched to the LCD screen and adjusted my aperture and shutter speed before snapping a few photos of the small nativity scene in the center of the pool.
I captured some photos from roughly three feet above the surface, then I moved to a few inches above, offering a different perspective. You can check out my Flickr page to see some of the other photos captured during my 2013 Temple Square adventure – but I really want to go back and see what I might be able to capture with a few more minutes.
Temple Square during the holidays is a great way to remember the true reason for the season. And I was glad my family was able to brave the cold to check out the sites.
~signed, Carltonaut
Carltonaut 
We were at Temple Square last weekend, and the crowds were too much! The lights are always wonderful, though, and your photos capture their beauty well. We love visiting Temple Square during the Christmas season. Maybe next time, we’ll aim for a week night.