A Photographer’s Guide to the Lantern Festival
Photography-first field notes, practical techniques and thoughtful travel.
This guide is part of our photography-first look at Thailand and Cambodia ahead of the November 2027 workshop. It is based on research and planning rather than a claim that I have already photographed these locations myself.
1. What is Yi Peng, and why photograph it?
There are certain events that make photographers reach for their cameras before they have even finished reading about them. Chiang Mai’s Yi Peng Lantern Festival is certainly one of those. We have all seen the photographs of glowing lanterns rising against a dark sky. It looks magical. But while developing my Thailand and Cambodia photography workshop, what has really interested me is everything happening around that famous image. The hanging lanterns, decorated temples, candlelit ceremonies and people taking part in a meaningful celebration all deserve our attention. This is not simply an event arranged to give us beautiful photographs. It is part of Northern Thailand’s Lanna cultural and religious heritage, and understanding that changes how we should photograph it.
2. Yi Peng and Loy Krathong: not quite the same festival
Yi Peng is associated with the Lanna lunar calendar and lantern traditions. Loy Krathong, which takes place around the same period across Thailand, centres on small decorated offerings floated on water. In Chiang Mai, their celebrations overlap. That gives a photographer two wonderful but different groups of subjects: lanterns suspended above streets and around temple grounds, and candlelight or reflections near the water. I would resist trying to cram both stories into one photograph. Let each subject breathe. Work on wider establishing images, then look for the smaller patterns and gestures that help explain what you are seeing.
3. Where I would start photographing Chiang Mai
I would begin in the Old City, particularly wherever public lantern decorations and permitted temple events are taking place. A row of lanterns makes a natural leading line. Repeated colours can become an almost abstract photograph. A small pool of warm light against an evening-blue sky can be even more effective than a huge scene. The Ping River may provide opportunities to photograph Loy Krathong celebrations and reflections, but festival layouts and access rules can change from year to year. I would explore early, before the crowds build, and keep an open mind about where the best photograph might appear.
4. The organised mass lantern release
Now to the famous photograph: enormous numbers of illuminated lanterns rising together. These are normally the result of organised events, often ticketed and held in designated areas outside central Chiang Mai. I am delighted that our 2027 workshop arrangements include attendance at an organised mass lantern-release event. That is a genuine opportunity, not a promise that every photograph will work out perfectly! Photography positions, seating, tripod rules, weather contingencies and the exact release arrangements are controlled by the organiser. I would want to know those details before planning equipment. And I would never encourage an unauthorised lantern launch just because it might make a good picture.
5. Camera settings for moving lanterns
Unlike a building at blue hour, a floating lantern does not politely remain still while you perfect your exposure. A useful handheld starting point could be 1/125 second or faster, then adjust according to movement and available light. A fast lens around f/1.8 to f/2.8 may help, but if you need several subjects sharp at different distances, stop down as conditions allow. Do not be afraid of ISO 3200 or 6400 on a capable modern camera. A sharp photograph with some noise beats a clean but unusably blurred frame. Watch the histogram and protect the glowing highlights, which can blow out against the dark background. Manual exposure can work when the lighting is steady; aperture priority with exposure compensation is handy while moving between streets and illuminated displays.
6. What lenses would I carry?
A 24–70mm standard zoom would probably be my first choice for most of the evening. It is flexible for hanging lanterns, people, temple exteriors and changing compositions. A fast 35mm or 50mm prime is lovely when the light becomes difficult, and a wider lens can show the atmosphere of a whole street. But going too wide can make those lovely lanterns disappear into a small part of the frame. I would keep the bag light, carry spare batteries and avoid changing lenses unnecessarily in dense crowds. Tripods may be useful for static decorations where allowed; they are less appealing when people are moving around you, and the event may restrict them.
7. Photograph the moments between the spectacle
Some of the most interesting frames may be the ones nobody travelled specifically to collect: hands arranging decorations, a beautifully lit doorway, families spending time together, a vendor beneath a canopy of lanterns. I would try waiting in one promising spot and observing how the scene develops. Street photography is often better when you stop chasing photographs and let them come to you. Ask permission for close portraits where appropriate, avoid intruding on worship and never ask somebody to repeat a religious activity for the camera. There is plenty to photograph without turning other people’s celebrations into our own production.
8. Lanterns, fire and responsible participation
Sky lanterns use an open flame. They can create aviation, fire, litter and wildlife concerns, which is why launches are regulated and location-specific. Do not assume that a lantern sold on a street may legally be launched there. Only follow the instructions of an authorised organiser and the relevant local restrictions. Weather can lead to changes or cancellations. That may be disappointing photographically, but safety comes first. You can enjoy Yi Peng without personally releasing a lantern, and the cultural elements beyond a mass launch are more than worth photographing.
9. Yi Peng 2027: dates and planning
Yi Peng follows a lunar calendar, so the dates move. Organised events are currently advertising 13–14 November 2027, within the overall dates of our 9–22 November workshop. Public programming, permitted release locations and entry arrangements still need to be checked against official updates closer to the time. November is generally part of Northern Thailand’s cooler and relatively drier period, but showers and unexpectedly cool evenings are possible. Comfortable shoes, a spare layer, a small rain cover and patience are all sensible things to bring.
10. A festival worth slowing down for
What appeals to me most is the chance to photograph more than one side of Yi Peng. The carefully decorated temples, the transition into evening, the energy of the streets and the organised lantern-release experience ask for different photographic approaches. If we can make time for those different stories, I think the resulting collection will be much richer than a single spectacular frame. Our small-group Thailand and Cambodia Photography Workshop includes the organised mass event, alongside Chiang Rai, Angkor, Tonlé Sap and Phnom Penh. The experience is photography-first, but always respectful of the people and traditions that make it possible.
Thanks so much for reading, folks. Take it easy, everyone. Cheers!
Explore Thailand & Cambodia with your camera
9–22 November 2027 · Maximum six photographers · Northern Thailand, Yi Peng, Angkor, Tonlé Sap and Phnom Penh.
Explore the Thailand & Cambodia Photography Workshop