A system and method of operating a trail camera assembly. A trail camera assembly comprises a camera casing, a camera configured to take a picture, and a controller connected to the motion sensor and the camera. The controller is configured to operate the trail camera assembly in a first operating mode. The controller is configured to determine whether a time threshold is satisfied, the time threshold being a time of day. The controller is configured to compare, in response to the time threshold being satisfied, ambient light detected by the trail camera assembly to an ambient light threshold, and transition, in response to the ambient light satisfying the ambient light threshold, to a second operating mode. When in the second operating mode, the controller takes a picture at set time intervals.