Tips on Taking Your Best Holiday Family Photos Ever

It’s that time of year again: the weather is finally starting to cool down and your calendar is filling up with tons of school events and fall activities. Not to freak anyone out here, but before you know it, it’s going to be Christmas. NOW is the time to get those holiday family portraits, so you’ll be ready when the season hits!  

My tips get the best holiday family photos:

1. Find a great photographer who shares your vision. Full disclosure: lots of fantastic photographers open up their holiday photo shoot schedules back in the summer time and fill up quickly.

   

   But not to worry, you can still do a little research and find someone great! If you don’t already have a go-to photog, I think it’s great to ask friends on social media who they love to use. Then, go to those photographers’ websites and see which one resonates most with you. Or if you received an especially beautiful holiday card last year in the mail, don’t be afraid to reach out to the sender and ask them who they used for photography. And while I always think professional family photos are worth the investment, sometimes a several hundred dollar photo shoot is just not in the current budget! In that case, have a friend or extended family member take some photos of your family outside with plenty of light. With even the most basic photo editing tools found on most smart phones, you can make any picture look pretty darn good.  

2. Get in the picture. Yes, I’m sure your kids are the cutest kids EVER, but I think parents should be included in the photos! Most of the people on your holiday card list, know YOU better than they know your kids. Of course everyone loves a baby in a picture, but they want to see you, too! I also think old holiday photos with mom and dad in them will be more cherished by your children as they grow into adults and have their own children. Or at least they’ll love making fun of the clothing choices 25 years from now. Either way, get in the photo, mom!  
3. Coordinate outfits. Notice that I said “coordinate”, not match. Landon Schneider of Landon Schneider Photography suggests, “Stay in the same color family, and incorporate two to three colors, max.” Most photographers that I know agree that overall matching typically doesn’t look best. Visit Pinterest for never-ending outfit idea inspiration. Figure out if you like the look of more neutral tones in photos, or if you like brighter colors. Adding prints and texture help, too, but you don’t want to overdo it. I also love the idea of dressing up a bit. How many years in a row can you wear the traditional fall sweaters in your picture before it gets boring? Casual is great, but being a little dressier can be even better. Sometimes the mix of more formal clothing (i.e., sequins, long dresses, sports coats) can look super elegant and dreamy in an outdoor nature setting. However, if you are outdoors and may have to walk a bit, it’s nice to wear comfy shoes for the walk instead of hobbling in heels through grass or leaves and sticks. Put on your nice shoes right before the photo. Schneider also suggests, “Men should always be in long pants, never shorts, and close-toed shoes. If you are putting young girls in dresses, sometimes longer is better so that if they sit or are being held, you can’t see up their skirts.”

   

4. Groom and primp as if your life depends on it. Ok, maybe that’s a bit dramatic, but these photos ARE important. For many families, it’s the one photo a year where everyone is together, so make the effort! Make sure boys and men get their hair cut about 7-10 days before the photos. You want them to look clean-cut and coiffed, but not like they came straight from the barber shop to the photo shoot. For girls, cute hair accessories can be great as long as they don’t detract from the overall picture. Now for you, mama, you’re the star of the show. If mommy looks good, EVERYONE looks good. If you have young kids, consider paying a sitter or have a friend come over and watch your little heathens while you get ready. If you’re investing the time and money to do professional photos, spending a few extra bucks to make sure you can take your time getting ready is WORTH IT. Spend time applying your makeup and doing your hair.  If you aren’t good at these things yourself, enlist help. Go get a blowout. Get your makeup done. Have a cosmetics-savvy friend come over and help you. “You spend a lot of money on these photos…so make it worth your while! Do the hair, do the makeup, do the nails, because it’s just FUN!” Schneider says. If all else fails, apply false lashes and wear a brighter shade of lipstick than you typically would; it will look great on camera! Whatever it takes to make sure you look and feel your best, do it. Because if you’re anxious and stressed heading into photos, that energy will transfer to your partner and your kids. Lori Wilson of Lori Wilson Photography reminds us to “have fun with the session and try not to be nervous or anxious. Your kids (yes, even your babies) will pick up on your anxiety and they too will get nervous.”
5. Before the photo shoot, prepare and set expectations. If you have younger children, it really helps to explain in detail what you’re about to do. Explain beforehand that they will meet a new, nice lady (or gentleman) who will be taking some pretty pictures, so you need pretty smiles from them. Make it sound like a fun adventure, so they aren’t worried. MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS FED! Obviously, hangry children and husbands will not cooperate well. Every single photographer I spoke to also suggested that dad drink (just one!) beer beforehand to loosen up, if necessary. Standing in front of a relative stranger while you try to smile naturally can be daunting. Make it as easy as possible for your family. If you have little ones that won’t be able to part with a snack, pacifier, or lovey once you get to the photo shoot, LEAVE IT AT HOME. Don’t waste your valuable, expensive photo time, arguing with a two year old to please hand over the goldfish so that you can get one freaking photo without his chubby hand stuffed into the snack trap. Fight this battle at home. Wilson also adds, “Never start the photo session near a playground and do not let your kid play on a nearby playground if the photographer is running late or you are early.” It also never hurts to apply bug spray beforehand if you’ll be outside, especially in wooded areas. 
6. Bribery is KEY. YES! Bribe your children. With young children, promise a trip to the donut shop afterwards if they do a good job looking at the camera. Bring small, bite-size candy like jelly beans or Skittles for an instant gratification reward for pretty smiles. For tiny babies, have a toy or rattle that makes noise or lights up that the photog can use to attract their attention towards the camera. An extra set of hands that won’t be photographed can also be helpful to coax smiles of little ones, but for the love, don’t bring a grandma if she’ll distract or small children will want to be held by her. For big kids, cold hard cash works well. Promise your tweens or teens $5 (or whatever dollar amount that makes sense for your kids) beforehand if they have a good attitude and get ready on time, and then another $5 if they cooperate and offer good smiles at the photo shoot. Just as important as bribing your children for good behavior, Wilson reminds us, “Photo shoots are not the time to have strict rules and give your kids tons of consequences. You sometimes need to let go of their bad behavior—like not always looking at the camera. Definitely do not spank your kid or ground them while at a shoot; no one wants to smile after they just got grounded.”
7. Stay out of the way. Once the shoot starts, the photographer is in charge. Mom and Dad, keep smiling, don’t keep looking down at your whining child, because as soon as she finally looks up and smiles, you need to be ready. Sometimes something that is unexpected, like a location, or a prop or a pose can make all the difference if you keep an open mind. Be flexible and go with the flow as much as possible. A photo shoot is not the time to let your inner control freak come out: it will show in the finished product. I can’t tell you how many times I left a shoot with my young daughter and was sure we didn’t get a single good shot because she was so uncooperative. And then when the photographer sent the proofs, I was shocked at how many beautiful images were captured! Good, professional photographers can make magic even when your kids do their best to ruin it!