Tips for Taking Great Family Photos This Holiday Season

The holidays are a time for celebrating with family, and what better way to commemorate the festivities than with festive and fun photos? Fortunately, the holidays offer many opportunities for taking great pictures of your family. The importance of taking pictures of family members during the holidays is captured by this quote, “A photo says it all, without having to say anything at all.”

Pictures act as a type of memento that can be cherished and kept forever. However, getting those perfect shots can be more difficult than it sounds! Here are some tips for taking great family photos this holiday season:

1. Look for great poses

A good pose can make the difference between an adorable family photo and one that is merely okay. It’s essential to look for great poses before taking photos, as you do not want to miss out on capturing a good picture. The best pose will vary slightly depending on your camera and how many people are in the photo.

2. Lighting is everything (literally)

The lighting in a photo is one of the most critical factors in taking a good picture. Poor lighting conditions can be the difference between an interesting photo and one that is blurry or filled with shadows that obscure facial features. Finding an area with bright lighting can enhance the quality of your photos.

3. Capture candid moments

One great way to take unique pictures during the holiday season is to wait patiently for people’s reactions or interesting moments that are happening around you. For example, you could take a photo of your sister opening her Christmas present from Grandma! Try to find those interesting and spontaneous moments while they are happening and take your photos while the action goes on.

4. Holiday props enhance photos

Adding a few festive props to your photoshoot can liven up the mood and make for some great photographs. A good prop can be as simple as a few pumpkins, a jingly Santa hat, or an elegant menorah. These items will help you remember what holiday you are celebrating and capture the spirit of the season that you hope to showcase.

5. What you wear matters

The clothes you wear to take family photos should be festive and cute, but also comfortable! Any outfit that is too uncomfortable will show up in your pictures and might cause a less than happy mood or expression. On the other hand, you do not want anything too flashy either; the point of the pictures is to capture your personality and holiday cheer, not to compete with the bright lights and colors of Christmas. One way to strike a balance is to get matching sibling outfits for the younger kids and have everyone else dress normal-formal. That way, your photo has some sugar and spice without going overboard. Meanwhile, your older children will thank you for sparing them from any embarrassment.

6. Location, location, location

The surroundings in your holiday photos are important! Avoid taking pictures in cramped quarters with lots of other people around. You want to find an area that is not too crowded, has good lighting, and provides plenty of space for everyone to spread out and be comfortable.

7. Focus on kids

Kids are the stars of the holiday season! Make sure to take lots of pictures of your little ones looking cute in their Christmas jammies or playing with new toys. Holiday time is one of the best opportunities for taking great kid photos, so make sure not to miss out on capturing all their fun!

8. Create your own family hashtag!

Make sure everyone in the photo is on board with this one before actually using it, but creating a fun new family hashtag for this year’s holiday photos is a great way to remember them later. A good caption can also be helpful when looking back at these pictures; something like “Our First Hanukkah!” might make for some great memories while flipping through the album come next December.

9. Don’t forget to smile!

Dull faces are not ideal for holiday photos! Make sure that everyone is smiling and looking happy before taking the photo. If possible, try to avoid having someone yawn or make a funny face in the picture. Everyone’s faces should be relaxed and pleasant!

10. Post-production editing enhances photos

If you followed all of these tips and took great photos, but they just aren’t quite where they need to be in terms of quality, then feel free to edit your pictures. Apps like VSCO Cam or Snapseed are good for making minor edits that enhance the photo’s appearance (like adjusting brightness, contrast, etc.).

Additionally, investing in digital frameo frames can bring your photos to life in a whole new way! These frames make it easy to display and rotate through your favorite family photos and can be a wonderful addition to your holiday decor.