Tips for Better Holiday Photos

Coordinate Clothing

What if we all wore the same color sweaters? Keep that Holiday card in mind when you’re getting ready. Think “how would this look on the fridge?” or “how would this look in the mail?” When photographing more than one person, coordinate clothing. Make sure to wear something to complement not clash with each other or the background if possible.

Gather Together

These are the times of the year when we emphasize being together so squeeze in for this group photo! Candid and off-guard photos are cool, but this is the time of year to get as many as you can in one frame. You can even pull out the self-timer and a tripod and join the photo yourself!

Change your angle

Try getting a different perspective. Shoot from the floor with the kids, or place them on a stool or chair. Holiday photos of children are classics: kids playing games, kids opening gifts, kids sleeping beside the Christmas tree. Don’t make the mistake of photographing kids from too high above, looking down. This gives an unflattering shot, and it fails to capture the joy of childhood. Getting on their level really brings you into their world.

Capture Candid

It might be tempting to run around with your camera at holiday parties telling everyone to “Smile!” “Look here!” and “Pose!”

But if you want to remember how you all felt and what was going on that day, it’s important to shoot moments instead of poses. Try to capture the essence of what is going on during the time. People smiling, laughing, sharing a toast, or opening gifts. These generally make for more interesting photos and help you remember what you did when you look back. Definitely have a good mix of candid and posed photos to help capture the memories in the best light.

Tell the story

When you’re in the mindset to document the season, you’ll find that your camera roll fills with images that make your heart skip an extra beat. Make sure to capture the details of your days: the big, the little, the great, the bad, and the messy. Take a breath and let things flow. Capture the day as you experience it. There is authenticity in the blurry photos, the extreme close-ups, and just the imperfect shots. Don’t overthink it and just let things unfold naturally and capture the in-between moments.