Tips for Fabulous Holiday Card Photos

The holidays are just around the corner and one of my favorite things is sending and receiving holiday cards from friends and family around the world. I adore getting the warm messages and kind thoughts from loved ones this time of the year and some of my favorite holiday cards to receive are those personalized with a family photo. 'Tis the season for holiday card photo shoots so here are a few tips to get a good photo for your holiday cards.

One of the most important tips to getting fabulous photos for your holiday cards is to spend a little time planning your photo shoot. Things will go much more smoothly and you'll get better results with a little planning up front. Will you have a photographer or use a self-timer? 

Decide who is going to be in the picture. The entire family, just the kids, the dog, etc. 

Coordinate outfits. Avoid match-matchy and go for complimentary.

Liven up your photo with props. Go for items like confetti, garland, tinsel, ornaments, letters that spell 'JOY' or something seasonal to interact with but don't go overboard. Keep it simple.

Think about poses. Interactions like hugging, a kiss on the cheek, holding hands, smiling at each other, etc. are all very natural looking poses to try. 

Choose a location. An outdoor location with natural light and a simple background without a lot of distractions is ideal. Once you have chosen a location, look for mergers that could spoil a great photo. A merger is a random element from that background that ends up looking like it is coming out of someone's head or body; like a wreath around someone's head or a tree branch that ends up looking like a horn! Before you snap the shot, take a second look at the scene to be sure nothing surprising shows up in the photo.

Pay attention to the lighting. Lighting by far the most important factor to getting a great photo. Don't shoot in direct sunlight, you could end up with shadows and odd light streaks if you do so. Instead, look for indirect, bright lighting.

Be patient and have fun! A great photo doesn't happen quickly often times, especially with multiple people, children or pets. Remember your holiday photo should reflect the love and fun you have together as a family so just enjoy the photo shoot and let things come naturally.

Do you have any helpful tips that you've used in the past to get a great photo for your holiday cards? If so, we'd love to hear them so please share them in the comments.

Cheers!