The most wonderful time of year–the time people want to get Holiday Photos with their family members for the Holiday Card. For some people, this is a set in stone tradition. I love sending and receiving Holiday Cards.

I like to see what changes have occurred over the year with my family and friends. Now, I will tell you as a photographer that I can do this for you relatively painlessly and quickly with pretty great results. But I know a few of you out there will want to attempt this yourselves, so in the Spirit of Giving, I will give you some Tips and Tricks so you have a fighting chance of getting something you actually like. Tip No. 1–Plan ahead. Always. Figure out ahead of time where you want to take your Holiday Photos. Gather the necessary clothing, props, etc. well ahead of time to avoid unnecessary stress. Stressed out photographers take terrible images. And they might scream at their kids. Then the kids cry, which really tends to mess up the pics.

Tip No. 2–Watch your lighting. Soft lighting tends to work better for these types of images. Watch out for “hot spots,” and/or deep, harsh shadows. Tip No. 3–KISS–Keep it simple. The more props you use, the more you need to keep checking to make sure things stay where they need to be. Same with posing. Don’t ask your family members to contort themselves into Cirque du Soliel groupings. They will not comply. Just trust me on this one. Tip No. 4.–If you are including yourself in the picture, you have two options. The first is to use a timer, which involves setting the camera up and running like a crazy person to get in place before the timer goes off. Which can make for really funny outtakes, but probably not what you are going for. Any time I have ever tried this, I end up a hot, sweaty mess. With a headache. The second option is to have a friend/family member take the picture. Just be sure to let them in on your vision for the image. A minimal understanding is that you do not want heads cropped entirely out of the photo. That would be bad. Tip No. 5–Set a time limit and stick to it. None of this “Just one more” crap, because kids get really cranky when you try that one. Believe me, I know. So there you have it–just some simple things to keep in mind when doing your Holiday Photos. If you get stuck, you can always come on over and I can do it for you. Happy Holidays! Are you planning on Professional Family Photos? Call 518.584.4237 to schedule a consultation today.