Tips To Click The Perfect Family Holiday Photograph

The joyful season is upon us and we all want to create memories on our cameras and smartphones. You could either opt-in or capturing those priceless moments yourself. Or, you can hire a professional photographer.

Investing in one also means you get their creative direction, expertise and good photo editing.  Here are a few tips to get that perfect family portrait.

DIY:

⁃ Looking into colours everyone wears is a major part of deciding where the viewer is looking as soon as they land their eyes on the image. Sticking to 1 to 3 shades for everyone’s outfits is a great idea. Avoid prints and stick to light pastel shades.

⁃ Comfort is key. If the kids are not comfortable they’re not gonna be happy in these images. For eg: don’t choose to have your kids wear new shoes in a family shoot! 

⁃ Pay a little attention to the backdrop/decor/distractions around you when you choose to get the family portrait done. Keep it simple. Reduce distractions such as extremely bright show pieces/paintings around you. 

⁃ Keep those selfie sticks at bay. Invest in a tripod to hold your phone or camera. Use the timer option and click images the traditional way. Trust me, 20 years later, you will not appreciate having half a selfie stick in your image. 

⁃ Try multiple and different types of shots. Take a bunch of images and pick your favourites after. Try either a formal approach or a more casual approach. Make it exciting with the younger ones and have them strike any pose they want. Let the kids be kids! 

⁃ Lighting, lighting, lighting!  This is the key to an amazing set of images. If you choose to shoot outdoors, do it while the light is soft and golden (typically an hour before sunset or an hour after sunrise). If you are shooting indoors, make sure the light source faces you so everyone’s face is well lit.

⁃ Print those images. Prints are the only evidence that moment existed. Digital copies on your phone/cloud will not be downloaded 20 years later!

⁃ Lastly, have fun while doing this. Show some love to your family. Laugh. Giggle. Jump. Hug. Kiss. Snuggle. Cuddle. Play. Having fun also helps elicit natural reactions that can be captured in the moment.  (Skip those planned-it shots a.k.a candid!)