With the Holidays rapidly approaching, one thing on the mind of many, many Moms is this: “How am I going to choose the perfect family photo for our Holiday cards?” Sure, we are used to seeing adorable photos of angelic looking kids and perfectly poised families that rival the Cleaver Family of “Leave It To Beaver” fame. You know what I mean. Perfectly groomed hair, immaculate clothing free of any stains, wrinkles or other problems, and of course, there is that seemingly genius pose that looks like it belongs on a magazine cover.
When I see such photos, I get worried. Okay, and maybe a little jealous, too. You see, I have a great family…A beautiful family, actually. However, for some reason while taking family photos, there always seems to be some sort of mishap. My photos never, ever end up looking like some that I receive from other family members in their Holiday cards. Getting a child to sit perfectly still? Not so easy at all. When you have a toddler, this is a task much easier said than done. So I am in awe of the families that get their kids to sit pretty for the family photos. How do they DO it?
Well, I have been searching high and low for tips to help make our family photos a bit more successful. After all, no one wants to see a photo of a child struggling to run away as fast as possible and their poor parents trying to maintain composure as they wait for that one perfect shot. I was thrilled to find that there is much more to a good photo than simply making sure everyone is in place and smiling. There are a ton of tips, tricks, and ideas to make a successful photo shoot, even with a toddler in the family. Here are some great ideas to help Family Photo Day go just a little bit more smoothly this year:
- Choose the proper setting. A poorly lit area or one cluttered with toys and other distractions may not be the best choice. I love natural light, so a room with a lot of windows or even an outdoor shot can yield fabulous results.
- Speaking of natural light….Mid-day sun may be a little too bright. It might be a good idea to shoot any outdoor photos in the morning or evening, when the sun isn’t beating down in all its fury.
- Choose the time of day when kids are the happiest. Trying to shoot a good photo when a child is tired, hungry, hyper, or otherwise over-stimulated won’t get good results. So definitely try and work your photo shoot around your kids’ routines. Trust me. You’ll thank me later!
- Remove distractions from the scene. Sure, we all love using props in our photos. In my home, this isn’t always easy since my toddler likes to “play” with the props. So instead of a prop that can easily be manhandled, such as a ball, I like using simple things like stockings hanging in the background. They are pretty, seasonal, and cannot easily be grabbed by curious little hands.
- If you’re not into using props, choose a simple background. Some of my favorite photos were taken on old porches, in front of a lighthouse, and even in front of a beautiful old barn. Remember, the focus of the photo should be your family, not necessarily your surroundings.
- Make sure your camera’s settings are set to the proper settings for the conditions you’re planning to shoot in. This makes a HUGE difference in the quality of your photos.
- Keep it simple and casual. Sure, make sure the kids are wearing clean clothing and are well groomed, but there really is no need to deck them out in their Holiday Best. Often, small children do not like being in scratchy, starchy dresses or suits, and they certainly won’t sit still for very long. Some of the best photos I have seen have families simply wearing jeans and white shirts. They look like they would every day together, and this gives a much more natural feel. Sometimes simple really IS better!
- Speaking of wardrobe…Coordinate, but don’t feel the need to match perfectly. For example, I mentioned the simplicity of white shirts and jeans. I think it looks much better if the jeans aren’t all the exact same style or wash. And of course the shirts don’t need to be identical, either. Maybe button-style collared tops for the boys and men and something more feminine for the gals, like something ruffled with a small pop of color. Or perhaps you can choose a couple of different coordinating colors and incorporate them in different ways into all of the outfits. Get creative and have fun, but remember: You don’t need to appear like you’re in uniform!
- Lastly, have fun. Realize that there’s no such thing as perfect. Hiccups happen. Kids squirm. It may take several tries before you have that perfect photo for your Christmas cards. Getting stressed can just make things take longer, and kids do pick up on parental frustration. So smile. Relax. Try and have fun with it. Relaxed parents=more relaxed kids, and chances are, you’ll have the photo you’re looking for in no time. Remember, being perfect isn’t the goal. Try and get the photo that is uniquely YOU that best represents your family, giggles and all!
Hopefully, using the above tips, your family photos will be amazing and relatively painless this year! I’d also like to share a great feature from Shutterfly, a leader in cards, photo gifts, and more!
To get ready for the upcoming Holiday season, the great folks at Shutterfly want to help you get the best family photos possible, and in plenty of time to make your photo cards to send to family and friends! Throughout November, they will be having Family Photo Days! What is this? Well, this great, interactive promotion features tons of ways you can get the best pictures ever! Here’s just a small sample of what’s included in this promotion:
- Digital Toolkit posted online to help you get started! This is also downloadable! That means you can have all the great tips and tricks from Shutterfly right in your back pocket, ready when you need it the most!
- Sponsor Families will be having Family Picture Day House Parties out of their homes! What a great way to find some inspiration!
- Mother’s groups around the country will congregate and take family photos for their Holiday cards!
- There will even be some great contests with 5 winners based on type of photo! (Best funny photo, most unique, etc.)
- There are even exclusive partner offers for you, just for participating!
To learn more about Shutterfly’s Family Photo Days, please visit their website.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written on behalf of Shutterfly. All opinions are my own.