Do you remember the days when you would pick out a nice box of Christmas cards and spend hours upon hours writing and addressing cards to your loved ones? I would always take my time finding the perfect set of Christmas cards, addressing them carefully. Now we live in a digital age. We have transitioned to more photo centered Holiday greetings and most of us turn to a photo printing website to make them. Many of us attempt to get the whole family involved, dressing them up in coordinating outfits. This year with a new baby, I really wanted to have a few family photos to remember his first Christmas!
But one question leaves many of us feeling stumped. What are we going to wear?! Do you all match? Wear complimentary colors? All solids? Some print? The possibilities are endless. And the truth is there is not really a right or wrong way of taking a family photo. Simply having all of your loved ones in one photo is a huge blessing in itself. But I thought I would share a few of my tips and advice that really helped us in capturing this family moment.
1. Choose One Outfit First
I actually found Oliver’s outfit at Target a couple of weeks ago and decided to create the color scheme of our Holiday look based off his clothing. From there, I looked in my closet to find clothes that would compliment his outfit. I didn’t want to purchase a new dress for the shoot, so I went for this sparkley red number I already had in my closet. To neutralize the look, James wore something more simple and classic.
2. Find the Location After You Know What You’re Wearing
This might seem obvious to some. But for example, you don’t want to shoot the photos on a ranch if you are wearing a ball gown! It is key to have the background of your shoot to compliment the vibe you are wanting.
3. Plan Your Time Properly
If you have kids or even a fur child, you know that they don’t always like to cooperate for photographs. Although at times it is inevitable for them to act out or be fussy, you can try to plan your time to avoid pitfalls. I know that Oliver is happiest right after he is fed. So I got fully ready, fed him, and left directly after. I knew that that would give us a cushion of time before he entered his usually fussy period. You know your children best. Try to plan your pictures to be at their prime happy time. And if they don’t cooperate, you tried your best! Oliver didn’t feel like smiling for the pictures, but at least he wasn’t screaming his head off!
4. Don’t Worry About Perfection
The reality is it can be very difficult to have everyone cooperate perfectly to capture that ideal picture. You might be bouncing the baby in between pics, pulling your dress into formation, trying to get your toddler to look into the camera, or even bribing your puppy with a treat. It might not go perfectly and that is okay! Give yourself grace, and be thankful you will have this little moment captured at all.
What are some of your top tips on taking a family photo? Share your suggestions in the comments below!
P.S This dress is also seen in THIS post.
