How to Take Perfect Winter Holiday Photos According to Photographers
It’s that time of year again – winter photos! Even if you don’t take photos for holiday cards every year, it’s so worth it to take photos just for memories’ sake. Here are 4 things, recommended by professional photographers, that you should take into consideration for perfect winter holiday photos.
1. Coordinate Outfits, Don’t Match Them
One of the biggest pet peeves of photographers who take holiday card photos is when an entire family shows up in matching outfits. Matching outfits on Christmas morning is adorable! However, for photography purposes, an entire family wearing buffalo plaid can throw off settings and make editing difficult. Plus, any individuality between family members is thrown out the window.
Coordinate your outfits as if you’re decorating a room. Choose one color scheme, then add shades and textures to differentiate family members from each other. Make sure to match everyone’s style so you’re all at the same level of formality. Finally, keep in mind that you may be using these photos all year. Consider wearing clothing that you would wear any time of year, not just during the holidays!
Fashion Trends That Never Go Out of Style
2. Get Your Makeup In Order
It’s normal for a client to ask a photographer “Can you Photoshop my face to be smoother?” or “Can you make my eye makeup a bit more smooth?” However, it’s a different ball game when clients start asking photographers to add makeup onto their faces.
Make sure to get your makeup done as if your photographer won’t do any editing. They still will, but it’ll be much easier for them to fix up your photos if they don’t have to add in eyeshadow or lipstick. Find a local makeup artist to help you out by searching for them online. For instance, this Raleigh lash extensions company can provide lash extensions so your photographer doesn’t have to add in fake eyelashes!
3. Choose Your Setting
Photographers will have tons of recommendations for holiday photo settings. Some photographers will do “holiday minis” where they have a setup (usually with a truck, blankets, and holiday decorations) and they take photos of you for 15-20 minutes. This is a great way to do some quick photos, but if you’re looking for a longer shoot, you should take the time to find the perfect setting.
If you plan on using these photos only for holiday cards or purposes, a Christmas tree lot is a great place to do your photoshoot. If you plan on using these photos all year, any outdoor setting will do. Choose your setting carefully and your photos will look great!
4. During the Shoot: Don’t “Pose”
This final tip sounds weird, but some photographers don’t pose their clients. Instead, they’ll have them be active and walk around, interact with each other, tell funny jokes, or even just document decorating the Christmas tree or baking cookies. This is called “lifestyle” photography.
Consider using this type of photography for your holiday photos. Sure, you can have some traditional posed photos for memories’ sake. Any photographer can do that for you. But you’ll probably like the photos of your family laughing and interacting with each other much better than the posed photos! Even if you don’t use them for your “official” holiday photos, you’ll still have the memories to look back on and treasure.
Final Thoughts
Winter holiday photos are a great way to get your family together and make some lasting memories. Remember these four tips and you’ll get some great shots to treasure for a lifetime!
Feature Image: Photo by Giuliana Photography
