Family Holiday Picture Ideas

It is that time of year where we start receiving all of the beautiful Christmas cards with everyone’s family photos. I have to race Audrey to check the mail each day. I love seeing everyone’s growing families (age and number) and reading what each family has done throughout the year.

Family pictures can be such a stressful event. But every since I was pregnant with Audrey, I really try to make it a priority to get family pictures each year. Time really is a thief and I know if I don’t schedule it each year, the years will fly by and I love documenting the kids each year. The kids change so much month to month and you can really see the change in pictures. When I see them on a daily basis I don’t always recognize the change. And I may or may not go back through our family photos each year and shed a tear or two. It is crazy how you forget how little they were, chubby cheeks and round faces. It kills me!

Choose a Color Combination

The number one stress of pictures is finding coordinating family outfits. My amazing photographer gave me some of the best advice one day. She said find just one outfit or item of clothing you LOVE and build around it. I literally think of this advice every year when we have pictures. It can be so overwhelming when you try to imagine everyone’s outfits collectively. So I will find a dress for Audrey or I and then build around that. The boys are always pretty easy once I have searched and found the clothing item I love. This will typically pick my color theme.

It is recommended not to wear to bright of colors because they can be distracting in the photo. Also, do not pick patterns that clash and stand out. You want the family to be the focus, not the clothes. Subtle florals and plaids are always a favorite of mine. Lay out your clothes together to make sure all shades of you color combination coordinate. I love the earth tones, blushes, and whites as color themes for our family photos. Holiday styles with holiday plaids, reds, greens, and navy’s always make for a fun festive look.

How to Choose a Location

Choosing a location can be as simple as taking pictures at your family’s favorite spot. You can always keep an eye out for a fun bright wall, field of wild flowers, or your backyard is always a sentimental choice. You can let your photographer know the overall vibe you are wanting to achieve for your photo and he or she will have great suggestions on a location.

A couple of years ago, we almost had pastel colored pictures. The above family photos are hands down my favorites. It portrays us in our most natural environment, the beach. We have always loved going to the beach. It has been our go to place to relax and play as a family. But somehow the kids decided to grow up and change so much from the time we shot these photographs, to the time it came to send out our Christmas Card. And what’s funny, is there wasn’t much thought put into these pictures. We grabbed our swimsuits that were in the same color palette and quickly ran out to the beach. We let the kids run around and the end product is what you see.

Casual or Fancy

I was so excited to have an excuse to have a fancy family photo for a Christmas card a few years ago. Kris’s brother got married and thankfully Jenn did us a huge favor and snapped a quick family photo. Three of the four of us were in the wedding, so we were all fancy!

As soon as you decide on an overall vibe of your family photo shoot, you can align the color combination and location. Maybe your family is going to a fancy holiday party and you can always take a family photo.

Tips and Tricks

One of my number one tips is make sure you make it FUN! If mom and dad are stressed, the kids will feel it. Laugh and joke and try to make it your most natural environment. You can always bring snacks to the shoot, so no one gets hangry. Also, you can make sure you have something fun scheduled after the photos. It doesn’t have to be extravagant, maybe the kids favorite restaurant or ice cream shop, so they have something to look forward to after the shoot. The whole time doesn’t have to be all work and no play. I love having the kids run around, laughing, and joking. Kris is always good for one or two inappropriate jokes that gets us all going. This in turn give us natural and candid pictures of the kids.

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XOX

Mandy