Let’s take a look at your holiday card checklist. Find a photographer? Check. Picked out your outfit for the shoot? Check. Got some smiles and your poses down? Nailed it.
Now you have your photos back from your mini-sessions! Or, maybe you’re scrolling through your camera roll looking for the perfect one. Need some help picking the perfect photo for your holiday card? Follow our tips:
Sort and eliminate efficiently.
First, do a quick run-through of all your family shots and do some eliminating. Are there any not totally in focus? Are someone’s eyes closed? Does one person have crazy fly-aways? Asking these questions is an easy way to erase some options for your card.
Don’t be afraid to pick a photo with you in it!
There are a lot of families who just put photos of their adorable children on their holiday cards. But why not include you as well? Show off the whole family!
Take a look at everyone in the photograph.
Now that you’ve gotten rid of any crazy hair shots or wardrobe malfunctions, also stop and look closely at everyone’s expressions in the photographs. Is their smile more of a grimace? Is there too much sun in their eyes? Most importantly, would they be happy with this photo being mailed out to your whole list?
Stay away from the too posed shots.
Any time you take a planned photograph you end up going into some type of pose. However, sometimes being posed can become a little too stiff and awkward. Do the people in your photo look relaxed and comfortable? Plus, some planned candid shots look more real and inviting! This isn’t your school portrait from 1985, it’s your holiday card photo – and it should have a little more joy in it.
Show off who you and your family really are.
Don’t forget to add some personality to your holiday card! This is about you and your family so it should reflect who you really are. You can also accomplish this by personalizing the back of your card with more photos (maybe even some kooky outtakes!), highlights from your year, or even five new things you did in quarantine to pass the time.
Think about the design.
Before you make your final choice, think about the design of the holiday card you want. Do you want to go portrait or landscape? Do you have enough photos for a card with multiple photo buckets, or do you want to only feature one? Also, does your ideal photo have enough space at the top (or bottom!) to feature text? Keep these items in mind before selecting your final image.
Take your digital photos and transform them into a thoughtful physical memory for your loved ones. Order your holiday cards today!
Thanks to Destiny’s Creations and Jillian Farnsworth Photography for the photos featured in this post!