How to Take Amazing Holiday Portraits

How to take amazing holiday portraits.

It’s the season for holiday portraits! This is the time of year when we rush the kids out onto the front porch before they stain their new sweater, to get a quick picture for holiday cards. The picture usually ends up a little different than you envisioned – good enough, but not breathtaking.  The light isn’t perfect.  Expressions look forced.  Everyone is waiting for the process to end.   How about slowing down a bit, and doing something really beautiful to capture the loveliness of the age of your children in this moment of time?   How about thinking in advance about a few simple props, like your puppy or some apples?  Keep it simple and natural.  But invest a little time and brain power, and you’ll have amazing holiday portraits this year.

This year I took my little ones to a place with the most beautiful afternoon light.  Look for a spot with lots of depth of field — trees and bushes growing in different heights.  Find a location where the sun is going down behind all that greenery.  About 30 minutes before the sun sets, arrive at the location, and photograph your children with the sun behind them to get beautiful rim light.  Their faces will be in perfect soft light, and the sun will light their little heads.  If you have a lens with aperture capability, shoot wide open at 2.8, or 2.0 if you can.  Let your kids be their natural, beautiful selves and just follow them around.  You’ll end up with images that you will be excited to put on a holiday card.