Photograph your family holiday: 3 Tips for more meaning and less stress

Easy tips to photograph your family holiday

I don’t know why but every year, I feel caught off guard by December. How did a whole year slip by already? It feels too fast, especially with all the planning and festivities that come with December. There are holiday performances, potlucks, gifts, decorations, time with family and friends and so much good food. A lot of important memories are born in our holiday rituals and there is pressure to document all this magic.

Below I have 3 tips to help you photograph your family holiday with more meaning and less stress –

1. Determine what is most important to you.
   
   Don’t feel like you must capture every moment of the holidays. Focus on key events that matter most – maybe a visit to the grandparents, decorating the tree, or making cookies with the kids. Once you have an idea of what to focus on, give yourself permission to put your camera away and take a break.
   
2. Take fewer photos.
   
   Taking many photos feels like a safe thing to do, but it could be hurting you. If you take a bunch of photos with a loose plan to deal with them later, you’re not as focused and thoughtful so the quality of those photos suffers. Additionally, all these subpar photos clogging up your phone and hard drive are overwhelming. Too many options lead to decision paralysis. Instead of having your favorite moments printed, gifted or easily accessible to enjoy on your phone, they slip into digital obscurity.
   
3. Tell your story.
   
   Personally, if I look back at the most beloved photos from 5, 10, 20+ years ago, they all have something in common. They can instantly transport me back to that moment – like little time machines. Sometimes it’s a single photo, other times it’s a grouping of three or four photos together. Either way, these photos tell you more than what a person looks like smiling at the camera (although those have their place too), they tell a story.
   
   You can use a story-telling approach to take better photos of your family this holiday. Here, I mean story-telling in the literal sense which I’m simplifying to include theme (the message you want to communicate), mood (the emotional atmosphere), setting (where your story takes place), and characters (who will star in your story).

What does a story-telling approach look like?

One of our family’s Christmas traditions is to search for a Norfolk Pine to harvest and decorate. We’ve done this many times so I have an idea of how it’s going to play out and can anticipate key moments.

The theme for this tradition is adventure so I look for photos that support that theme. However, the mood often varies. Some years, the sun shines brightly with crisp weather and we easily find great trees. Other years, we hide in our cars until a rain squall passes before embarking on a slippery trail. One year, the kids ran ahead in a pack, and we lost them for a full 20 minutes. That was scary. The idea is to capture what it feels like to be there.

In the photo above golden sun peeks through the dark forest as my son searches for the perfect tree. Wearing a sweater and walking barefoot adds to winter in Hawaii atmosphere.

Setting – To set the scene, I Include wide shots of the forest showcasing the height of the trees and wild feeling. Details like pine cones and leaves carpeting the forest floor add texture and depth. We used these to create wreaths.

Characters. Who was there? What friends did we manage to convince to join us on our tree journey and how did they experience it. Not only faces, but what tells you a little about this character? In the last photo you can see a sleepy toddler being carried along with the tree.

Summary: The easy way to photograph your family holiday

In short, don’t feel pressured to photograph everything. Determine what matters most and approach it with attention to the story that’s unfolding – the theme, mood, characters and setting. Don’t force things that aren’t happening as expected or direct anyone. Instead, be flexible and open to whatever happens. That’s when the real magic happens. Take your photos and then put your camera away so you can enjoy uninterrupted time with your favorite people.

Naturally, you can extend these tips to photograph your family holiday to family vacations, trips to the beach, special events, or every day family chaos.

Of course the easiest way to document your family beautifully is by hiring a professional family photographer. We’re happy to join you to photograph your family’s favorite traditions or meet you for a fun day at the beach. If you prefer something smaller, we offer mini holiday portrait sessions in the spring and fall. If you’re unsure how to pick the best family photographer, you can see tips here.