It's much easier than you think to get great photos of your children for your holiday cards... and you probably have everything you need at home already!
One of the simplest things that you can do to help your photos look more professional and less candid is to use a solid background. Most of us don't have backdrops at our disposal, but it's easy to improvise! My favorite backdrops are micro fleece blankets. They are inexpensive, great texture, and they don't show wrinkles. I have a variety of sizes and colors, my favorites being cranberry, beige and cream. For single shots, I will drape them over a recliner or other high backed chair and then shoot away! For group shots, I hang the blankets over our entertainment center or on curtain rods, using clear packing tape to hold it in place. Here are a few examples:
Color is also a big factor in holiday photos and it can be hard to know what kids should wear without having a card design picked out in advance. When in doubt we recommend neutral colors, because then you leave all your options open for choosing a design and leaving your photos in color. For group photos, try sticking to a similar theme without having to match exactly. In the photo above, the boys are all kept in neutral tones, so even though they aren't wearing exactly the same thing, it's still cohesive.
Our last tip for the day to to try using simple props! This works best with single shots, especially with newborns and infants. Baskets, wagons, stockings, santa hats, and even holiday lights all make great additions to photos of little ones! Here are a few examples, in some of our favorite designs!
If you ever have questions about a photo, would like to know editing possibilities, or discuss suitability for a particular card, please feel free to email us at photos@sweetbabydesigns.com!
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