1.  Make it Short and Sweet

For most families, you do not need a very long photo session to get your perfect holiday card. Less time is better. Pick your favorite spot for the photo session or ask your photographer for recommendations. Children under 10 particularly do not have the patience to stand and pose for a long duration of time. Do not feel that you need to schedule a session that is one hour long and you need 100 photos to pick from. A 20-minute (mini family session) is perfect and your photographer should be able to provide you with 10-15 photos to pick from.

2. Your Photographer Should Make It Fun

As a photographer, I always like to ask the kids a lot of questions like their age, grade in school, favorite activities, etc. One of the best tricks is I have the kids run in an open field with no commitment to look at me. Their smiles generally radiate from this and they feel free and happy. Once they’ve run through the yard a little bit, I have them stand still with their parents and siblings, hold hands and look left and right at members in their family. After I think I've gotten a few good ones, I tell them to run again, but this time towards me. It seems to work every time! 

3. Pick a Good Color Scheme

It helps to have complementary colors, so picking a color scheme you like works best. At most, pick 2-3 colors (for example – tan, gray and navy blue) and then adding some pops of color looks really good.

4. You Don't Need to Match

As cute as it is for everyone to match, you don’t need to have duplicate outfits in the photo. The photos can look dated (hello 1998!) and this trend has passed. For example, guys can wear collard shirts; girls in a skirt and mom in jeans with a nice top would be perfectly acceptable. Everyone should be able to add their own character and flair to the photos.

5. Think Textures and Layers

For both men and ladies, make sure everyone in the family feels like they can enhance their outfit the way they want. This means for guys perhaps a t-shirt underneath a colored shirt or a vest. For girls, hair accessories, tights, leggings or scarves are great options to add to the outfit.

6.  This Photo Can Have a Long Shelf Life

Think if this photo were enlarged as a canvas and hung in your living room for years to come. Keeping the outfits simple and color scheme atheistically pleasing is always a good idea.

7.  No Graphics

Your little ones may love their “Superman Shirt” but I can guarantee graphic t-shirts will look distracting in the photos.

8.  No Work Out Clothes

Your son may have just come from his soccer game, but take the time to have him change out of his uniform, high socks, and stretchy clothes.

9.  Think About Your Backdrop

Whether it is in the middle of Time Square or in the middle of a wide-open field near a barnyard, it is important to consider your background. Your family outfits may be perfect for a city feel but not necessarily the Colorado Mountains. Think about where you would like to have your photo taken and then start envisioning your color scheme and outfits.

10.  After Your Session, Refer a Friend

If you liked your session with your photographer, be sure to spread the word and share the photos with your friends! Most of the time, photographers will do a referral program where if you refer a friend you can receive discounts on prints or future sessions.