My Top 5 Holiday Portrait Tips
October, November and December are the prime time of the year for Holiday portraits. Here are my top 5 Holiday portrait tips to help you get the most out of your family portrait session.
1. Schedule Your Session Far in Advance
Perhaps the biggest tip that I can give you is to schedule your portrait session as far in advance as you can. The Holidays are the busiest time of the year for Photographers and you want to make sure to reserve your time on their calendar before they get too busy. During the Holiday’s, it is typical for me to have up to 12 sessions scheduled for Saturday and Sunday!
2. Plan on Arriving Early
It may not need to be pointed out, but during the Holiday’s it is more important than ever to arrive early – so that you can start your session on time. Since it is a busy time of the year, many sessions may be scheduled back-to- back. Most times of the year, I schedule sessions 30-60 minutes apart – but during the Holiday’s I schedule sessions with only 15-20 minutes apart.
If it is your first time at the location, showing up 10-15 minutes before the scheduled session time is a good idea. This should give you enough time to find parking and arrive at the meeting spot before the session has started. Also, if you have family members that are notorious for showing up late, make sure to tell them to arrive early. If the session is at 10 AM, telling certain family members that the session starts at 9:45 AM may be a good idea!
3. Invite Your Extended Family
Over the years, I’ve grown to understand the true importance of family portraits. So many people take these opportunities for granted. Any time where your family is in the same place, at the same time is a great opportunity for family portraits. Kids get older, the dynamics of families change and it is easy to overlook these moments.
Family portraits are one of those things in life that you value more-and-more as time goes by. I lost my grandfather to cancer in 2017 and in these moments, I found myself looking back on the fun images of him at my wedding in 2011. Weddings should not be the only time where you take family portraits. Scheduling yearly portraits is a great habit to get into. You’ll look back on these images and really appreciate them as time goes on.
4. Put A Little Thought Into Your Outfits
Deciding on what to wear for family portraits is something that you should spend a little time on. Your portraits can be as formal or as casual as you want them to be – but coordinating your outfits is one way to make your images stand out.
5. Communicate With Your Photographer on When the Images Will Be Delivered
Like I mentioned earlier, the months of October, November, and December are the busiest months of the year for family portraits. One of the things you’ll want to make clear is when the images are going to be delivered. I typically deliver images in 5-7 business days. If you are sending out Holiday cards, this may not be enough time to get them out in time. Make sure to ask your Photographer if they are able to deliver them faster. But this may require a nominal fee.
Hopefully these Holiday portrait tips are helpful in making sure you get the most out of your session. If you are looking to schedule portraits for the Holiday’s, I would love to connect with you. The best way to reach out to me is through the contact form on my website. Thanks!
