Holiday card photos: four things that make the photo work at card size

In this guide10

A place that feels like your family

Choose a place that feels like your family, a favorite beach or park, not just a pretty backdrop. The spot where your kids already know where the sand ends and the swings start is the spot where they relax, and relaxed faces are what read at card size.

1. Start with where you already spend your weekends. A beach you walk on, the park with the good climbing tree, your own backyard or a living room with a big window. Familiar places make for easy, natural photos.
2. Think about the practical side. A short walk from parking, a bathroom nearby for little ones, and an easy path for a grandparent all matter more than the view. On the coast, the bluffs can be windy late in the day, so a sheltered corner helps.
3. Plan for the dog. Many beaches and parks have leash rules, so check the signs before you settle on a spot.
4. Not sure where? Tell me what your family loves doing, and I'll suggest a few places that fit. Holiday Mini Sessions happen at one carefully chosen place each weekend.

Outfits that read well small

Choose outfits that read well small: solid colors, simple layers, no big logos. What looks great up close can turn busy once the whole family is printed a few inches wide.

1. Solid colors and texture. Solid colors stay clear at card size. If you want interest, get it from texture instead of pattern: a chunky knit, corduroy, a soft velvet or a denim jacket.
2. Skip busy small patterns, big logos and neon. Thin stripes and small checks blur together when the photo is small, words and logos pull every eye, and neon can bounce color onto faces.
3. Simple layers. A sweater, cardigan or jacket over a plain top looks polished and keeps everyone warm, because late afternoon on the coast can turn cool quickly once the sun drops.
4. Holiday colors are welcome. If your family wants to wear the season's colors, go for it. Deep, rich shades usually look better in photos than very bright ones.
5. Try a quick test. Line everyone up in their outfits, take one phone photo from across the room, and look at it as a small thumbnail. If anything jumps out or turns to a blur, swap it.

• navy
• denim
• dusty blue
• pale blue

Colors that flatter you

Wear colors that flatter you, and coordinate instead of matching. Start with one color everyone likes, then let each person pick their own shade of it.

1. Wear what suits you. Every family has someone who glows in one color and looks tired in another. Pick the colors you already get compliments in. If you're unsure, hold the top up near your face by a window: a color that suits you makes your skin look brighter, not grayer.
2. Coordinate, don't match. Identical outfits can make a family look like a uniform, and the faces get lost. Different shades of one color look pulled together and still let each person be themselves.
3. One color, everyone's own shade. If the family picks blue, one person might wear navy, another denim, another a dusty blue and the youngest a pale blue. Add a neutral or two, like cream or camel, to fill in.
4. Keep the dressiness even. If one person is in a dress and another is in a hoodie, the hoodie wins the eye. Aim for outfits that look like they belong to the same day.
5. Dress the kids first. Little ones are the hardest to get into something they'll actually wear, so start with what they're happy in and build the grown-ups' outfits around them.

Plan around the kids

Plan around the kids. Pick their best time of day and feed everyone first, because happy kids make the card.

1. Their best time of day, not yours. If your little one naps after lunch, plan for after the nap, not right before it. Early morning works well for many young kids. In late fall and winter the soft light before sunset comes earlier in the afternoon, which often suits small children better than a summer evening would.
2. Feed everyone first. A real snack before you leave home makes a bigger difference than any outfit. Pack easy, mess-free snacks and water for after, and skip anything that stains.
3. Change at the last minute. Put the nice clothes on just before you leave, and bring a spare top for the child most likely to find the ocean, the sand or the juice.
4. Tell them what will happen. A short, simple plan helps: a few photos together, then time to run around. A small treat waiting for afterward helps too.
5. Don't ask them to smile. "Cheese" usually gets a grimace. A silly question, a whisper game or a race back to Mom works better, and I'll help with that. Some of the best card photos are the frame right after the posed one.

Holiday Mini Session or full family session?

Both make a lovely card. The difference is how much time you have, where you are, and how much you want beyond the card itself. Here's how they compare.

Which one fits your family?

Not sure which? Send an inquiry, tell me a little about your family, and I'll tell you honestly which one I think fits.

What if the weather turns?

I watch the forecast, the wind and the air quality, and I make the call, so you don't have to guess. Holiday Mini Sessions have rain dates set aside in advance, listed on the Holiday Mini Sessions page, and weather moves for full sessions are always free.

Coastal fog and soft overcast skies aren't a reason to postpone. They make some of the loveliest light, they're kind to everyone's eyes, and nobody squints. What you can plan for is the temperature: bring a warm layer for everyone, and a blanket for the smallest ones between frames.

Choosing your card after the photos

You don't need a card design picked out before your session, and you don't need to plan the photo around one. Choose your favorite photos first, then find a card design that fits them. It's much easier to find a design for a photo you love than a photo for a design.

1. There will be options. I photograph both vertical and horizontal frames, so whichever card layout you fall for, there's likely a favorite that fits it.
2. Expect a little trimming. Card designs crop the edges of a photo to fit their frame. When you preview your card, check that no one's face or hands are cut off at the sides or bottom, and slide the photo in the frame if the site lets you.
3. Look for a little breathing room. If you'd like your greeting printed over the photo, a frame with some open sky, sand or plain background beside the family makes it easy to set the words without covering anyone.
4. One photo or a few. Some families love one big photo; others like a front photo with two or three smaller ones on the back. Both work, so let your favorites decide.

I'd rather give you ten photos you love than fifty you scroll past.

When should you book holiday card photos?

Count back from the day you want cards in mailboxes:

1. Mailing: give the post office its usual time, and more for cards going far away.
2. Printing and shipping: check your print shop's turnaround before you book; it varies by shop and by season.
3. Choosing: a few evenings, if more than one person gets a vote.
4. Your gallery: Holiday Mini Sessions arrive within 14 days; a full session gallery follows in about two weeks, always within three.

I can't promise any card, gift or printing deadline beyond my own delivery time, so the earlier your session, the more room you have. Mini dates are limited, too.

What can we do with the photos besides the card?

Your gallery comes with a personal print release, so you can print wherever you like. A few ideas: a print for each grandparent, a small framed photo for a desk, and one larger print of the favorite that didn't suit the card layout. The best holiday photo is often the one that isn't on the card at all.

Frequently asked questions