My best friend recently called and asked if I would do a post on holiday photos. I thought that was nuts as my family photos are never better than the next person’s but she convinced me that there is more to it than I think and that she struggles every year running around the mall finding things for the family to wear. It doesn’t have to be that stressful. So today I am working with Nordstrom and sharing part 1 of my holiday photo tips. It’s all about the mom today but we will get to the rest of the family members soon!
Tip #1: Start with You!
It may sound selfish, but it will make your experience much easier. I have always told my friends and anyone who asks, to start with their own outfit. Why? Well, because quite frankly you may care the most about how you feel in it. If you feel great, you’ll look great. Photos can be stressful. The only person stressing over holiday photos seems to be the mom so let’s make mom happy! Right?! Of course you want your entire family feeling comfortable and they should wear what is “them” but starting with what I am wearing has always helped guide the rest of the choices. I love this print. The colors are so pretty and it’s the cut-out detail that make this dress unique. It’s cute with flats, boots, heels and booties. If you are starting to think about holiday photos, this would be a great dress to wear and then you could pull out so many great colors for other family members.
boho dress | booties | necklace
Tip #2: Timing is Key
The time of your shoot is paramount (which your photographer will know if you are using one). If you are shooting on your own with a tripod, I would suggest early morning light or evening. Evening light is very kind to everyone and always my preference. Always try to do your shoots about 30 minutes before sunset. I’m sure you have heard the term, “Golden Hour” and that’s what it refers to. . . the golden glow on the subjects. It’s a dream. If you can’t quite time it correctly, find a shady spot. Never shoot in direct sunlight and just be sure the sun is not shining in some spots on your subject. That makes the final product look spotty. Shade is your friend.
The boho style of the dress works well with the saddle bag and booties. I continue to get so many compliments on these booties and people are alway shocked to find out they are Toms. Crazy comfy. In fact, I wore them to travel just last week and have been wearing them daily up in Monterey.
Tip #3: Choose Your Location Wisely
It’s important to know the feel you want for the photo. Do you want rustic? Do you want a city vibe? Once you know your feel and location, it’s far easier to know what you should wear. The boho dress works for this location and feels very natural. A formal dress, for example, would feel out of place here. Although this is one of my favorite new dresses that Nordstrom is carrying. Also be sure to consider what type of shoes will work. In this orange grove, tiny heels are hard to pull off but a chunkier block heel works really well.
I rounded up some other great anchor pieces that would allow you to incorporate more colors with your other family members
Shop More Dresses
This J Crew leopard print would be really fun. I will show you in an upcoming post what I would put the rest of the family in if this were what the mom chose to wear.
Tip #4: Color Combinations
Don’t be afraid to add color. The more the merrier as long as the family is well coordinated.
If you went with something like this polka dot print you could go with the obvious navy and white and then toss in a bright punch of color. I have always been drawn to this color combination and it looks great in photos.
If you like a beach setting it’s fun to go really casual or extremely romantic. I can see someone walking through the shallow water with this pretty dress. Gorgeous. With my luck I would end up getting washed away with a wave!
Shop Cute Tops
Many families choose to wear denim, which we do a lot, keeping it more casual. If you go that route, try and add some color and pattern with the tops you put everyone in. Just be sure to avoid tiny pinstripes as sometimes they can get captured as wavy lines. Have you seen that happen? This top is really cute and would look great in a holiday photo.
Shop Fun Scarves
Another option is to find an accessory like a scarf that you love and use that as your anchor piece for choosing what everyone else wears. I did that in this set of family photos and it made the process really easy. This one could be a really pretty color palette for photos with denim, navy and white. This one comes in three different color options and is a really pretty print to work from.
Here’s an example of letting the scarf lead the outfits. You could pull out the colors I did or even just stick to navy and cream. So many options with this.
I hope this helps you start to think about snapping photos of your children or family photos for cards this year. I will be back with Part 2 sharing how to blend different patterns and outfits.
I’m off to take more classes here at the Michaels Makers Summit. Really looking forward to sharing what I am learning. Rumor has it there is a class on table settings and floral arrangements which has my name written all over it.
Have a great day!
*Thank you to Taylor Color for the photos and proud to partner with Nordstrom on this post. Affiliate links used.
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