Christmas Photo Session Tips: A Stress-Free Guide to Preparing Your Family

Christmas photo season is one of my favorite times of the year! Whether you're planning to use your photos for holiday cards, gifts, new frames around your home, or simply to document another year with your family, a little preparation can help make your session feel easy and enjoyable.

By October, my Bethlehem studio is filled with holiday sets, Christmas music, and lots of excited families. After more than 16 years of photographing children and families, I've learned that the best Christmas photos don't come from expecting everything to be perfect. They come from helping everyone feel comfortable, prepared, and ready to have a little fun.

If you already have a Christmas photo session on the calendar, here are some of my favorite tips to help you prepare.

Choose Your Outfits Ahead of Time

One of the biggest sources of stress before family photos is figuring out what everyone should wear. Don't leave this until the night before!

Instead of having everyone match exactly, choose outfits that coordinate. Start with one outfit you love and build the rest of the family's clothing around those colors.

Depending on the Christmas set you've selected, you might choose:

Classic holiday outfits for a timeless Christmas card look

Dressier clothing for an elegant holiday portrait

Sweaters, coats, scarves, and other winter layers for an outdoor-inspired set

Christmas pajamas for a cozy and playful look

Be sure to have everyone try on their complete outfit before your session. This is especially important for children, who seem to grow out of things overnight!

Don't forget the little details, either. Check shoes, socks, tights, accessories, and anything else that will show in your portraits.

Prepare Your Children for What to Expect

Talk to your children about the session before you arrive.

You can explain that you're going to take some family photos, show them photos from previous sessions, and let them know a little about what they'll be doing.

There's no need to practice smiles or tell them they need to "say cheese." In fact, I prefer that you don't!

My goal is to get genuine expressions rather than forced school-picture smiles. We'll work toward those important camera-aware portraits, but we'll also incorporate movement, interaction, hugs, laughs, and plenty of silliness.

Make Sure Everyone Has Eaten

Hungry kids and family photos are rarely a great combination!

Make sure children have something to eat before you leave for your session. If necessary, bring a clean, non-messy snack for the car ride.

Water is also a good idea, especially if you're coming directly from school, activities, or another busy part of your day.

And yes, promising a special treat or activity after the session can be excellent motivation!

Give Yourself Plenty of Time

Try to avoid rushing into your session already feeling stressed.

Plan your route ahead of time and give yourself extra time for traffic, getting everyone dressed, fixing hair, and all those last-minute things that inevitably happen when you're trying to get an entire family out the door.

Arriving calm makes it much easier for your children to feel calm, too.

Do a Quick Check Before Your Session

Before we start photographing, take a minute to check the little things that are easy to overlook.

Empty bulky items from pockets. Remove hair ties and watches if you don't want them in your photos. Check for temporary tattoos, chipped nail polish, bandages, dirty glasses, messy faces, and runny noses.

Bring along a brush or comb for quick hair fixes.

These tiny details may not seem important beforehand, but you'll notice them much more when you're looking at your finished portraits.

Let Your Children Be Themselves

Some children walk into the studio smiling and ready to go.

Others need a little time.

That's completely normal.

I've photographed children with every kind of personality over the years. Some are outgoing and energetic. Others are quiet and reserved. Some want to know exactly what's happening before they're willing to participate.

I adjust the session to the child in front of me.

If your child has lots of energy, we'll keep things moving. If they're more reserved, I'm not going to force them to be chatty or immediately interact with me.

The goal isn't to change their personality for the photos. It's to help them feel comfortable enough to let their personality show.

Don't Worry About Perfect Behavior

Parents sometimes arrive worried that their children won't cooperate.

Here's the good news: your children don't need to behave perfectly for us to create beautiful photos.

We'll start with important posed portraits when possible and then mix in interaction and movement. We may walk, hug, tickle, snuggle, tell jokes, or take a quick break.

If something isn't working, we'll change it.

Keeping children engaged is much more effective than expecting them to sit perfectly still and smile on command.

Be Ready to Help Me Get Those Smiles

Sometimes your child will smile more easily for you than they will for someone holding a camera.

For sibling photos or individual portraits of your children, I may have you stand behind me and help get their attention. Be prepared to sing, make funny noises, dance, or act a little silly!

This is one time when embarrassing yourself in public is completely encouraged.

One thing I recommend leaving tucked away is your cell phone. If your child loves your phone and sees it during the session, they may suddenly decide it's the only thing they want. And we definitely don't want it ending up in all of your Christmas photos!

Focus on Your Family, Not the Camera

Some of my favorite images happen when families stop thinking about being photographed.

Love on your kids. Hug them. Snuggle them. Laugh with them.

I'll guide you through the session, including where to stand, what to do with your hands, and where to look. You don't need to arrive knowing how to pose or wondering what you're supposed to do next.

That's my job.

Your job is simply to enjoy your family.

What Happens After Your Christmas Photo Session?

Once your session is complete, I'll professionally edit your images and prepare your online proofing gallery.

Your proof gallery will be delivered within two weeks of your session. From there, you'll choose the digital images included with your session. You'll also have the option to purchase additional digital images or upgrade to the full gallery.

And don't forget about your photos after you download them!

Christmas portraits make wonderful gifts for grandparents and family members. Professional prints, framed prints, canvases, acrylic blocks, and other products can turn this year's photos into gifts that will be enjoyed long after the holidays are over.

The Most Important of My Christmas Photo Session Tips: Enjoy It

Christmas photo sessions don't need to feel stressful.

Your kids don't need to be perfect. Your family doesn't need to know how to pose. And you don't need to spend the entire session worrying about whether everyone is smiling.

Come prepared, but then let me take it from there.

My goal is to make the experience as easy as possible while creating a combination of beautiful, camera-aware portraits and genuine moments that capture your family as they are right now.

Because years from now, that's the part you'll want to remember most.

Already Thinking About Next Year's Christmas Photos?

Christmas sessions are one of my most popular offerings each year, and many dates fill quickly.

Fall and Christmas session booking opens August 1 each year.

If you missed out this season or want first choice of next year's dates and Christmas sets, mark your calendar and be sure you're on my email list. I'd love to have your family join me for another holiday season in the Bethlehem studio!