The holidays are upon us, which means in just a couple of weeks a lot of us will receive an onslaught of holiday cards from family and friends all over the world. “It’s the one time of the year when you’re deliberately contacting everyone who’s important in your life. You wish to make your holiday card unique,” says photographer Laura Case. Although she’s a big lover of posed shots in the front of the fireplace or tree, Case mixes up her vacation shoots with indoor and outdoor settings. Listed below are a number of approaches in which you can capture memorable moments together with your house as the backdrop, for a holiday card that individuals will remember.
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1. Shoot on the front steps. The front porch front steps and entrance are favorite shooting spots among photographers and clients alike. “Year after year, households simply love shooting the front steps of the homes,” says Case.
Hint: Cropping is everything when it comes to holiday photographs. The strategic cropping and framing within this photo let you zone in and appreciate the subjects’ facial expressions and the feel of the background doorway and floors.
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Case says most households opt for front door or entryway backdrop since it is one of those few places in the house that’s always camera ready. “We usually dress up our front porch or entrance, particularly when it’s vacation season. And the front door is where we have layout details that we’re more than happy to show off, such as a homemade holiday wreath, complicated molding or intriguing wood grain in the floor or doorway,” says Case.
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2. Highlight companions. Not everybody has children or wishes to feature children in their vacation photos — which opens the doorway for our furry domestic pals. Cats, dogs and and other pets make the most adorable holiday cards also have broad appeal. Sling a cat’s paw over the rear of your favorite wicker chair or wrap a dog’s furry face in a wool blanket and take away. (Do not forget to reward your subject with some treats.)
Hint: Case urges shooting by a window for maximum natural light. “Unless you’re a pro, built-in flash and artificial light aren’t your friends for interior shoots,” she states, adding that natural light casts a flattering glow.
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3. Use chairs. This preloved mustard-yellow sofa picks the earthy tones of the grass. Natural light from the magic twilight hour casts a beautiful glow. The topics’ irregular arrangement on the vibrant seat adds a whimsical vibe.
Hint: Rearrange furniture and mix up things. Place outdoor furniture indoors and vice versa; think outside the interior box of your dwelling.
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4. Swing and perform. For best results, take family photographs in natural light. “We are seeing clients take their vacation photographs in their backyards, facing trees and in the outside,” says Ashley La Fountain of Tiny Prints, which delivers photo and paper products.
Hint: Shoot subjects doing something which feels natural to them. This holiday card catches a little gal perched on a bicycle doing something which she enjoys to perform every afternoon.
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Bed and bedroom shots work best when the photo topics are wearing a uniform colour or when the mattress’s design and cosmetic details are picture ready. In the preceding picture, the mattress’s elaborate headboard adds visual interest plus some feel to the photo. In this one a four-post canopy bed mixes angles and curves; the bed also frames the topics, and also the draped canopy fabric gives the picture some motion.
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5. Head to the garage. Photographer Amy Renea enjoys using garage doors as backdrops for household shoots at any time of the year. “Most homes have garage doors. And they are typically the largest expanse of unbroken colour in a house, making them stunning backdrops for photos,” she states.
Homeowner Barbara Ramirez always uses her house’s brick exterior for picture backdrops. “It’s beautiful reclaimed brick from a classic building in New Orleans. And it is a great way of seeing how tall my daughter has increased during time,” she states.
Hint: Situate the subject a few feet in the background and utilize a lower aperture. “That way the background is blurred and really lets the eye love the sharpness and sharpness of the foreground subject,” states Renea.
6. Allow the love show. Photographer Lindsey Freitas believes that the entire home is perfect for a fire — provided that the images show how the household and loves in the house. “Whether it is little children running down hallways, sitting on the staircase while linking shoes or reading novels with Mother and Dad, I want my customers to look at the images and really identify with them. It’s the biggest compliment when they tell me that I’ve caught the essence of their family in one shot and that they’ll remember that moment forever,” says Freitas.
Hint: Do not expect the children to collaborate and amuse themselves for hours on end. Have plenty of ammunition ready: Costumes, snacks, books, funny faces and upbeat music go a long way in keeping the mood light and fun.
Renea encourages households to take the trampoline out if there is one in the home. “Everyone can leap around for a bit and loosen up; you always get the most authentic smiles afterwards,” states Renea.
Freitas has holiday cards from customers and friends all of the over the world. “The ones who stick out are those where I can definitely see the love and hear the laughter,” she states.
Tell us Where in the house are you shooting your holiday cards? Show us your pictures below in the Remarks section.