The days turn colder and the neighborhood fills with seasonal decorations; holiday season is arriving! A time of gathering and gift-giving, connection, and family time, this season is one of the year's brightest and busiest. The best way to enter the flurry of the holiday season is to enter it prepared and empowered. Planning for gift-giving is a great way to get a head-start on the season.
'Tis The Season
One of the most meaningful gifts to give loved ones is pictures of your family, and one of the best times for photoshoots is... right now!
The cool fall weather and beautiful hues of the changing leaves make for the perfect canvas to snap beautiful family shots. Whether you want to capture images with a significant other, pet, or your children, now is the ideal time to snap photos you and your loved ones will cherish forever.
Once you have your photos taken and edited by a professional photographer, gift-giving becomes that much easier!
Getting Started
The first thing to consider is the photographer you would like to hire. Do you have any family friends who are photographers? If you're pulling a blank, searching "family photographer (your city)" on google is a great place to start. Once you have found a photographer whose style you appreciate, reach out to find out about availability - fall is photography's busy season!
Your hired photographer will walk you through options for locations and session times. There's no need to travel far - your local park might be the perfect place to photograph in this beautiful season.
Must-Have Shots
Once you have the photoshoot scheduled, it's time to think about what exactly it is you want to capture. The photographer you chose will likely take the style of photos you appreciate, but it's important to keep the following tip in mind; While shots of everyone looking at the camera are a classic, the most meaningful photos are usually the ones that evoke an emotion. These are the shots of your family interacting, laughing, holding hands, and sharing a moment in time.
- Family laughing together
- Family cuddling / looking at each other
- Mom and child/ren
- Dad and child/ren
- Having fun together- holding hands while running or walking, chasing each other
The Gift
Once your photographer has delivered your photos, it's time to go through them and choose your favorite ones. Your photographer will already have narrowed it down to the best shots of the session, so you have less to choose from (that's a good thing!)
Usually, as you scroll through the photos, a couple will pop out at you. Those are your winning shots. Save those in a dedicated folder, keeping them handy.
Now that you have your favorite shots, you are ready to start printing. Whether a luxurious edge-mount silver print for the grandparents, or a desktop easel for dad, metal prints make a luxurious, meaningful gift.
We've virtually walked you through the process, and now it's time to go back to step one: find that photographer! Starting the process of booking a family photo session now will help you create the meaningful gifts you want for this holiday season, gifts that your loved ones will cherish for many years to come.
