With the Christmas season strongly upon us, it is time to start thinking about taking some fantastic holiday photos! 

When it comes to taking photographs for the holidays, there are two primary moods you may seek to capture.  The first is the joy and happiness that is associated with the season of giving, while the other is the deep emotion, religion and concern for fellow man that is associated with the holidays.  Therefore, in this two-part series, we will explore various angles, settings, lighting options and even props that you may want to use in order to capture a photo that creates the mood you want to achieve.  In this first installment, we will explore Christmas photos that are filled with joy!

The Discovery

Of course, one truly priceless Christmas photo that must be included in every parent’s album is the one of your child unwrapping those first presents.  The photo below is adorable, as you can just make out the presents surrounding the baby as he discovers all of those wonderful presents!

Baby's First Christmas

Baby's First Christmas

Taking a candid photo such as this one doesn’t require any fancy lighting or setting up of props.  Rather, it simply depends upon having your camera handy and capturing the beautiful expression of joy and wonder on your child’s face.

The Close Up

We have discussed the benefits to shooting close up portraits in the past, and the same holds true at Christmastime.  If you are looking to capture an adorable photo of your little one that you can include with your Christmas card, shooting a close up such as this one may be just what you are looking for.

Baby Christmas

Baby Christmas

By using the Santa hat as the one simple prop while leaving the rest of the child apparently naked, this photo manages to capture both the joy of Christmas as well as the innocence of childhood.

The Portrait

If you are interested in taking a portrait of your older children, you can do what this amateur photographer did - skip Sears and take the pictures yourself!  According to the photographer, who is known as sbluerock on flickr.com, the only special lighting used with this photo was the light that came through his glass door. 

Christmas Portrait

Christmas Portrait

By having the actual family Christmas tree serve as the backdrop for this lovely photo, this father managed to capture a level of personalization that cannot be achieved when you take your children to the studio!

Using Props

In many cases, using certain props can yield amazing results.  Who would have ever thought that giving a toddler a Christmas ornament could result in such an amazing photo?

200712 Grace Christmas Portrait

200712 Grace Christmas Portrait

One word of caution:  if you are going to use props such as Christmas ornaments, make sure they are plastic and do not contain small removable parts.  You don’t want to set safety aside for the sake of a great photo!

Capturing the Perfect Expression

Sometimes getting a great photo has nothing to do with having he perfect lighting or having exceptional photography skills.  Sometimes, a great photo is all in the child’s expression.  This photo is certainly an excellent example of that fact!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

MERRY CHRISTMAS

This photo doesn’t have the clarity or composition of the other photos, but that happy, laughing face is one that you certainly won’t forget any time soon!

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