10 Ways to Capture the Little Moments This Holiday Season

10 holiday picture tips

The preparation, the traditions, the squeals of joy and quiet moments of thanks – we lock those feelings and memories away in our hearts every year during the holiday season. Capturing those memories with the camera helps us relive them year after year to share with our children. That year your cousin Wills fed the dog turkey under the table? Caught (see evidence above). Your first Christmas when you unwrapped half of the presents in 25 seconds flat? There’s proof! As a mom, who has a camera perpetually attached to my hand, it is second nature to snap anything and everything from October to February. Here’s my 10 best tips to making each frame count and capturing all of those little moments that make up the holiday season.

10 holiday picture tips

1. Try a new perspective.

Get low or try high – just anything other than standing straight with the camera at eye level. People look best from a little bit above and tables look best from “sitting perspective”.

Capturing the kids opening presents? Get down on the floor at *their* eye level.

Sneaking a picture of your littlest napping with great-grandpa? Use an interesting angle or sneak a peek from lower or higher than usual.

10 holiday picture tips

My Aunt’s beautifully thrown together Thanksgiving table – 10 minutes after we decided to move dinner to the porch! 

2. Find the details and little things.

The floured countertop with your grandmother’s hands covered in her famous pie crust dough. Your little brother with a dishtowel tucked into his back pocket helping with clean up. The perfectly set table that you spent hours working on to get just so – or the table you threw together in 15 minutes – they’re all important moments and memories. Catch them and keep them.

10 holiday picture tips

Only the Christmas tree lights were used to capture my favorite ornament! 

3. Use the light you have.

Try turning the flash off to avoid harsh shadows and overly bright images. If you’re shooting on a DSLR, try changing the aperture or shutter speed to accommodate the lighting situation. If you’re on a point and shoot, check to see if you have a “night” or “low light” setting. Christmas tree lights, candles on the table, the glow of just the kitchen sink light can all contribute to beautiful images.

10 holiday picture tips

It’s not a perfect picture but it’s the 3 of us on Petite’s first Thanksgiving – all because I handed the camera over!

4. Hand the camera over.

Hand the camera over to an Aunt, sister, cousin or kiddo to capture memories as they see them. You get endless shots with digital media so the non-keepers can just be deleted. For the kiddos, try a “shot list”, based on a theme, a color, a letter or even made ahead of time as a scavenger hunt.

5. Anticipate the moment.

Surprising your mother in law with her favorite pie? Is your oldest about to open the gift he’s been asking for all year? Is your hilarious sister-in-law about to tell a joke and you know your husband will cry with laughter? Use that knowledge to your advantage and be ready!

10 holiday picture tips

An iPhone pic before an impromptu dinner with girlfriends. Baby food jars and wrapping paper for a table-scape win! 

6. Use what you’ve got and keep it close.

Along with #5 – use the camera you have. The holidays are not the time to learn a new piece of equipment! iPhone, point and shoot or DSLR with a brand new prime lens – just use it! And keep it close – often moments happen so quickly being ready is key. On that note, didn’t capture it on the camera? Be sure to lock it in your heart.

7. Capture natural moments.

You know what will kill a perfect moment the fastest? Asking people to rearrange and say “cheese” or stopping a kiddo mid “moment” to look at the camera. I’m guilty too – and the “perfect” moment is nothing like the natural moment would have been. Our holidays (well, mine, for certain) are not a Target commercial or a Martha Stewart Livings layout – we don’t get 100 takes or models who are only focused on their assignment. Love it anyways.

10 holiday picture tips

By cropping out some of my dining room wall to the right, I brought focus to the heart of the image. Petite trying to unwrap gifts!

8. Edit a little.

Don’t go crazy with the filters – but a little bit of editing (try PicMonkey or Photoshop.com) can go a long way in the beauty of your images. Try cropping out distracting elements or to focus on the heart of the image.

9. Do something with the pictures you take.

Promise yourself that you’ll actually do something with the images. Pick your 10 favorite for a special scrapbook layout (I use Project Life) or your 50 favorite for a printed book. Want professional looking prints? Try using Mpix.com or Persnickety Prints – both offer excellent quality and fabulous products that are on par with the professional labs I print with.

10. Safety first!

It’s too cute for words and I’ll admit I’ve thought about doing it but wrapping your little one in Christmas lights – lead, glass and electricity? Or propping your little-bitty one up dangerously for a pic with the rambunctious cousins? Asking your Dad to pose on the roof with your husband and the giant Santa they just wrestled up there? Not worth the shot!  Please remember : Safety First!

My unofficial #11

Put the camera down for at least 2/3 of the holidays and just be in the moment. Your memories of the heart are just as important as the memories you’ll capture on the camera.

Capturing our family’s memories during the holidays can be anything but boring! You’re creating a priceless record for your children and grandchildren – and keeping those memories alive and well.

Amanda
A fifth-generation San Antonionian - who happened to spend her formative years in Austin - Amanda loves the SAT from the confetti in her hair to the bluebonnets under her feet. Never one to miss a reason to host a party or decorate for a theme, Amanda revels in the 'mas Fiesta' attitude of the city. She's mom to Vivi (2012) aka #HurricaneVivi, Mac (2020) and wife to Francois, whom she met at Texas A&M (FTAC '05). She has a Masters in Early Childhood Education and a Doctorate in Making it Up As She Goes - which means she's a sometimes-fun-mom. You can find her on Instagram . She loves confetti, croissants, and a cold Ranch Water. Favorite Restaurant: Piatti's Favorite Landmark: Johnson Street footbridge in King William Favorite San Antonio Tradition: Fiesta Medals

3 COMMENTS

  1. Yes! Yes, YES to number 4!!!! It seems like I didn’t exist for three years of my children’s lives because I was always take photo taker. Now I pass the camera to different relatives throughout the day.

Comments are closed.