In 5 Steps:
1. Make sure you pick the coldest day of the year thus far. Why take a picture in August when you can wait until the end of November in Minnesota? I insist on this lateness though. I want to capture my kids almost at that exact moment of the holiday. They change so fast – in August they were not a toddler running and saying Mama, they were not a Kindergartner who is now reading chapter books, and they were not an almost 8 year old reminding me how so not cool I am.
2. Make your kids stand outside without a coat, boots or mittens – causing blue lips, red noses and frozen hands..and lots of bitching polite complaining.
3. Because you are nice – you manage to take 110 shots in less than 4 minutes. You then pray there was something good on your camera and your white balance is okay. You also pray to the husband holiday gods that maybe a photo editing program and a Mac-Book is under the tree for you this year to correct such mistakes?
4. You insist on natural light – thus the standing outside in 18 degrees part – you first position them in a field with high wind – screaming and MAJOR CRYING OMG YOU WOULD THINK THEY WERE DYING – seriously only one small pinkie was lost ensues. Plan B…
5. Plan B is positioning them out of the wind, under a bridge where homeless people were just waking up. Do you offer the homeless guys $10 to move out of the background or just go with the true urban vibe? Tough call. Do you bring them back cocoa?
What are your secrets to a successful Holiday Photo Shoot? Am I doing it all wrong? Am I mean for enjoying this bit of holiday torture to my kids each season?
Oh don’t worry, you’re not doing it wrong. Holiday pictures are torture no matter the place, time, or weather. We’re doing ours over Thanksgiving, and I can assure you, the experience will be no better than yours! Love that shot in the post – very cute!
Ann recently posted..Tis the Season
Ugh. A photo of my two kids is so impossible. Three? Forget about it. the hubs wanted to use one from our Disney trip for our cards this year….um…that was back in February! Sheesh. My cards are done. Th hey aren’t perfect, but whatever….
we do valentine’s day cards at our house …
it’s a tradition.
that totally wasn’t started because i was just really sucky at getting x-mas cards out on time one year.
your pic is beautiful. the colors are gorgeous.
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Heh. I too find pleasure in the ritual torture of my boys during the holidays. Not only for holiday pictures, but when we trudge through the tree farm in sub-freezing temps and wind to find the perfect tree. We have funny memories of these experiences that have become family lore. What is better than trying to hear the holiday music over 3 crying, cold, crabby boys on the way home with a tree strapped to the top of the truck? I think it’s great. And, I love that you share your talents in writing and photography with us. I look forward to your posts. Thanks Tracy!
so did you bring them back cocoa?
kp recently posted..It Starts Today!
at least the baby’s ears look warm.
that is a consolation.
I made teenagers stand in the cold against their wishes, threatening to take away their electronic devices if the didn’t frickin smile!
Pretty much your method, lol!
Mimi
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ha ha ha…I tried this yesterday, too = grim! The fake smiles, kids knocking the baby over, Elle grabbing the baby’s hair telling her to smile, etc. Not ONE good shot of all 3, so I am going to make them do it ALL again!!! FUN * FUN * FUN *
How wonderful to know that torturing our children with holiday photos is just part of the joy we receive this season. Awesome! I know they will never be perfect.
Yeah, 3 is hard – I feel for my friends with 6.
Oh Mimi – I love your methods!
Robyn – hey sweet lady – yeah, I did let her wear a hat since she is bald. I am really nice that way.
xoxo,t
That photo is gorgeous! And, yes, there’s just something about trying to get the “perfect” picture for the Christmas card that is ALWAYS awful & unpleasant & one of the most grueling things I can think of…but it MUST be done!
Getting ready for Christmas card photos = over the top stress! I sure do love their outfits and can’t wait to see more shots!
)
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your white balance is PERFECT. We’re attempting a photo shoot this week– wish me luck!
Michelle L. recently posted..I just love
Some of my favorite holiday card pics are the ones that are silly and showing the true kids – crying, pushing, making faces = awesome.
xoxo,t
tracy recently posted..How to take the Perfect Holiday Picture…
My kids are hoping (and praying) that my girlfriend got shots of them on Friday while she was readying for headshots for our yearbook. She is a pro, and boy, would it make a huge difference not to go thro that torturous holiday tradition this year! The best pic was one year when I screamed at them to go outside since the tree pic was a no go … they literally hid from me in the hot tub and when I went to apologise, they stared at me angelically, and I happened to snap them – woo hoo.
At least we are in FL, so no one is getting frostbite!
great great pic you have there, you always take the best pics of your kids – how you get the color to co-operate, Wow
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Very cute way to put the trials of Christmas Cards photos. . . Is there ever an easy way to do this?
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Nobody will pose in my family. I send a picture of the dog with reindeer antlers or some such nonsense. God I love how you dress your girls- all models have to suffer thru photo shoots- it’s part and parcel of the job. And I think you should have had the homeless guy in the picture with a Santa hat to send to your closest friends.
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I think you should have had the homeless dude pose with the girls for the holiday pic.
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That’s a beautiful shot!
What you have right there looks like perfection to me!
I was gracious this year and used a picture of the fab four from our hiking trip. It isn’t dressy, matched, or holiday in any way, but they were all together and happy to be there. What more could I want? I wonder if the proofer at Tiny Prints went over my card was tempted to pass it around as an example of how not to dress kids for a picture.
Not making Morgan sit for another picture was an early gift to him. Now he owes me.