Winter holidays are a magical time of the year. Marking the end of yet another cycle, many view it as time for reevaluation, new beginnings, but most of all - friends and family. One of the traditions that has stuck around since cameras became widely accessible is having a dedicated Christmas photo session that would keep the warmth and cosiness of the season for the whole following year. But where to begin? How to make your Christmas photoshoot stand out while keeping that undeniable holiday mood?
Putting up the tree and decorations
Let’s start at the beginning. The feeling of New Year being just around a corner always inevitably comes when you walk down the street and see your favourite shop glowing with tiny lights and playing traditional Christmas songs. We welcome the holiday spirit into our lives and homes when we dust off and put up our decorations, and capturing that process is a great way to make a family Christmas photo session truly yours.
Play around with tinsel, nostalgically reminisce while pulling out an old holiday tree decoration that was passed down from your parents or grandparents, reach out to the top of the tree to put that final piece of decoration in its place or let your children wrap you in Christmas lights as they run around you and you patiently wait for them to finish. And if you have pets, involve them in those photos as well. Just make sure your cat doesn’t go into hunting mode and knock your tree down - although it also could make for a very funny memory to capture on camera.
Cozy Christmas vibe in small daily tasks
Winter holidays stand out as the coziest time of the year. While it might be cold outside, we dress up in soft themed sweaters in traditional Christmas colours, wrap ourselves in thick blankets as we watch Christmas movies and hug steaming cups of tea, hot chocolate or mulled wine with both palms while staring through the window at the first snowfall. All that, along with some lights and decorations in the background, can turn normal boring photos into a great laid-back and unforced Christmas photo shoot.
Since playing with your children is another part of daily routine (albeit a fun one), one of the family Christmas photo ideas would be to build a cozy pillow fort with them, creating a mini holiday getaway together right in the middle of your home surrounded by Christmas decorations.
Playing in the snow
Stereotypically, winter holidays go hand-in-hand with heavy snow covering the ground and rooftops. There is no better way to get holiday pictures than going outside to play around in snowfall, dressed in heavy winter clothes. Children and pets will especially love this, bringing the feeling of innocent wonder to those few hours of daylight that you manage to capture.
However, despite that popular depiction of the season, New Year and Christmas are celebrated so widely that most people don’t get anywhere near snow around that time. Luckily, today we have access to professional photo studios with equipment and techniques that can aid in bringing that outdoor feeling into your Christmas photo sessions.
Christmas markets and shopping
Nothing screams “It’s winter holidays already!” like Christmas markets growing in the town squares and shops switching to Christmas-themed merchandise. This is a good way to capture both the spirit of celebration and the frantic search for gifts that is inseparable from the season.
You’ll also get particularly Christmas-y photos when you go to the Christmas tree markets. Choosing that one perfect tree for your home with your partner, children and loved ones is an intimate bonding moment filled with joy and wondrous excitement.
Bright and shiny
Winter holidays are also a time for new beginnings. It’s full of happiness, hope, drive and excitement. Instead of thick wool sweaters and comfy socks you can underline the celebratory side of the season by dressing in something that would glitter in the dark; for example, sequin fabrics in traditional Christmas colours would help in making some stunning shots.
To add the contrast and light, you can hold some sparklers as you pose, as they are so heavily associated with winter holidays. Sparklers would make any photo feel like a holiday photo which makes them one of the best Christmas photo shoot ideas for couples, families and groups of friends alike.
Recreate old family photos
Nostalgia is still in vogue, and one of the trends that continue on is taking pictures that copy the old family photos, either by the same people who got older or by the next generation. There is a little trap hidden here, however, as many of the old photos were taken in a very stilted manner. The trick is to find that rare chaotic photo where something went “wrong” during the photo shoot or which captured a live moment instead of being a formal portrait.
Where to get Christmas pictures taken?
If you’re looking for a professional Christmas photo shoot in Dubai, we at Sweet Home Photo studio would be happy to help. We provide various holiday photography and videography services in our themed Christmas photo zone that will bring a unique sense of holiday spirit to your pictures.