How to Take Family Photos in Front of Christmas Tree

A step-by-pace tutorial for taking DIY Christmas family unit photos by yourself that look dreamy and professional in front of your Christmas tree.

If you're in a compression, these tips for DIY Christmas family photos are the All-time for wrangling the kids for a sweet Christmas card pic right in your living room.

I've never really mentioned this here before, but for a few years in my early 20s, I was a family portrait photographer. In one case Thanksgiving hit, I was cranking out Christmas family photos on the daily like there was no tomorrow.

It was difficult. But it taught me a lot of great tricks for getting great angles and sweet kids' expressions (no matter their mood) in whatever camera, fifty-fifty a jail cell phone.

If at some point this season when yous're gathered around your tree with loved ones, possibly these tips can assistance any of you wanting to capture the moment during your festivities.

I rounded up Regan and Olivia for a quick DIY Christmas photo shoot, and (even though Regan was not having it) while I was at information technology, I took a pic of my setup to hopefully assist some of you lot.

Whether you have a DSLR camera or a jail cell phone, this works!

How to Set Upwardly Your Camera for Christmas Family Photos

(Some affiliate links are provided in this post for convenience. Full disclosure here.)

1. Fix for perfect lighting.

I shoot merely in natural light 99% of the time, so to avoid any weird hues on peoples' faces in the photo, turn off all of the lights in the room except for the lights on the Christmas tree and sunlight streaming in from a window or open door.

Place the people in the photo betwixt the Christmas tree and your natural low-cal source and so they will exist lit from behind and in front.

Bank check out this super professional diagram I made so you see what I hateful. Haha!

Whatever works. 😉

Of import: NEVER utilise a flash… information technology volition destroy that dreamy glow from the tree.

If your Christmas tree is in a room that doesn't become whatsoever natural light, you tin can opt to shoot using just the tree lights and a pocket-sized lamp opposite from the people in your picture to get just enough light on their faces to make them evidence upward in the photograph without being too bright.

Another good fashion to go good lighting on faces, especially with kids, is to take your subjects lie down facing up nether the tree and shooting over elevation of them to let the glow of the Christmas lights to illuminate them evenly.

ii. Frame your subject.

Ever try to shoot at eye level with your subject field. Then if you're shooting kids, squat or sit down down so that their faces are the aforementioned peak every bit your camera lens.

3. Use these camera settings for your Christmas family photos.

If you are shooting with a DSLR, exist certain to switch your dial to manual fashion.

Aperture – Gear up your aperture (f/) to the lowest setting your lens volition allow for that dreamy, blurry effect. I set my lens at f/2.0, just if your lens doesn't go that low, just opt for the smallest number information technology will allow.

Shutter speed – Side by side, set your shutter speed to 1/200 or higher. Whatever less than that (specially with kids) will make the people in your photo look blurry, if they movement.

ISO – Now that yous accept those two settings, yous can adjust your ISO depending on how much light you demand. The higher your creepo your ISO number, the more grainy your photo will look, only a higher ISO will let in more light and create a brighter photo.

White balance – For white remainder, gear up information technology to auto since it will give you a "all-time judge" for your photograph's coloring.

(If yous merely have a cell telephone, yous tin can get the VSCO app to apply these settings on an iPhone or an Android too. It does toll about $20 per year, but there is a free trial you can utilize and just delete the app after you've taken your photos.)

iv. Focus on your subjects.

Because you're shooting at a wide (low number) aperture, it will cause a blurry effect in your background and Christmas lights will have that dreamy, soft look. But that makes information technology even more than of import to make sure you lot're focusing on your subjects' faces so they appear abrupt.

If yous're shooting on a DSLR, you lot can gear up your focus point to do this.

If yous're shooting on a cell telephone, tap on the person's confront you're shooting on your screen to set up the focus.

5. Tweak in edits to create dreamy Christmas family photos. (optional)

I utilise Adobe Lightroom for editing my photos on my iMac, but if you're using a cell phone, you can utilize the VSCO app again for adjusting. At that place is besides an Adobe Lightroom mobile app, if you prefer it, just VSCO is merely equally nifty.

The main affair I exercise to suit my photos in editing is…

• Increment exposure
• Increase whites
• Decrease highlights
• Decrease shadows
• Subtract blacks…

…to create a more evenly lit photo. But even without editing, your photos volition likely have a soft, natural glow.

Like this…

If you desire to know about any of the photography gear I use, I take a Catechism 6D and a Canon 50mm f/i.viii lens, only really any basic DSLR can handle this and a cell phone can manage in a pinch.

I promise that helps! And I hope it allows yous to capture precious moments with family and loved ones this season. Merry Christmas, y'all!

If yous want to save this mail service for later or for next yr, you can pin it hither:

• How to Turn Photos Into Paintings
• How to Become a Blogger
• How to Photograph Interiors Like a Pro

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Source: https://www.blesserhouse.com/how-to-take-diy-christmas-photos/

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