Is this you? You’ve bought cute Christmas jumpers for the kids, decorated the tree and would like to get some nice photos of the little ones to remember Christmas 2024 by. Perhaps even to send as Christmas greetings to family members and friends. I hear you. You absolutely should! Children grow and change so fast and will be a whole year older by next Christmas.
But you may quickly notice that it’s not always as easy as it sounds. Or you might have tried before and it didn’t quite work out so you’re feeling a bit reluctant to give it a go again.
As a professional London family photographer I have tons of experience of photographing young kids who are not interested in posing for photos - including my own two featured in these photos from over the last few years. So whether your child is a baby, toddler, pre schooler or older, read on for my pro tips on how to get some great photos of them at home this Christmas – no matter whether you’re using your mobile phone or a digital camera.
Pick the right time
This is absolutely crucial for getting good photos. Choose a time when you’re not in a rush and everyone’s in a good mood. Trying to take photos of a child who’s hungry or tired or cranky for any other reason is never a good idea – neither is trying to get some snaps 2 minutes before you’re supposed to head out of the door for a playdate/to meet Santa/grandparents etc.
Also I would always recommend taking photos during the brightest part of the day which in December is roughly from 10am until 2pm. Yes I know those evening photos do look very atmospheric but especially if you don’t have a top notch phone or camera, you’re more likely to end up with blurry or grainy photos in the evening light than during the day. And make sure your flash is turned off!
Angle and position
This very much depends on the age of your child. Check out specific advice for different age groups below.
From newborns up to about 4 months
Try laying them in a moses basket or a cosy blanket underneath your tree facing up and take your photo from above with a bit of your tree branches in the photo. Just make sure that the branches don’t cover their face!
Soft blankets add to the cosy Christmas feel
4 – 6 months old
Place your baby on their tummy in front of the tree on a cosy blanket or rug and get right down to their eye level to take your photo. Your baby may get tired of holding their neck up very quickly so make sure you’ve got everything ready before you place them down on their tummy.
See how I've taken the photo right on the baby's eye level?
From 6 months to walking
Once your child is independently sitting up you can simply sit them up on the floor in front of the tree. This is often the easiest age to get good photos – until they become mobile! Once they are on the move it can be hard to stop them. At this age a trick that often works well is sitting them up on something a bit higher that they can’t easily get off, like a stool. BUT – safety first! Make sure that there’s a spare pair of hands ready to catch them if they start to wobble. Alternatively keep them on the floor and try to distract them with their favourite toy to keep them still for a few seconds.
Whether your child is on the floor on their tummy or sitting down try to leave a bit of space between your child and the tree and take your photos in portrait mode if using a phone or with a wide aperture (low f number) if using a DSLR camera for a lovely blur effect on the tree behind them as seen in the image below. Having your child face the natural daylight from the window is always best but if this is not possible then at least having the window to their side rather than behind them will help you get nice crisp images on any device.
My son was over 1 here already but the same angle would work with a younger baby or toddler
Walking toddlers, pre schoolers and older
Toddlers who are confidently walking and energetic pre schoolers (and upwards) can be difficult to keep still, depending on their personality of course. A good way to focus their attention is to take a few decorations off the tree and get them to put them back on or talk about the different decorations and get them to find XYZ decoration on the tree or pick their favourite decoration etc. You can vary your angles – try taking photos from the side or from behind the tree branches. You child may not be smiling right at the camera but should get some lovely candid shots.
Make it fun
With a newborn baby the most important thing is that they are content. But from a few months onwards be prepared to act silly and make it fun for them to catch some genuine smiles and laughs. Try playing peekaboo or tickle monster, sing, pull funny faces, blow raspberries, make animal noises etc or interact and ask them questions depending on your child’s age. These are all things that I do regularly at my sessions as a London family photographer. It sometimes also helps to have the other parent there behind you to entertain the child while you concentrate on taking the photos.
One final tip
I really hope these tips will help you capture some beautiful photos of your children this Christmas. With some practice and patience I’m sure you’ll be able to get a few at least! However, what is much harder to DIY is a photo of the whole family together. The self timer doesn’t quite tend to work with lively children and with a selfie all you’ll see in the picture is your (more or less blurry) faces and someone’s arm. This is where hiring a professional family photographer becomes worth the investment. As a London family photographer my sessions are relaxed and fun and my focus is on capturing all the love and connection within your family in an authentic way to create timeless and beautiful images for you.
So my advice for you this Christmas is take that family selfie anyway if it’s the best you’re going to get but do consider booking a family session for next year to capture some authentic moments with your family that you and your kids will cherish for a lifetime. My family photo shoots can take place anywhere in London either at your home or outdoors, anytime of the year. Get in touch today to enquire.
Pauliina is a London-based lifestyle family & newborn photographer and a mum to two boys. Find out more at https://www.prootsphotography.co.uk/ or follow @prootsphotography on Instagram.