How To Document Your Family During The Holidays
As the year is coming to an end, I am thinking about our yearly family album and the events and stories I still want to capture. This time of year offers ample opportunity to capture your family engaging with each other during gatherings and various holiday traditions. It is a busy time and it can become overwhelming to make sure you capture everything. With all these possibilities for great pictures I have a few suggestions on how you can manage this coming month and successfully document your family.
MAKE A LIST: write down all the events, details and traditions you would like to capture this holiday season.
DESCRIBE THE SCENE: For each item on your list, describe the scene and details you envision. What angles do you want to use? What room? What accessories? Gather or purchase any items needed. Gathering all the elements of the scene in advance will allow you the flexibility to capture some of your key images when the circumstances align. Building a snowman during the first snowfall or sledding on a snowday. One of my goals this year is to capture reflections of my girls surrounded by holiday decorations, or a winter landscape. I have purchased a Crystal Lensball to photograph the reflections. It is an inexpensive photography accessory you can find on Amazon.
CREATE A SCHEDULE: Plan and schedule when you will take these shots. Do you want to aim to take a picture a day? Or maybe a couple shots per week? Whatever your goal, check out your calendar and set aside time for your images. Some of these traditions will occur at specific times, such as Christmas day, or lighting the Menorah. Other moments can be somewhat spontaneous or carried out at any time, such as, still life (ornaments, holiday plants/flowers, or holiday lights). Baking cookies, decorating gingerbread houses or drinking hot cocoa are all activities that need a little planning, but can be done when convenient.
BE PRESENT: Just remember, capturing the moments is great, but make sure you put the camera down and be present in the moment and connect with your family.
