Christmas Card Photo Tips

Last weekend we went down to the outer banks for family photos. I wanted to get a few good shots to use on our Christmas Cards this year. Here are some super simple Christmas card photo tips to help you get the best photos.

Christmas Card Photo Tips

Take lifestyle type photosInstead of telling everyone to smile at the camera, have fun with your family. Enjoy the lifestyle type photos. Those are more real and beautiful. People receiving your card would love to see real life photos. These are my favorite! They really show our life as it is right now. I will always remember how much fun Carsyn had riding on Dustyn’s back, and how windy it was because our hair (well besides Kenny) was blowing all over the place. I will remember that Prestyn cried for the first 5-10 minutes then passed out! I can’t wait to show these to the boys as they get older and remind them how they weren’t always the perfect listener but they had fun.

Whiten your smile

Having a bright white smile really makes your smile pop. For a limited time Walmart is offering buy one get one free promotion on 3D Crest Whitestrips. This great offer is just in time for the holidays. Now is the perfect time to whiten your smile for photos and for family get togethers. You will have a noticeable whiter smile in just an hour, which is faster then ever. They have a new advanced seal technology that keeps them in place, even while you drink. I like to put on of these on when I am working at the computer on blog posts or editing photos. This is the same technology used in the dentist office, but you get to do it in the comfort of your own home. Which is super important, especially with three boys! You get 8 strips in each box, 4 for the top and 4 for the bottom.  I used these the week leading up to our family photos and noticed a pretty big difference.

Wear coordinating colors

Clothing wise you want to coordinate your colors but you do not want to be matchy, matchy. I am not a fan of all blue jeans and white shirts. I need some color in my life/photos. This year we did burgundy, navy and green as our colors. I think they were perfect for Christmas photos but not to Christmas-y.

Take photos during golden hour

The best time to get photos is during golden hour. That is an hour or two around sunrise and sunset. The light is the best and you don’t get harsh shadows on faces. This photo is my absolute favorite because the light was so gorgeous.

Hire An Awesome Photographer

Trust me when I say this, you will want to hire an amazing photographer. They are worth the money. I am a photographer and tried to take a family photo a few years ago with a tripod and remote. Lets just say it did not go well. A photographer will help you look your best and makes things so much easier. Thanks Whitney Norko Photography for these amazing photos and memories. I will cherish them forever.

Use A Good Card Printing Company

The past three years we have used Peartree Greetings to print our cards. The quality is always amazing and they have the best selection of card. This our Christmas card from last year from Peartree Greetings. You will have to come back to my blog later to see which card and family photos we chose this year.

Have you used Crest 3D Whitestrips before? What is your best Christmas card photo tip?