Christmas morning is just a few sleeps away and for many us it is the most magical part of celebrating the holidays with family and friends. There’s so much fun and excitement from waking up early to open presents under the tree to donning matching Christmas pajamas with the family. Capture all the magical moments of Christmas morning with these photo tips for the most memorable photos.
Capture gift giving moments
Nothing is better than seeing your loved ones’ faces when they open their gifts. Make sure to get those reactions on camera (or video!) so you can look back on all the warm fuzzies and happy feelings.
Get cozy for family Christmas portraits
Scoot a bit closer and cozy up together when taking your family pictures. Your photos will show how much you all love each other and everyone will be front and center.
Focus, focus, focus
It’s hard to sit still during all the excitement of Christmas morning, but try to get the clearest photos possible by taking a moment to focus before snapping your pics. Use the auto focus on your camera or tap the screen on your phone where you want to focus.
You can also experiment with portrait mode on your smartphone to really highlight your subject while softly blurring the background.
Find your light
Turn on lights when taking indoor pictures to make sure photos are well lit. Seek natural light by opening curtains or ushering everyone outside for a quick photo op. Be careful of that spooky silhouette-of-Christmas-past look and avoid standing with a bright light or window directly behind you.
Take a step closer
For sharp photos, stand a bit closer to your subjects in order to crop out a noisy background or to capture happy faces. The superzoom on your phone is not always the answer!
Zoom in on little details
Get close up to the sweet details of the day: tiny hands holding gifts, Santa’s cookie crumbs on the plate, gifts under the tree before all the unwrapping begins.
Capture candid moments
All the little heartwarming moments of family togetherness and holiday cheer are what makes Christmas morning really special. Photograph those behind-the-scenes interactions when no one is posing or angling for their best side to capture the true holiday spirit.
Pose in your Christmas jammies
Wearing matching pajamas while opening presents is part of the fun of Christmas morning! Celebrate your family cheesiness and get pictures of those coordinated PJs.
PHOTO CHALLENGE: Get artsy with Christmas lights
Use the lights on your Christmas tree to illuminate faces by dimming room lights and having your family stand close to the tree. Turn off your flash to allow the Christmas lights to twinkle without getting washed out.
The below photo added a light behind the tree for added effect!
BONUS TIP: Charge those phones and cameras!
There are lots of photo opportunities during the holidays and you don’t want to miss ‘em because your battery died. Doh!
Collage.com wishes you a very Merry Christmas morning! Share your Collage gift giving photos with us on Facebook and Instagram – we love seeing the gifts you make!
