With the holidays approaching, it’s time to dress up your family, book time with the local photographer and pick the photo you’ll display for your annual holiday cards. With a little planning, you can be sure your family will look its best.

Here are tips to make sure your holiday photo brings out the best in your family:

• Darks vs. Lights: Wear dark clothing colors on photos set in areas with light backgrounds, and light clothing for photos set in areas with dark backgrounds. The contrast helps ensure your family isn’t washed out in the photo.
• Casual = Natural: Go casual (especially with kids) to ensure a natural-looking photo -- and happy faces! There is nothing worse than a staged photo shoot gone wrong due to uncomfortable outfits and poses. Sometimes an action photo, such as one showing everybody walking towards the camera, will produce a more natural-looking result than when everyone is forced to stand still.
• Keep It Simple: Avoid patterns or “busy” clothing that may conflict with the card design or be hard on the eyes. If you have a complex photo, pick a simple card design.
• Complement Each Other: Choosing clothing that is complementary, rather than matching, will bring the photo together in a natural way. For example, each family member can wear a bright, bold hue against a white background. And as a general rule, identical outfits only look cute on little children.
• Leave Some Room: Tightly cropped photos leave little to work with if the photo needs adjustment for spacing. Allow some breathing room in your photo edges. Plus, many great holiday cards feature text to one side, so take some photos to the far left or far right. Above all, relax and enjoy the moment. This way, your smiles will warm the homes of many relatives and loved ones.

StatePoint Media