7 Holiday Photo Tips: How to Be in the Family Pictures and in the Moment too

As the holidays approach, families begin preparing for family gatherings, delicious meals, and cherished traditions. It's one of the most photographed times of the year, with countless candid moments and posed family photos to treasure for years to come. But if you're always the one behind the camera, you might notice a glaring absence in those snapshots: you.

This year, let’s change that! As a family portrait photographer, we want to share our top tips for being both in the pictures and fully present to soak in the joy of the holidays.

1. Set Up a "Photo Zone"

Designate a specific area in your home as a photo-friendly spot. Whether it’s in front of a decorated tree, by a cozy fireplace, or against a simple wall with festive accents, having a set location makes it easy to gather people for quick group shots. Set up a tripod, and use the self timer feature on your phone so you can jump into the frame easily.

2. Ask for Help

You don’t need to be the sole photographer. Hand the camera or phone to a family member or friend and let them take the family pictures too! Most people are more than happy to help, you just have to ask for it. Pro Tip: The more you’re willing to let go of perfection, the more relaxed and genuine the photos will be.

3. Take Pictures of the Candid Moments

Some of the best holiday memories are made when no one is “posing” for the camera. Set your camera or phone on a surface to capture spontaneous moments during gift exchanges, cooking, or game night. For a truly immersive experience, consider using a time-lapse feature or video mode, which can later be paused to grab stills of heartfelt interactions.

4. Plan One "Golden Hour" Family Portrait Session

Instead of trying to capture every moment, schedule a specific time for family pictures. Pro Tip: Hire a photographer to take these family portraits! Especially if the whole family is together for the first time in ages! Make it fun and festive—wear matching pajamas, or gather before dinner in your holiday best. Once you’ve taken a few posed shots, put the camera away and enjoy the rest of the day.

5. Focus on Connection Over Perfection

Holiday pictures don’t have to be flawless to be meaningful. Embrace the messy, beautiful reality of the season. Whether it’s kids being silly, grandparents laughing, or the family dog sneaking into the shot, these imperfections tell the real story of your family’s celebration.

6. Print Your Favorite Family Pictures

While digital photo albums are convenient, there’s something magical about holding a printed photo of your family picture. After the holidays, take the time to print your favorite images. Whether it’s a framed photo on your mantel or a memory book to flip through, these tangible keepsakes will make all the effort worthwhile.

7. Give Yourself Permission to Put the Camera Down

Sometimes, the best way to be present is to not capture the moment. Trust that the memories you make will live on in your heart, even if they don’t make it into your family photo album. Balancing photography and presence means knowing when to step back and simply enjoy the company of your loved ones.

This holiday season, commit to being part of the story—both in front of the camera and in the memories you’re creating. After all, years from now, your family will treasure the family pictures that show you were there, fully immersed in the joy of the season.

From our families to yours, happy holidays!

Find More Family Pictures in Rochester NY on the Blog

What to Wear in Your Family Pictures: Tips from Fairport NY Photographers

One of the most asked questions about our family portrait sessions we receive is: “What should we wear?” So we thought we’d answer it once and for all, right here on the blog.

Here are some tips on what to wear for family pictures:

• Choose neutral colors. Neutral colors like navy, black, brown, and gray are always a safe bet for family photos. They're flattering on everyone and they won't clash with the background.

• Add pops of color. If you want to add a little bit of personality to your outfits, you can do so by adding pops of color. This could be a bright scarf, a patterned shirt, or a pair of colorful shoes. Just be sure to keep the pops of color small so that they don't overpower the rest of your outfit.

• Consider the season. When choosing outfits for family photos, it's important to consider the season. For example, if you're having your photos taken in the summer, you'll want to choose light, airy fabrics. If you're having your photos taken outside in the winter, you'll want to choose warmer fabrics or plan out coordinating jackets.

• Coordinate your outfits. You don't have to wear matching outfits for family photos, but it's a good idea to coordinate your outfits so that they look cohesive. This could mean choosing outfits in the same color scheme or choosing outfits with similar patterns.

• Be comfortable. The most important thing is to be comfortable in your clothes. If you're not comfortable, it will show in your photos. So choose outfits that you feel good in and that you'll be able to move around in easily.

  No matter what color scheme you choose, make sure that the colors flatter everyone in your family.

Here are some additional color schemes to consider for your family portrait session:

• Earth tones: This color scheme is perfect for fall or winter photos. It's made up of warm colors like brown, tan, and rust.

• Pastels: This color scheme is perfect for spring or summer photos. It's made up of soft, light colors like pink, blue, and yellow.

• Monochromatic: This color scheme is all about using one color in different shades. It's a great way to create a cohesive look for your family photos.

• Complementary colors: This color scheme is made up of colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel. It's a great way to create a striking look for your family photos.

Most importantly, have fun with it! Family portraits are a time to celebrate your relationships, so make sure you enjoy the process of choosing outfits AND getting your family pictures taken.

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Look great in pictures without retouching: Fairport NY Photographers

PS: It's not what you think.

If you ask us about retouching, you may see us cringe. It’s not because we don’t know how, or that we’re not good at it. In fact, some have called us Photoshop wizards.

No, it’s not that. Rather, we prefer to see everyone the way they are, and celebrate that real, honest beauty.

What’s more beautiful than confidence?

So you want to look good in your photos. Who doesn't?
Here are our top tips to look good.

1. Confidence. Radical self love. Acceptance. Whatever you want to call it: if you feel good on the inside, it shows on the outside. So take care of yourself! If that means getting your nails done, do it. If it means going for a run, do it. If it means listening to your favorite music on the way to your session, DO IT! Find what makes you feel really you, and bring that beautiful you to your session.

2. Choose an outfit that makes you feel good. This doesn't mean you have to wear what's trending, high heels, or all black, it just means wear something that makes you smile. Flaunt the parts of you that you love and don’t stress the parts that you don't.

3. Trust your photographer. (that's us!) Through lens choices, angles and positioning, we emphasize your best features, naturally reducing the rest.

   Remember: The eyes say it all. If you are truly present, happy, and connected, no one is looking anywhere else.

In both of these photos, my eyes go straight to Erin’s face. With a twist of her body, thoughtfully placed hands, good light and a fun prop, we have a 3/4 length portrait with the emphasis on her smile.

Why do we hate retouching so much?

1. It assumes we think you need it. We think all people are beautiful, and our differences make us special.

2. It assumes we know what you want to look like. Appearance is a very personal thing. Our preferences may be the opposite of yours. If you want something retouched, we need you to be specific about what that is for you.

3. Where do you draw the line? How many pounds or years do you want to take off? 1, 5, 20? It is very subjective, and if you have found our work, I assume you like the natural feel of our images.

This is example of going to far (in my opinion). On the left, I softened the bags under my eyes (hey, I have a toddler.) On the right, I smoothed away all evidence of skin texture to create an unrealistic glow. I could have even gone farther and added makeup, but then no one would recognize me.

So what do we do?

We'll remove acne (we assume no one wants to remember that) and subtly brighten teeth. Other than that, not much unless you ask for it.

Braces are optional, but lately, more folks have opted to keep them in their pictures. If you’ve got concerns about shape, we discuss that in advance and choose clothes and poses that flatter. As for wrinkles, beauty marks and hair, we don’t touch them unless you ask.

So tell us... do you love yourself just the way you are, or do you want to look 20 years younger?

Because we think you are beautiful.

Love, Lori & Erin

I adore freckles like Mallory’s! (above) My niece, Grace, hates hers.

Why you Should Print Your Family Pictures by a Photographer

AKA - Why I threw out my wedding pictures

Yeah, I said that. And yes - I really did just throw them away. As a photographer, it was one of the hardest things I've ever done.

Your current thoughts probably range from - "Ok?" to "What the $%&*? Erin - WHY?!"

Well... because they were useless to me.

Before you think my marriage just went down the drain, step away from the phone and refrain from texting me like a crazy person. I'm still happily married. I promise.

But, I really did throw away my wedding pictures. At least - the two burned CD's that they were living on in the bottom drawer of my desk. I know, they weren't even in a safe place.

I have the files still, I moved them to three different locations years ago. But the CD's were useless to me.

I threw them away because I don't have a device in my home that's capable of reading them anymore. Which is exactly what we've been preaching to our wedding clients and families for years now.

It's also why I made a wedding album. It's why I made a tangible, printed heirloom - so that one day, I won't have to realize that I have no way to share in the joy of those memories.

If you've got discs of photos lying around that you've never done anything with, I'm not surprised. If you want help making those discs into heirlooms - give us a call.

So that one day, you won't have to throw away your memories.

~ Erin

FAQ : How did you two meet? The story of how Lori and Erin Photography Began

We get asked this a lot, in one variation or another. How long have you been working together? How long have you known each other? Are you sisters?

Well, you've opened a can of worms... here goes!

The Quick Story

• No, we are not related - though we might as well be

• We each had independent businesses before L&E began

• We met at Greater Rochester Professional Photographers (GRPP) in 2009

• We worked our first wedding together in 2010

• Began planning the partnership in 2012

• Officially signed the papers and became Lori & Erin Photography in 2013

• Now we live|eat|breathe Lori and Erin Photography!

The Long Story

It was a dark and stormy night... just kidding, I don't remember what the weather was. What I do remember was standing in the back of a large room filled with photographers at a GRPP meeting, when this new girl introduces herself as a graphic designer/photographer who works in the printing industry. 

I did a double take as she spoke... is this girl for real? SMH. She was describing me. My first job out of college was working for a print company while I built my design/photography business on the side. Immediately after the meeting, I introduced myself. She was there with her husband, so I met Matt as well.

Who knew I was meeting my best friend? I don't think either of us did.

We got to know each other through meetings and conferences, and eventually starting shooting for each other. I'm not sure how else to say it, but we just clicked. (Ba dum, dum - symbol crash) 

As friends, photographers and human beings, we wanted many of the same things. We both wanted to switch from doing photography on the side, to making it our full time career. We liked working with people and capturing relationships. We even had a similar shooting style.

I made the leap first, and eventually, Erin left her 9-5 as well. The first time a partnership was mentioned, it was in jest.

But then, we started to think it wasn't so crazy. What if...

What if we could make it work?
What if we could support each other?
What if we could share expenses?
What if we could offer consistency to our clients?
What if we could... succeed?

It took nearly a full year to design the new business. We talked everything through. Who would do what tasks? How would we pay ourselves? Who would be responsible for various things? Who would switch their brand of gear... oh that could be its own post!

By January 2013, we felt confident in ourselves and each other, and we jumped. We pooled our resources and began opening new doors.

Five years later, I still feel it was the right move.

We push each other to be better as people, as creatives, and as business owners. We are able to remain best friends - perhaps because of the business. Or perhaps because we respect and accept each other, quirks and all.

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Our first photo conferences together. Where we met, started getting to know each other and the story began! Yes, we're admitting there were togas involved.

Then we proved we could survive 12 days together in a foreign country with 1 car, with our husbands. Clearly we were ready to start our business!

Us have fun at a wedding? Nope, never. 

Well, there you have it. Was it what you thought? Do you think we are crazy? Or, are you glad we met? Let us know in the comments. 

Thanks for being here,
Lori

This is why we shoot RAW... always.

Some photographers shoot RAW. Some shoot JPG. Some hop back and forth depending on the day/job/requirements.

If this is gibberish to you, I'm going to show you the difference right now. But first, let me explain the situation. 

My husband and I were on a remote hiking trail in Hawaii. 4,000+ miles by plane, an hour of driving, and then 6 hours of strenuous backpacking to get to this spot. The trail was narrow, muddy and shaded by trees. At the head of the valley was the Hanakoa Falls that I had been dreaming about for days... weeks maybe. It was my goal to swim at that waterfall, come hell or high water.

We made it there, and into the icy water I went. My husband was on shore to take the photo, but as he grabbed the camera it started to rain, which quickly turned into a downpour. He pressed the shutter without a chance to glance at the settings, which I had set before the clouds came over us. The resulting image on the left is what we got... and as you see, it is incredibly underexposed.

We scrambled to get the camera and our towels under cover, but the rain didn't pass. It continued on for the rest of the night. 

This moment -- me swimming at the base of a 440 foot waterfall... by myself... in the rain... 4,000+ miles from home-- almost didn't turn out. This is one of the only photos we have from what is honestly the highlight of the entire trip!  A once-in-a-lifetime kind of moment, if you will.

But when I got home, I used Lightroom plus that RAW file, and was able to bump it up 3.15 stops to get the image on the right. 

Swimming in Hanakoa Falls

This right here is why I will always shoot RAW. Because there are moments too important to lose to a bad camera setting, and this memory is priceless.

If this image had been shot JPG, it would have been basically useless and ruined. 

In our line of work, we find ourselves quite often capturing once-in-a-lifetime-moments. So rest assured, we will protect your memories.

Cheers,
Lori

Guest Post: Why You Need to Print Your Photos, Rochester NY Photography

In today's world, there are more pictures taken every minute than ever before. Yet, a very small percentage of them will ever be printed. They'll live in a digital world, on a phone or a computer until that technology becomes obsolete and they'll then sadly disappear forever.

So today we're sharing another guest post, provided by Design Aglow that we hope opens your eyes to why we believe in the power of prints.

Shared from Design Aglow: 
It’s been a hard day. You’re tired--and let’s face it--a little cranky. OK, a lot cranky. So to cheer yourself up, you walk over to your computer and fire up the DVD of your recent family portrait session so that you can flip through the images. After seeing the slideshow playing on your tiny laptop, you can’t wait until the rest of the family comes over so that you can pass the computer around the dinner table. 

Here’s another scenario, similar to the first, except for one crucial point: those incredible, indelible images are hanging on your walls. You see them every time you walk by; you smile every time you walk by. In each room of your home, the heirloom photographic art makes your heart swell, overflowing with the investment you’ve made in your family, the investment in adding permanence to your memories.

The impulse to purchase images on a disc instead of a canvas or a print is strong. We feel as if we don’t actually own something until we possess every image from our shoot, as if the only way to experience our family is by being able to make as many reprints of them as we want.

But images on disc sit around. They become stuffed into a desk drawer, until their media is rendered obsolete and the images cannot be accessed anymore. They remain untouched, until that day when we’ll have enough time to put them in an album or print them ourselves. Finished products, on the other hand, are just that. They are ready to hang, ready to enjoy. They are instant--and constant--gratification. They are objects that can be passed down to your children, and your children’s children. The tangible nature of fine art--that it is an actual object, hanging on your wall or sitting on your coffee table--is meant for enjoyment, for experience, not to be archived on a shelf in a plastic media case. A CD of all of your images is not fine art. And the creation of fine art cannot be cheap. Crafting memories and creating personalized products that can be enjoyed for generations is a job that carries a lot of responsibility and weight, and demands finesse and skill. With professional photography, as with so much of life, you get what you pay for. Photographic art is an investment, to be sure, but it’s one that you’ll never regret.

Every day, we stress the importance of printing your photographs. We don't care if it's in a book or on the wall. We don't care if you forget our name in 20 years, as long as your pictures are printed for your children, and their children. We cannot say it enough.

Green Practices in our Business: Photography in Rochester NY

I don't know about you, but I am pretty fond of our planet. I love being outdoors, smelling the clean air and hiking along sparkling waterways. It's our job to protect Mother Earth for the next generation, so they can enjoy her beauty as well.

So, what are we doing as a business to help the planet? I'm glad you asked!

 - We work from home, reducing auto emissions
 - We use minimal, but recycled, packaging
 - We reuse paper and packaging materials whenever possible
 - We recycle what we can't reuse
 - We send invoices and receipts electronically whenever possible
 - We use digital proofing, only printing ordered photos for less waste
 - Our marketing materials are printed on recycled papers when possible
 - We use rechargeable batteries for all of our gear
 - We shoot digital (no toxic chemicals or water waste like film)
 - We work with local printers and framers (good for the earth and the local economy!)
 - We grow our own veggies, and have even been known to give them a way! (Okay, that's not business related, but the garden is right outside the office window! Check it out next time you're here.)

We love the environment, and hope you do also! What are you doing to help the Earth? 

Here's wishing you a vibrant, green Earth Day! 
-Lori

FAQ: Where should we go for my senior portrait session?

We are location based photographers. This means we shoot anywhere BUT inside a boring, stuffy studio. There's no laser light backgrounds in our lives!

Instead, we photograph our seniors in their favorite places and spaces. Do you love hanging out at the beach, or are you more at home on the ice? Or maybe you love shopping at the Rochester Public Market or cheering for the Red Wings!

Some of you may have a spot or two that fits your personality to the 'T', but others are not always sure. Maybe you know what you want the photos to feel like, but aren't sure where to find that look.

DON'T PANIC!  We've got you covered.

We have created a list of nearly 100 spots around the area that provide unique environments for your senior photos. Whether you want something urban (but safe), formal with columns, or a casual barn setting, we've got the spot. Fields, waterfalls, trails, piers, docks, flowers, you name it, we'll find it.

Architecture makes interesting backgrounds

or revisiting your favorite places, like the baseball stands or public market

Sometimes its better to be right at home with your favorite instrument, or in the backyard

Do you prefer the beach or the village look?

Or a little bit grungier...

Streams and fields are perfect for the casual outdoorsy look

Sonnenberg Gardens is spunky too!

Still need help selecting the location for your shoot, come on in! This is one of the things we go over at your complimentary consultation. We'll get to know more about you, your interests and personality. We use that information to plan the perfect spots to visit for your senior photos.

So, what are you waiting for?  Click here to schedule your free consultation!