The right Christmas photo ideas can make for some amazing Christmas cards. And taking them can be fun for the whole family!
Today, we’re giving you 25 ideas to help you capture the perfect Christmas family photo. So get that Christmas tree ready. Get your camera on a tripod. And get in the festive spirit for a Christmas photoshoot!
25 Fun Christmas Photo Ideas
Let’s look at creative Christmas photoshoot ideas at home that you can try this year. If you print photos for Christmas cards, ensure you are shooting and printing photos at the correct resolution.
1. Take Photos of Christmas Baking
The only thing better than Christmas treats is baking them with your family. Why not take advantage of this special moment by capturing the whole family in the kitchen? There’s always a fun mess to capture, so ensure you have the camera ready! Use a fast shutter speed for action shots.
2. Create a Candy Cane Heart
If you hold two candy canes together, they can look similar to a heart shape. It is a simple way to send a warm message to other families and spread Christmas joy. Use a large aperture for a lovely Christmas bokeh.
3. Decorate Family Members in Lights
Before decorating the Christmas tree with lights, how about decorating your family members? Photography props go a long way to add fun details, so why not take advantage of the decorations before they’re up?
You can have family members pose for this shot differently. You can wrap Christmas lights around them together or apart. You could even wrap lights around your pet!
4. Candid Decorating Pictures
Deck the halls with boughs of holly—literally! It makes for great candid photo opportunities. While setting up the Christmas tree or putting up lights outside, get the camera out and start shooting.
Occasionally, you can ask your family to pose and show off the hard work you have put into your decorations. Ensure your focal point is on your main subject.
5. Create a Composite in Photoshop
If you don’t have time to set up an ideal Christmas backdrop but have Photoshop skills, then you’re in luck. Take images of your family members and drop them into any Christmas scene you like.
Maybe they could be inside a snow globe held by Santa? Or perhaps they’re stuck in an ice cube at the North Pole? Only your imagination restricts you, so get thinking. Look at our quick guide on photo composites for help.
6. Capture Kids at Christmas
A baby’s first Christmas is something to be remembered. And it makes for a great Christmas photo. Apart from this, you can have great fun taking pictures of your kids regardless of age.
Use a festive hat or holiday clothing to have them look like Santa or one of his little helpers by the Christmas tree. Use selective color in Photoshop to make Christmas colors stand out even more!
7. Holiday Season Pets
This one Christmas card photo idea is great for the camera-shy family members… dressing up family pets for Christmas! It’s easy to find Christmas pet outfits nowadays.
If you don’t want to go shopping, you can easily find Christmas decorations around the house that work. Maybe you can tie a bow around their collar or have them pose with a small wreath. Just make sure family pets are comfortable and safe throughout a pet photoshoot!
8. Set Up a Christmas-Themed Photoshoot
Why not set up a whole group photoshoot? Clear out a room, set up some lights and decorations, and get snapping.
You could even set a theme for the shoot. Have each family member dress up as a different tree decoration, with the youngest (or eldest) being the star. Ensure you have the correct depth of field so everyone is in sharp focus.
9. Around the Tree
If you’re someone who puts all their effort into the Christmas tree, why not show it off? Nothing says Christmas more than a well-decorated Christmas tree. This Christmas card photo takes little setup time since you will put the tree up anyway.
If the twinkle lights look best with the house lights off, position your family behind the tree or to the side. This way, they will get the light from the tree to light their faces. Use a tripod for these low-light situations.
10. Shoot a Christmas Ornament Flat Lay
An excellent option for those who want to get creative is to make a flat lay photograph featuring your favorite ornaments. This can be a fun and creative way to construct simple narratives through your photography.
Use small Christmas decorations to create a simple ornament outline. A black background can make seasonal colors pop!
11. Scout Locations for Outdoor Christmas Photoshoots
If you live in a place that is a winter wonderland, why not take advantage of it and do an outdoor photoshoot? This Christmas photo idea involves you hunting down a specific location for your shoot.
If you don’t live in a place that snows, consider locations associated with winter or Christmas. A few good examples are a Christmas tree farm from where you pick your tree, holiday mall settings, or a skating rink.
12. Embrace Tropical Christmas Settings
Take advantage of this “alternate” Christmas setting in a warm climate. Set up a photoshoot on the beach or by the pool.
All your friends and family in colder climates will be green with envy when they see you dressed as Santa sunbathing. Use different photo angles for compelling compositions.
13. Snap Some Family Time
Christmas is all about family togetherness. Take these festive opportunities to snap a candid family holiday photo. Even if it’s Christmas Day, you can save shots for next year’s Christmas card or the New Year.
This is one of our sentimental Christmas card photo ideas because you can catch memorable moments. Get a photo of the family caroling. Take pictures of the children’s expressions when they open presents. Or capture the family making gingerbread houses.
14. Couples Christmas Photoshoot
If this is the first Christmas for couples, celebrate the occasion with a photoshoot to keep in the memory box. A Christmas card photo with your better half is also a great way to keep distant family members updated.
There are many ways to do a couples photoshoot. They could dress in matching outfits, be outside in the snow, or be close together under the mistletoe!
15. Building a Snowman
How about bringing a new family member into the frame? Building a snowman is a fun outdoor activity the entire family can get involved in. And it’s a fantastic photo opportunity.
Take pictures of family members rolling up the snow or putting on the finishing touches. Be conscious of any distracting elements in the background and ensure the snowman faces in front.
16. Kids as the Christmas Present
One classic Christmas card photo idea is to wrap up the kids as a present. The easiest way to do this is to find a large box and wrap it in wrapping paper. You can then add a range of holiday-themed props to scatter around the scene.
When taking this photo, it is essential to get low on the ground to shoot at the head height of your subject. This will ensure the illusion isn’t ruined by seeing the inside of the box.
17. Take a Comedic Approach
Christmas photos are a treat whenever they have a comical narrative in them. There are plenty of Christmas photo ideas that fit this bill. The possibilities are endless. And you will be rewarded the more creative you get!
You could have a family member dress up as Santa and have them hiding in plain sight. Or you could dress the kids up as elves and have them perform a mutiny against you dressed up as Santa in the “workshop.” Or use editing software to draw some Christmas cheer!
18. Christmas Warmth
A typical Christmas tradition is getting the family around the TV to watch holiday movies. Why not capture this moment and share it with your friends?
There are plenty of ways to capture warmth in this shot. Have the entire family cuddle under a Christmas blanket, wear Christmas sweaters, or sit around a fireplace sipping hot chocolate.
Think of what kind of lighting you want to use. Light from a fire or candle can produce warm light to get across this cozy atmosphere, but you must compensate for low light.
19. Photograph or Create Snowy Scenes
If you’re lucky enough to get a white Christmas, take pictures of your family playing in the snow. If not, get creative. Maybe you can get the kids to cut out paper snowflakes. Or, if you don’t mind making a mess, get some flour or powdered sugar to use in flat lays or around car or house windows to create illusions of snow!
20. Simple Family Photos
Maybe you prefer something a bit more stripped back. Or perhaps you can’t get all the family members on board with some of your great ideas. Either way, the classic family photo goes down like a treat as an image for a Christmas card.
Make sure you spend time taking test shots to get the lighting right. And ensure your background doesn’t have any distractions to take away from you and your perfect family Christmas photo!
21. Create a Snowy Action Shot
Think about different ways to create a magical feel with your Christmas photos while in the snow. One example is having someone blow handfuls of snow toward the camera for an action photo.
Try to have the blown snow fill the frame. Then, add depth to your image. Use a long lens and a wide aperture for a shallow depth of field and to get the snowflakes slightly out of focus.
22. Focus on Christmas Details
Another idea for camera-shy family members is to take pictures without people’s faces visible or in focus. This can be effective if your composition and focus are still on Christmas themes.
Maybe your photos focus more on Christmas outfits. You can differentiate family members by the socks or sweaters they wear. You can also consider focusing on food or presents.
23. Use Matching Christmas Clothes
We have all seen the matching Christmas jumper images, so why not make your own? This is an easy photoshoot to set up. It only requires getting the family to wear the same clothes.
You can do this in many ways. It can be as simple as each member wearing a Santa hat or everyone in matching pajamas. You could even reconstruct Santa’s workshop with a family of working elves!
24. Send Christmas Card Kisses
Suppose you want to spread love to your family and friends. Why not send a Christmas kiss? Zoom in or move in closer on the family members for a nice tight shot.
A great way to frame this image is to position family members around a central person receiving a kiss on the cheek. Make sure you focus on the facial expression of the person getting kissed. They are the main subject of this Christmas photo.
25. Dress Up for Christmas Card Photos
A fun family photoshoot is to dress everyone up in their Sunday best. Set the theme as a super exclusive party for Christmas Eve and get the family looking elegant and sharp. Black-and-white photos work great here.
It is always lovely to have smart-looking family photos. But this type of photoshoot can also double as a comedic approach during Christmas. Quickly put on Santa hats to add a touch of color and holiday cheer!
Conclusion: Christmas Photoshoot Ideas at Home
Now, you have so many Christmas photo ideas to choose from. Consider adding your own twist to them! Many family photos don’t take much time and money to set up, so a spontaneous photoshoot is possible.
But remember, the more time you spend setting up the shoot, the more chance it has to be successful. So get out there and take your personalized Christmas card image to spread Christmas cheer!
DepositPhotos partly provided images in this article.
