Christmas Photoshoot Poses: What Actually Works

In short: Christmas is a documentary shoot with one group photograph in it. Keep people doing things and take the formal frame early.

Group on and around a sofa

Staggered heights, some seated, some on arms. A row against a wall reads as a school photograph.

Hands passing something

A plate, a glass, a parcel. Solves the hands and creates connection.

Laughing at the table, mid-meal

Shot from a seated position, not standing over people.

By the window with a drink

Best light in the house plus an occupied hand.

Children opening, adults watching

Two subjects in one frame: the reaction and the reaction to the reaction.

Outside, walking, coats on

Movement and honest winter light.

The order to run them in

Start with group on and around a sofa — the first two minutes are warm-up and the first pose should be the one that asks least of anyone. Move to hands passing something and laughing at the table, mid-meal once the shoulders have dropped, and keep outside, walking, coats on for the end, when self-consciousness has gone. Shoot each one in bursts through the movement rather than holding it: the usable frames sit between the instructions, not on them.

Camera height and distance

Two metres back with the lens zoomed rather than close and wide — distance is what keeps facial proportions natural. Camera at or slightly above eye level for portraits, at chest height for full length. Below eye level enlarges whatever is nearest the lens, which is rarely what you want in frame.

What to avoid

The whole family lined up in front of the tree under a ceiling light — the single most photographed and least flattering setup of the season. Also holding gifts up to the camera.

The mistakes that cost the most

Shooting under ceiling lights. Mixing daylight and warm bulbs in one frame, which puts orange and blue on the same face. Leaving the group photograph until after the meal. And photographing gifts instead of people.

Christmas photoshoot poses