NATE - The Nate Berkus Show

Photo-Recipe™ for a Modern Holiday Family Photo (no matter what age you are!)

Gone are the days when a family photo is limited to a formal studio with us feeling stiff and forcing our smiles. Thank goodness! If you want ideas on how to set up a family photo that is relaxed and modern day looking, this Photo-Recipe is for YOU! We are going to set you up for success so that all your friends are raving about your holiday photo card! And, we’ll talk about the pose that every woman should avoid at ALL costs! But first, let’s start with the busiest subjects of all—babies and toddlers!

Part 1: Holiday Photo for a Family with Toddlers and Babies

As you witnessed from the show, capturing a family photo is busy-busy when babies and toddlers are involved. To set ourselves up for success, we’ve got to approach the photo moment with a game plan. If we are taking the photo indoors, our first step is vital.

1. Photo Walk the Home.
We need to find the BEST window light, so start with a photo walk around the house that is focused on looking for light. I find that a lot of my clients have well lit kitchens, and a kitchen counter top can be the perfect spot for a family photo when babies and toddlers are involved! Here’s how to make it happen;

2. Freedom to Wiggle!
Have the babies and toddlers sit on top of the countertop. When you are working with busy bodies, the best move can be to just have them sit. But not all wiggles can be cured, and this is when I say give the family and yourself freedom to capture the fun and craziness of this age! They won’t always be little, and a modern day photo is all about giving the story freedom to be a little crazy—whether they are sitting pretty or crawling off the counter top! It’s all good!

3. Flatter the Parents.
Have the parents stand behind the kids and kitchen counter, lean forward and snuggle into their kids. Without the parents knowing it, they are elongating their neck which is wonderfully slimming (and the kitchen counter is hiding half their body!). Everyone is looking good!

4. Blur the Background with the Right Camera Settings:
a. Point-and-Shoot: If you are using a Point-and-Shoot, set your camera to the shooting mode where there is a woman’s head (Portrait mode). This will automatically change your camera settings so that when you focus on your subjects, the background will blur behind them.

b. DSLR: With a DSLR, you get more freedom in manipulating your camera settings. Set your camera in A mode (or Aperture Priority/AV mode), and roll your dial until you get the lowest f-stop your lens can give. The lower your f-stop the more buttery, blurred your background is. I love buttery, blurry backgrounds because it puts all our attention on the subjects. It’s especially helpful when you are shooting in a kitchen. With a blurred background, it doesn’t matter if there is a stove and fridge behind your family, like the Chromolux family photo that you saw on the show!

Part 2: Holiday Photo for a Couple!

Okay ladies, there is a pose that you must avoid at ALL costs! I call it the “trophy pose”. You know it well. The woman is basically standing in front of the man, his arms are wrapped around her, and a big problem is taking place! Any guesses?

If you guessed, she looks bigger than him, you guessed right! It’s like she’s his TROPHY! No, no, no! Women do NOT want to look bigger than men, so let’s fix this with four easy steps!

1. Shoulders Facing the Camera.
The man can still stand behind her, but we’re going to have them stand sideways so their shoulders are facing the camera.

2. Bend in Her Arm, Hand on Her Shoulder.
I know it sounds crazy, even Nate teased me about this idea. But try it and see what you think! Have the woman, bend her arm and rest her hand on her shoulder. This subtle posturing tucks her upper body in and adds lines to her that are even more slimming!

3. Lean Into His Kisses and Jokes.
Ask the guy to snuggle in close and whisper jokes that only she can hear or give little kisses to her hand. As he does this, she can lean her head into his. Not only is the moment more affectionate, but her neck elongates as she leans into him which is even more flattering! Slimming and flattering!! If you are like me, you’ll take as much of that as you can get! (Little tip: I ask the woman to look at the camera, but the guy doesn’t have too. We just want him to be smiling whether he’s kissing your hand or whispering jokes while you give the camera a natural looking giggle.)

4. Zoom In! If you are the one shooting, zoom in so that everything below their elbows is framed out. This is a modern looking holiday shot that tells a story of their closeness and joy together. The more you zoom in, the more intimate it will feel! Voila!

If you have questions, I invite you to post them in the comments below! Let’s keep the conversation going! You can even send me your photo results! I have a feeling this year’s holiday cards will knock it out of the park!

Me Ra Koh loves cameras, kids and parents, and spends her life bringing them together. Her work and Photo-Recipes have been featured on national television several times, including the "The Oprah Winfrey Show." You will also be seeing Me Ra on "The Nate Berkus Show" this season! To learn more about Me Ra, visit her blog at www.merakoh.com.