Christmas Card - Front
Christmas card back
Everywhere I look this time of year, photographers are advertising Christmas mini sessions. Matching pajamas, Christmas trees, decorated backdrops, and 15-minute appointments to get that perfect holiday card photo.
And I get it! Families want a beautiful photograph to send to grandparents, relatives, and friends. It's a wonderful tradition, and I love receiving Christmas cards myself.
But I don't offer Christmas mini sessions.
Not because there's anything wrong with them. They're a great fit for families who want a quick, traditional holiday portrait.
I just approach family photography differently.
And here's something you might not realize: You can absolutely have beautiful Christmas cards made from a regular family photography session. In fact, I can take care of the entire process for you, from selecting the photographs to designing and printing the cards, and even addressing the envelopes.
But the best part? You walk away with so much more than a Christmas card.
Why I don't offer Christmas mini sessions
I've been photographing families for over 20 years, and one of the things I've learned is that the photographs I love most rarely happen on command.
Children need time to get comfortable. Parents need time to relax. Sometimes the funniest, sweetest, or most surprising things happen when nobody is thinking about being photographed.
I don't want to rush that.
In a typical Christmas mini session, families might have 10 or 15 minutes to get everyone in place, smiling, and looking at the camera.
For some families, that's exactly what they're looking for.
But I want to see what happens when your kids are free to be themselves.
Maybe your toddler is determined to wear rain boots to the beach. Maybe your daughter is laughing so hard at something her brother said that she can barely stand up. Maybe your child reaches for your hand without even thinking about it.
I don't want to miss those photographs because we're trying to get everyone to look at the camera before the next family arrives.
That's why my family photography sessions begin at 90 minutes, with longer options available.
There's time to settle in, have fun together, and let things happen naturally.
Christmas family photography in Carlsbad doesn't need a Christmas backdrop
One of the things I love about photographing families in Carlsbad and throughout North County San Diego is how many possibilities there are.
Your Christmas family photos could happen at the beach, in your backyard, at home, or anywhere your family enjoys spending time together.
And they don't have to look particularly Christmasy.
Imagine a Christmas card featuring your family laughing at the beach, your kids piled onto the couch with you, or your little one riding on Dad's shoulders.
It doesn't need a Christmas tree in the background to be a Christmas card.
And it doesn't even need to be photographed in November or December.
A photograph from a beautiful family day in March can make just as meaningful a Christmas card in December.
I photograph families throughout the year, and those photographs can become Christmas cards whenever the holidays roll around.
But what if I just want a nice family photo for our Christmas card?
You can have that too!
Although my approach is primarily documentary, I'm certainly not opposed to a beautiful photograph of everyone together.
If having a more traditional family portrait is important to you, tell me! We can make room for that during your session.
But there's no reason the entire experience needs to revolve around that one photograph.
You might end up choosing something completely unexpected for your Christmas card. A photograph of your kids making each other laugh, your family splashing in the ocean, or everyone cuddled together on the couch.
And you can still have that beautiful photograph of everyone looking at the camera.
What if we actually want Christmas photographs?
Then let's photograph your family enjoying Christmas!
Maybe you have a tradition of decorating the tree together. Perhaps your kids love baking Christmas cookies, making gingerbread houses, or hanging lights outside.
Those are wonderful things to photograph.
I'd much rather capture your child carefully choosing where to hang an ornament, the flour-covered kitchen after an afternoon of baking, or everyone laughing over a gingerbread house that refuses to stay standing.
Those photographs tell a story about your family's traditions.
And years from now, I suspect you'll love remembering those experiences just as much as seeing how everyone looked that Christmas.
If you're looking for ideas, I've shared plenty of possibilities in my article about things to do during an in-home family photography session.
Yes, I can design, print, and even address your Christmas cards!
Here's something many families don't realize about working with me.
I'm not just showing up with a camera and sending you a gallery of digital files afterward.
I help you decide what to do with your photographs, too.
That includes Christmas cards!
Once we've chosen your favorite images, I can help design your Christmas cards and arrange professional printing.
And here's something that might make your holiday season a little easier: I can even arrange to have your envelopes addressed for you.
No spending an evening entering addresses into another website or wondering whether the cards will ever get mailed.
You can have professionally printed Christmas cards, beautifully designed with your family's photographs, ready for you to send.
Card design, printing, and envelope addressing are optional services, with pricing depending on your selections.
And if you'd rather handle the cards yourself, that's perfectly fine too. Digital files matching qualifying artwork purchases are included for printing up to 8×10, giving you the option to make your own cards using those photographs.
My goal is to make things easier, not give you another project to manage.
They came for Christmas cards. They ended up wanting artwork for their walls.
Computer mock-up of client’s wall
These will become framed matted photographs that they walk past every day, feel loved and a sense of belonging.
I recently photographed a family who originally contacted me because they wanted photographs for their Christmas cards.
That was their reason for booking.
But when they saw their photographs, they loved them so much that they decided they didn't want those images to be seen just once on a Christmas card and then put away.
They wanted to see them every day, displayed on the walls of their home.
And I love that!
Because while Christmas cards are a wonderful tradition, your family photographs deserve to be enjoyed long after the holidays are over.
Computer mock-up of client’s wall with an image printed on canvas in a float-frame.
The design included a redesign of the top of the mantel decor as well.
Imagine walking past a photograph of your children laughing together every morning. Or sitting down with an album years from now and remembering how your little one used to curl up in your lap.
Those are the things I want families to have.
It's also why I offer more than digital files. I help families select and design custom wall art, albums, and photo boxes. I can even show you what different artwork arrangements will look like on your own walls before you order, and professionally install the finished pieces in your home.
If you're curious about that process, you can read more about what happens after your family photography session or explore the possibilities for custom family photo wall art.
Your Christmas card can be one lovely thing we create from your session. It just doesn't have to be the only thing.
Do we have to dress up or coordinate outfits?
Absolutely not!
If your family loves dressing up for photographs, that's fine. But please don't feel like you need to buy everyone coordinating sweaters or convince your kids to wear something they hate.
Wear what feels comfortable and looks like your family.
If your child insists on wearing their favorite superhero shirt, or your toddler wants to wear a tutu to the beach, I'm not going to ask them to change.
Those choices are part of who they are right now.
I've written more about this in my article on what to wear for a documentary family photography session.
You might be surprised how little preparation you actually need.
Looking for Christmas family photos in Carlsbad?
If you're searching for Christmas family photography or Christmas mini sessions in Carlsbad, Encinitas, San Marcos, Oceanside, or anywhere in North County San Diego, I hope you'll consider another possibility.
You don't have to choose between getting a beautiful holiday card and having meaningful photographs of your family.
You can have both.
We can spend an afternoon at home, head to the beach, photograph your favorite holiday traditions, or simply do something your family already loves.
I'll photograph your family as you are, help you choose your favorites, and take care of turning them into beautiful artwork and Christmas cards.
And when the holiday decorations are packed away and the cards have been mailed, you'll still have photographs worth enjoying for years to come.
Want to create something more than a Christmas card this year?
Explore my family photography sessions in Carlsbad and North County San Diego, or get in touch and tell me a little about your family.
I'd love to hear what makes yours unique.
Michelle