We took our Christmas Card photo’s the other day at our local beach. I have actually taken all of our Christmas card photos for the past three years and I am IN the photo! You know I am pretty passionate about mom’s getting in the picture. So I thought I would share how you can take your own family pictures too. And I am in LOVE with our Christmas Cards this year. They are my favorite. Maybe because it was the quickest picture and they are super affordable. The best price I have ever paid for Christmas Cards and the fastest it took to order them. And on this post you can purchase the exact Preset I use on all my photos, the camera I use and my photo tips!
Thank you Walmart for sponsoring this post
We ending up doing THIS Christmas Card for 99 cents from Walmart! I saved hundreds of dollars and hours by choosing these Christmas Cards!
You can shop the Holiday Cards from Walmart HERE they are super affordable and high quality! We took our photo’s Sunday morning on the way to church and then I ordered the cards from my phone on the drive to church! It was so fast and an easy experience. The first year I have ever ordered our Christmas cards in 15 minutes! It typically takes me hours!!! Can anyone else relate?
And keep reading for my photo editing and picture taking tips…..
I thought I would share some of my tips for taking your own family photo’s and how to edit them. And also share WHY.
Reasons for taking your own photos for your Christmas cards-
- You don’t know of a photographer
- To be able to choose the time and not ever feel rushed. We like to take family pictures on Sunday when we all actually get “ready” for church (aka…wash my hair) and it can be hard to schedule a photographer then (because they have a life).
- You can see what they look like BEFORE you get the final picture. Who likes to get their family pictures back and not like any of them because you really should not have worn a certain outfit or maybe you needed to fix your hair and you are the only one who would even notice….but it still bothers you??? When you take your own pictures you can take the time to look at each photo to see what needs to be adjusted!
- You can save money and get all of the original photo’s!
I am not anti-professional photographers at all. I actually look-up to them in many ways. But for a couple of reasons I choose to take our own family pictures for our Christmas card. 
Tips for taking your own Christmas Card photo-
- Pick a location that is close to home. Really there is no reason to drive an hour for a location. All anyone cares about is seeing your beautiful faces!
- Focus on lighting. This is HUGE!!! I will say this a million times…..lighting is EVERYTHING! My favorite time to take pictures outside is at dusk….as the sun is setting. Or an area that the sun is not shinning. For instance I never take photos of my backyard until the sun has set. If I try to take it before then everything is washed out. It faces South. Our front yard faces North so I can take those photos earlier. Or a cloudy day is a good day. We took our recent family pictures at 10:30 am, on a cloudy day.
- You can easily take the photo with your iPhone! Biggest tip is to CLEAN YOUR LENSE. And use the main camera lens (not the selfie lens). Find a phone tripod stand HERE. That tripod comes with a remote that you can hook thru bluetooth to snap the pictures! No running back and forth.
- Make sure the camera is in FOCUS! Set it up so boxes appear around the faces in the people in the photo (include feet! you can always crop later).
- ALWAYS move the tripod stand closer. NEVER zoom in or magnify.
- If you can use a DSLR Camera. Yes, they are an investment. But if you forgo professional photos one year then you can almost pay for a new camera! I use a THIS Canon Rebel T6i with WIFI and I LOVE it!!! I have had a Nikon and by far the Canon is my favorite. It has the ability to shoot videos and also set a timer self timed photos.
- Get a tripod specifically for your type of camera. I know a lot of bloggers who pay a lot of money for a nice tripod. But I have been happy with my $35 tripod. It does the trick. If you plan on taking photos at night then invest in a nicer tripod. The way we took our photo was on a timer. Kevin would run back and set the timer and it would take 10 photos at a time. (Best to have someone who isn’t in heels to run back and forth or the one not holding a kid).
Using your DSLR Camera-
- This would require an entire blog post. But I will say that I took a local camera class that was run through the town. It cost me $100 dollars and it helped a lot!
- PRACTICE! Don’t just head out with your new camera and take your family photo’s. It takes a lot of practice to understand it and get better. I still don’t know everything my camera does!
- Don’t shoot your photos with anything above an ISO of 400. It is better to adjust the aperture.
- You can always just shoot on Auto mode until you figure out or take a class on how to shoot in manual mode. I used AUTO mode forever and I liked my photos!! Now with shooting so much indoors and playing with light I have to know how to shoot in manual mode.
- I have THIS Canon Rebel T6i with WIFI (you download an app and then you can transfer your photos from your camera to your phone).
Editing your photos-
- I like to zoom in and crop my photo so the people in the picture are the focus.
- You can use an easy editing site like picmonkey.com for your desktop computer or download Adobe Lightroom CC to your phone to edit photos on your phone, this is my favorite way to edit photos recently! (Lightroom is trickier to use on your desktop, I just use the app on my phone).
- Always save your photo with the maximin amount of pixels. It is the largest file, but the best to download. Never print photo’s from a screen-shot or not from the original source.
- You can purchase Preset’s that make photo editing so fast and your photo’s look amazing! A “Preset” is set edit for your photo that you download to Lightroom. With one touch you can put an edit on your photo that someone created. Just simply shop the look of the photo’s with the presets you like, then select that one! I have one that I use on ally photos. It makes photo editing super quick and consistent. (See below for my favorite Presets!)
PS- when you purchase a Preset it comes with instructions on how to do it!
Different Preset Options for Easy Editing your Photos-
Below is the raw photo right from my camera with no filters
Below is the Preset I used for our actual Christmas Card. It is called “Nesting with Grace”! You can get the same look that I use on all of my photos. Find THIS Nesting with Grace Preset for the photo below (mobile version for Lightroom).
You can see below the top half of my Instagram feed does not have a Preset then the bottom half has my custom Preset! You can download it HERE for only $7 you will get 3 Preset Downloads –
1- Original Preset (which I use for my home photos)
2- Warm (which I used for my Christmas Card and people)
3- Cold (which can make warmed images cooler)
I used THIS Preset (Avocado) For the photo below (mobile version for Lightroom).
I used THIS Muted Mulled Wine for the photo below (mobile version for Lightroom)
I used THIS Gingerbread Preset on the photo below (mobile version for Lightroom) Very similar to our Christmas Card Preset. 
You can go HERE to my Instagram Highlights under “Presets” for a short video showing you how to use a Preset.
I hope that helps! Please leave me any questions you have below.
Wildly fantastic photos, Brooke! Your kiddos….so adorable! The happy smiles, the outfits… the colors…. just beautiful!
Really great captures… very impressed!
And…props to Walmart …seriously impressing me this year as well.
Thank you so much Karen!! I appreciate this!!!
What type of lens did you use? Awesome blog post!!
I use just the one that came with my camera! The EFS 18-55 mm
Brooke! Thank you for making this so easy and affordable! Your photos are amazing! And you covered all the details!
I have a Canon Rebel T6 that I will definitely be putting to good use this time!
Happy Holidays!
Thank you Danielle!! I am so happy!!!
Do you find that when you edit your photos, to lighten them, the colors get washed out a bit? Or is there a trick to brightening a photo without losing the saturation of the colors? Thank you.
I actually brighten and contrast together! But honestly you just need a preset! It makes it so easy!!!
Do I understand correctly, you purchase the preset and then it’s forever yours to use, or they are free and available as is? Also, my understanding was lightroom was a program you buy, is that right? Or is there a fee for the app? Thanks for sharing photography tips! So helpful!
Yes once you buy the preset it is yours forever!!
And the Lightroom app is free!!
If it feels washed out you can adjust the “contrast” which will add some depth back to the colors.
Love how your cards turned out! Great tips!
While I have done the tripod in years past, I find it even easier to ask a friend or family member to see if they can spare 20 minutes or so and snap some photos (and again, they do not need to be a professional photographer by any means).
I usually have a friend use MY camera to take some family pics for us. This way I can still look to see how they are coming out, see what needs adjusting, but then I don’t need to worry about a tripod (and running back and forth haha, don’t have that button tool.)
Yes! I have done that before too! We were rushed and didn’t ask a friend early enough.
Wonderful post, Brooke! I love the photos, too. Your kiddos are adorable!
XO
Courtney
I love how you shared your favorite presets! I have the Lightroom app, the only thing I’m confused on is how to purchase the presets. I found where the free presets are & how to create my own preset, but I don’t see how to buy one. Hoping you can help!
Thanks!
Ok so if you are on your phone you click on the link to buy the preset you like. Then purchase it. You get emailed the Preset. Then download it (you might need the app “unzip”) then you save the photo in lightroom. All the presets I buy come with instructions too!!!
I just texted my husband that we are going to send out a Christmas card this year! I bought a tripod the other week and plan on taking a family picture this weekend! Thanks for the inspiration!
oh ya!!! This makes me so happy!!!
Brooke! I loved this post! So helpful! Did you edit the pictures on your phone then? I see you used your canon to take the pictures. Thanks!!
Yes! I take the photo with my cannon then I wirelessly save it to my phone (my camera has wifi) then I open the photo Lightroom and apply the filter!
What lense do you use with your canon?
I will add that to the post. But just the lens it came with! https://rstyle.me/n/dcna5kb5qwf
So helpful! Any tips on how to pick a preset?
I just look tru their sample photos! And go with what feels like you! And makes you happy!
This was so helpful! Thank you!! We do the same thing every year, but I have never used a preset. Would you showing what the app looks like.. I see a few Lightroom things in the App Store. I’m sure this is the stupidest question😏
Shauna. Not a stupid question. I can’t seem to find which Lightroom app either. Help Brooke. Great Post.
GO to the apple store on your phone! and download it!
Adobe Lightroom CC (pretty sure that’s the free one).
YES!
The one I’m looking at isn’t free. It cost 4.99. Did you find a free one?
The mobile one I use is free! I just linked it on the blog. Also shared it on my Instagram stories today!
These pictures are great! To use the Lightroom app on your phone, do you just email them to yourself and save them on your phone? Thanks so much!
I open them on the email on my phone then I download the Preset!
Not a stupid question bc I can’t find the app either 🤣. Help Brooke!! Love this post
Love your photos!!! I’ve been considering doing our own this holiday but was hesistant but I think I’m going to give it a try now!!! Thanks for the inspiration.. much love, Lu
pS. Love your shoes!!!
Oh thank you!! You can totally do it!! Those shoes are like 8 years old! haha!
What a beautiful family. I love that you use your talents too! You all look so happy! Thanks for sharing all your tips!
Thank you Heather!!
Question on presets… once you buy them you have them to use for multiple photos on separate occasions or just once and done?
You can use them on a million photos!!
What an adorable card! Walmart sure has come a long way! Absolutely love the location you chose, too! I just wanted to add that shooting in auto or aperature/ shutter priority may be what beginners want to use as opposed to manual. Manual requires a bit more knowledge of the camera and exposure triangle (which I’m sure you know! Just don’t want others confused 🙂
I that is what I meant! Whoops! haha! Thank you!!
How do you set it to take multiple pics with the timer? I have a remote but it only takes one pic at a time. I have a canon too, hoping the settings will be similar. Thanks!
where did you find your daughter’s black/white dress? i love it!
Thank you!! Here- https://www.sonnetjames.com/collections/fall2018/products/reese-black-polka-dot
Hi Brooke, the question above is about the dress Lola is wearing (black and white check). I also would love to know where it’s from. (I have 5 grand-girls and 1 grand-boy.) Thank you!
I got Lolas dress at Nordstrom! Here- https://rstyle.me/n/dc2jnnb5qwf
hey girl- love the pics! great job!!
Did you use a corner rounding punch on your cards? They look so nice!
no, I picked that option from Walmart!!!
Be careful who you buy presets from. My brother tells me they can embed malware that can sit on your phone for months without you knowing and steal information. I just ordered a bunch from Etsy and the seller was super sketchy. Like trying to get me to download an email file or do it through Dropbox as opposed to through Etsy – just raised red flags for me. Might have been nothing, but not taking a chance.
Yes that is good advice. Everyone I linked to I have used often and trust. All you do is download a photo with their custom preset. Really simple.