Holiday Style Guide: Festive Over Timeless

There is a certain pressure that comes with family photographs. We want them to be beautiful, of course, but we also want them to feel timeless. Something we won't look back on in ten years and wonder, What were we thinking?

And while there is absolutely a place for the classic family portrait (aka…the neutral wardrobe, the beautiful natural setting, the photograph that could live on your wall for decades) we don't think every family photo needs to fit that mold.

Especially if you're a family who makes a tradition of having your portraits taken every year!

Because when you photograph your family year after year, you don't need every photograph to do the exact same job. Some years can be classic. Some can be playful. Some can be fashion-forward. And some can have a little sparkle.

Yes, EMBRACE the Sparkles

This year's holiday photographs don't have to look like last year's.

If the holiday season is meaningful to your family, why not let the photographs feel festive?

A little shimmer. A little sparkle. A little more drama.

Black and white against a glittering holiday backdrop can feel incredibly sophisticated while still capturing the spirit of the season. When the wardrobe is intentional and the styling is elevated, a festive setting can create portraits that feel polished, modern, and completely appropriate for the holidays.

And there's something refreshing about giving yourself permission to enjoy the photograph for what it is.

There Is Value in Photographing Your Family Every Year

We love working with families who return to us year after year.

We learn how your kids interact. We know which expressions are quintessentially them. We understand how you like your photographs to feel. We remember what you loved from the previous year and what you didn't.

And as your family changes, we change with you!

The little kids get taller. Teenagers become young adults. Personalities evolve. Your family dynamic shifts. Maybe this year your daughter is obsessed with fashion. Maybe your son has suddenly shot up six inches. Maybe everyone is in a completely different season of life than they were last Christmas.

Those changes are exactly why annual family photography is so valuable.

You're not simply updating the frame on the wall.

You're creating a visual record of your family growing up together.

The Best Annual Tradition Might Be the One That Changes

There is no rule that says your family has to choose one photography style and stick with it forever.

In fact, we think the opposite can be much more meaningful.

Let your photographs evolve as your family does.

One year might be soft and classic. Another might be modern and fashion-forward. Another might be full of color. And maybe this year, you decide that holiday photographs should actually look like the holidays.

Add the sparkle.

Dress up.

Have fun with it.

Because the point of photographing your family every year isn't to recreate the same perfect portrait over and over again. It's to document the people you are becoming together.