Holiday Style Guide: The Best Time of Year to Photograph Your Multigenerational Family

For a multigenerational family, the best time of year for a family portrait is often less about the season and more about one simple question: When is everyone actually together? For many families, the answer is the holidays. Grandparents travel in, adult children come home from college or work, siblings gather from different cities, and suddenly three generations are around the same table. That kind of togetherness can be surprisingly rare, and it makes the holiday season a natural time to photograph everyone in one place.

The holidays may be the only time everyone is together

When you are coordinating grandparents, grown children, spouses, and babies, finding a date that works for everyone can feel like a logistical project of its own. Add school schedules, work travel, and families who live in different states, and there may only be one small window each year when everyone is under the same roof.

That is why we don't think there is a single "perfect" season for a multigenerational portrait. If the holidays are the one time your entire family is together, that's your moment. You don't need to wait for spring flowers or a sunny summer afternoon to make the session meaningful. The significance comes from who is in the photograph.

Holiday portraits don't have to look overly seasonal

There is a difference between a holiday family portrait and a portrait that feels like a holiday card. You can absolutely embrace the season without covering the set in traditional holiday décor.

For this family, black and maroon create a sophisticated palette that feels festive without being overly literal. Against a chic black studio set, the darker wardrobe allows the focus to stay on the people, and the mix of generations becomes the visual story.

This is one of our favorite approaches for families who want a portrait that feels elevated enough for the holidays but still looks beautiful hanging in their home long after the season has passed.

We Photograph the CONNECTIONS, not just the group

One of the best parts of a multigenerational session is that the final gallery can tell a much bigger story than one everyone-looking-at-the-camera photograph.

We want the grandparents with their grandchildren, parents with their babies, siblings together, and the whole family gathered in one frame. Those combinations matter because they document relationships that change with every passing year.

A baby who is being held in Grandma's arms today will eventually be standing beside her. The little ones will grow, the teenagers will leave for college, and the family will continue to evolve. Having photographs that show not only what everyone looked like, but who they were to one another, is what makes a multigenerational portrait especially meaningful.

A studio session means the weather doesn't get a vote

Holiday schedules are already complicated enough without adding a weather forecast to the equation. In the Pacific Northwest, December can mean rain, wind, cold temperatures, or a very short window of daylight. None of those things should determine whether your family gets a great photograph together.

A studio session gives you a beautiful, controlled environment regardless of what is happening outside. Everyone can arrive comfortably, settle in, and let our team handle the lighting, posing, and flow of the session.