The Holidays are here! Whew. Importantly, we made it through 2020. In addition to this, we welcomed our first child a baby boy this year during the pandemic. Here’s our birth story during COVID-19 video. What better way to celebrate our first year as a family of three, than a DIY family photoshoot at home. This was our first Christmas with our son but also a Christmas in the middle of a pandemic. I shared some valuable tips for giving birth during the pandemic here for parents who are giving birth during the pandemic.
Furthermore, to get our son accumulated to long photoshoots, we decided to DIY our first annual Christmas photos. Also, we recently purchased some new camera equipment and thought it would be a great time to out it to use. However, with the help of my sister, in all honesty, I think it was a success! And can I just tell you we had the best experience ever! My son defiantly did a great job to be an 8-month old baby at the time. Absolutely, this is one proud mama! I want to share with you my top five tips for your DIY family photoshoot at home.
Importantly, here are five quick tips that I used to save money and make high- quality photos for memories.
1. BACKDROP & PROPS FOR YOUR DIY FAMILY PHOTOSHOOT AT HOME
In this paragraph, I’m going to discuss how important it is to have a backdrop and props included in your DIY family photoshoot at home. First, to give the photos a solid background, we moved our couch against a solid wall in the living room. Secondly, this was most helpful to capture pictures that displayed us as the main feature and not the kitchen in the background. Thirdly, for the props, I used two “simply blessed” signs and a Boxwood wreath from Hobby Lobby. In addition, to make the wreath pop more, I added an holiday ribbon and artificial holiday cranberries from Dollar Tree. Importantly, before purchasing props, look around to see what you can use from within your home. I think truly this is the most important step to making your DIY family photoshoot at home a success.
2. CLOTHING FOR YOUR DIY FAMILY PHOTOSHOOT AT HOME
Above all, as a stay/work-from-home mom, I try to be mindful of my spending always. I respect what my husband and I are building so I am the “ON SALE QUEEN!!” In addition to this, the gold dress that I used for this photoshoot, was a dress that I wore as a bridesmaid at one of my friend’s weddings in 2018. Indeed, this dress was made of good quality so I kept it to add to the collection for attending future formal events. Furthermore, my husband always has a blue, black, or gray suit in his collection due to being in business and having to wear them frequently.
In fact, my son was the only one who had on new clothing. I purchased his baby tux from JCPenny’s. The retail price on the baby tux was $46 but it was on sale for $22. Especially, before purchasing, don’t forget to check your closet for clothing pieces you already have. Also, to make my theme easier, I created a mood board on my phone to plan the photoshoot vibe. You want to make your DIY family photoshoot at home a success, but you don’t want to overspend on it.
3. CAPTURE THE MOMENT FOR YOUR DIY PHOTOSHOOT AT HOME
Indeed, you can use the latest I-phone to capture a great quality picture. Since I create youtube videos, I used my equipment to capture the moment. However, my sister had never used a DSLR camera but taught herself the night prior at our house. In fact, she has been my photographer for several shoots. We used a DSLR Canon camera, (1) ring light, (2) softbox lighting kit and a tripod. In addition, if you plan to create more DIY family photoshoots at home, I suggest investing in some quality equipment that you can use often.
4. SET THE MOOD FOR YOUR DIY FAMILY PHOTOSHOOT AT HOME
Importantly, this may seem simple, but just from the prior photo shoot, I defiantly think having the mood set makes a difference. Without a doubt, I prayed before the photoshoot because they can be a drag at times, and require a lot to capture that image your envisioning. Even so, I made sure we had snacks and lunch prepared n the counter to grab during the shoot. Besides, my husband and son can both get a little (h a n g r y) at times. Plus having a full stomach makes the shoot go better and puts a smile on everyone’s face. We also had the fireplace lit and the Amazon Alexa playing all the jams. Even though this is a DIY family photoshoot at home, still make it feel like an enjoyable experience.
5. PHOTOS READY fOR EDITING- IN CONCLUSION
In conclusion, If you desire to transform your images to a card I would suggest using Walgreens. My best friend always suggest them because of the coupons you can always find online. Or due to COVID, you can always send a nice electronic e-card. I hope that your DIY family photoshoot at home is a success!
Have you ever did a DIY family photoshoot at home? Let me know in the comments below what you use to prepare for DIY family photoshoots.
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