5 tips for a perfect holiday photo

'Tis the season for family holiday photos! With the winter break just around the corner, it’s time to think about scheduling a photo session. Toronto-based photographer Helen Tansey of Sundari Photography has seen it all in her 20 years of taking family and maternity portraits. She offers five quick tips to keep in mind when preparing for a festive photo shoot with the kids:

Timing is everything
Schedule your photo session at a good time of day for your family. Make sure it’s not during naptime or at the end of the day when children may be exhausted and more likely to be cranky.

Select all outfits the night before
This will help you avoid last minute rushing around and ensure that you arrive on time for your photo session, ready to go.

Don't tell your kids to smile
There is nothing worse than a forced smile. Just let them be who they are and if they smile, great! If not, don’t worry. Let the photographer take care of getting great smiles.

Follow the photographer’s lead
It’s every parent’s natural instinct to try to get their kid(s) to focus on the camera. While this can sometimes make for a good shot of the child, mom or dad often looks distracted, as they’re caught looking down at their child instead of at the camera! Let the photographer work on getting your child's attention and if they need help from you they will ask.

Speak to the photographer beforehand about a treat for the kids  
Most photographers have treats for the kids after the session, but if you don't want your child having candy, you can either bring something for them to snack on or do something special with them afterward as a reward for your successful photo session!