TIPS FROM PROS: WHAT TO WEAR

PHOTO TIPS: TAKE YOUR BEST HOLIDAY PHOTO

5 WAYS TO SAVE TIME ON YOUR HOLIDAY CARDS

PINHOLE PRESS + NAPCP

The Ultimate Guide to Holiday Cards

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John Callcott Horsely illustrated the first commercial Christmas cards.

United States issued the first Christmas postage stamp.

The German post office gave away 20 million free stickers to make Christmas cards smell of a fir tree, cinnamon, gingerbread, a baked apple or an orange.

First official White House Christmas card was sent by President Eisenhower.

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Fun facts:

HOLIDAY CARDS:

7 Billion Greeting cards are sent every year in the U.S.

5 Ways to Save Time on your Holiday Cards this Year

Learn How a Professional Photo Shoot Works

Why Holiday Cards are so Important in our Digital World.

About Creative Ideas for your Holiday Card Photo

Tips from the Pros: What to Wear in your Holiday Card Photo03

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Contents

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How a Professional Photo Shoot Works

By Abbe McCracken

Holiday photo cards have become the most popular way to share a family update during the holiday season. Whether it’s a gorgeous family portrait or a hilarious outtake, the photo is the first thing you notice on a holiday card. The second thing you notice is quality.

Spoiler alert: If you want your holiday card to be awesome – even laugh-out-loud awesome – it’s a great choice to hire a professional photographer.

Working with a professional photographer allows you to get in the photo, instead of behind the camera. It also gives you the chance to document your family at a moment in time with a high-quality keepsake.

There are several types of family photography, such as portrait, lifestyle and documentary photography. To choose your favorite photography style, think about the types of photos you’d love to see on your walls. Then, consider the style of photo that you want for your holiday card. To get the most out of your time and investment, ideally your holiday card photo will end up as a framed print that you can enjoy all year.

Next, find a photographer who specializes in your photography style by asking friends or searching a network such as the National Association of Professional Child Photographers (NAPCP.com). Your goal is to find a photographer whose work and style you enjoy. NAPCP has an extensive list of highly qualified photographers who are searchable by location. It’s a great place to start.

Portrait Photography: If you envision your children smiling at the camera, look for someone who specializes in portraits.

Lifestyle Photography: If you want a picture of your family laughing, perhaps outdoors or at your home, search for lifestyle photographers.

Documentary Photography: If you want an image of your family baking holiday cookies, plan a documentary-focused session with a lifestyle photographer.

Most photographers will want to know more about you– your family, your style, your wants, your vision. That’s a great thing. Professional photographers want to make sure that they can meet your needs. Be as specific as possible about your goals for your photo session.

Every photographer has a different process for finalizing and delivering your images so it’s important to discuss this during the hiring phase. Some photographers sell only print products, some sell digital images and some have combination packages. Make sure you hire a photographer who offers the products you want.

Most professional photographers book family sessions several months in advance, especially during the busy season leading up to the holidays.

If you want to take your photos in the fall when the leaves are changing and back to school excitement is in the air, you should contact a photographer during the late summer. To lower stress and get your holiday cards ordered early, you can also take advantage of the summer months and book in the spring.

Plan your family photo shoot at the best time of the year for you and your family. There are pros and cons to all seasons. The only bad time is never.

SELECTING A PHOTOGRAPHER CONTACTING A PHOTOGRAPHER

SCHEDULING YOUR FAMILY SESSION

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WHAT TO EXPECT DURING A FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY SESSION

What to wear is always the number one concern. Most photographers will have tips and sample palettes for you to review. You can also turn to Pinterest to search for inspiration. Dressing a family for pictures feels overwhelming, but it shouldn’t be and it doesn’t have to break the bank. Professional photographers know how to guide you. If you have questions, make sure that you ask your photographer while planning your session.

When scheduling your session, it’s very important to think about the time of day that works best for your family. For example, most sessions with kids three and under happen in the morning. Young children are simply happier and more animated at the start of the day. Families with older kids usually need late afternoon session times because of sports and other daytime activities. Your photographer will advise you on the perfect timing for your family and then offer the best location options.

The first decision in selecting a location is whether or not you want to have pictures taken at home or elsewhere. Professional photographers usually have extensive lists of locations they love based on time of day, lighting conditions, seasonal color and more. Locations range from natural green parks to urban city spaces with lots of farms, fields and funky spots in-between.

A great way to determine locations that appeal to you is to look through your photographer’s blog posts, or ask for sample images from those locations.

What to wear

Time of Day

Location. Location. Location.

PHOTO SHOOT PREPARATIONS

Once you select a photographer, it’s time to start

thinking about your specific

session: what to wear, the time of day, the location.

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Abbe McCracken is a natural-light, portrait and lifestyle photographer serving Charlotte, NC and the surrounding areas. She specializes in family, child and event photography. Abbe is a member of the National Association of Professional Child Photographers and is the 2015 winner of Charlotte Smarty Pants’ Best Family Photographer, Hulafrog South Charlotte’s Most Loved Family Photographer and Charlotte Parent Readers’ Favorite Family Photographer.

WHAT TO EXPECT DURING THE SHOOTThe day is here. You are antsy because you want everyone to rock the session but your kids are already acting like wild animals. What to do? Relax.

At this point, the best thing you can do is not stress. Just have fun and let the photographer handle your kids. Professional photographers expect silliness and even shy moments. You have hired a professional because of their experience and in these moments, a professional photographer will make everything work.

Your session will last approximately an hour. Seasoned photographers can tell when kids (and parents) are running out of steam.

As you can tell, scheduling a family photo shoot is a process. Take it step-by-step and you will be rewarded with wonderful photos that capture your moment in time.

1. Decide what photography style you like best. Find and contact a photographer in your local area. Use professional search networks like NAPCP.com to make it easy to find professional and seasoned photographers.

2. Schedule and prepare for your shoot. Consider the time, day, location and clothing choices for your session. Lean on your photographer for their advice.

3. Have fun. Enjoy your session. Whether it’s laid back or hectic, your photos will capture your moment in time. And, years from now, you will look back on those moments with joy.

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FINAL ADVICE

5 Ways To Save TimeON YOUR HOLIDAY CARDS THIS YEAR

Soon we’ll be making our lists and checking them twice, hitting the mall for stocking stuffers and getting ready for the latest Christmas party. I love this time of year, but it never feels like there’s enough time to get everything done and enjoy it at the same time.

So, when it comes to sending holiday cards to family and friends, the temptation is strong to skip it.

But then I think about all my college friends I haven’t seen in

years and about older relatives who can’t visit as much as they used to. They deserve something way more personal than an email — or worse, a text — and no technology has managed to outdo the power of a good old-fashioned holiday card to show you care.

Luckily, modern technology canhelp streamline the process of getting all those holiday cards made, stamped and in the mailbox in time to arrive before the New Year.

Before you know it, the holiday season will be upon us.

Here are my favorite tricks to save time on custom holiday cards.

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ELIMINATE DECISION FATIGUEIf you’re indecisive about which picture to choose for your photo holiday cards, choose a card that has a collage-style layout. The more boxes there are for photos, the easier it will be for you to include all the best snapshots from the year. When there’s space to include them all, you don’t have to waste time agonizing over your choices. Best of all, your family and friends will love seeing your year in review in the form of a casual photo essay.

SKIP THE HANDWRITTEN NOTEIt’s okay not to write a personal note on each card — you’ll drive yourself crazy, and you’ll just end up repeating yourself anyway. For the best time savings, choose personalized holiday cards or photo gifts that give you the option to customize your greeting. This will let you sound like you without being a total time suck.

AVOID THE POST OFFICEDid you know that you can buy postage stamps online? You can avoid wasting time at the post office by ordering this year’s official holiday stamps at usps.com. This is a no-brainer; with cool stamp designs and no waiting in line, what’s not to love?

GET STICKY WITH ITOnce your envelopes are stuffed, licked and sealed, it’s time to address them. You can save lots of time by using pre-printed address labels for your return address. Some address labels can even be customized with a photo, and using them is as easy as putting a sticker at the top of your envelope. Most digital contact lists and address books also allow you to format your mailing list to print out labels for each recipient, which is much faster than writing each address out by hand.

SET UP AN ASSEMBLY LINEOnce you have your photo cards, envelopes, address labels and stamps ready to go, set up an assembly line on the dining room table and gather some helping hands to get the job done lickety-split. This is a great way to get kids involved in the holiday preparations, too. Assign one person to stuff and lick the envelopes, another to affix return address labels and a third one for the stamps.

ILLUSTRATION: THE ELLAPHANT IN THE ROOM

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4 Photo Ideas for your Holiday Card Photo

Don’t you just love heading to the mailbox in December?

Every day there’s a new stack of holiday photo cards showing

off a family portrait of friends and relatives, and they all look so

poised and happy. I love these reminders of all of my far-flung

friends and family, and look forward to seeing them every year.

But when it comes time to make one for myself? I start to

break into a cold sweat. Who has time to shop for matching

Christmas outfits and get the baby to the mall to pose with

Santa? How long does a photo shoot have to be to get just one

perfect snapshot, anyway?

If you’re like me, making perfect custom

holiday cards can feel like a stressor in the

middle of an already busy season. Luckily,

with some creative thinking, you can use

an existing photo or take a new one that’s

totally unique — no matching sweaters

required.

Luckily, with some creative thinking, you

can use an existing photo or take a new

one that’s totally unique — no matching

sweaters required.

Thinking Outside the Box:

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4 Photo Ideas for your Holiday Card Photo

While we Americans go on vacation, the Brits do holidays. I love this phrase, because the person saying it automatically sounds so jolly and well-rested. Chances are, you already have at least one gorgeous photo from your annual vacation, and I bet you look just as lovely as the scenery, all relaxed and happy. Who cares if the backdrop isn't snowy? Your loved ones will enjoy seeing what you were up to this year, and you can add a note about where you went to personalize the card even further.

If the highlight of your year is crafting that perfect Halloween costume and you have a Pinterest board full of dress-up ideas, let your creativity shine in your holiday cards. Consider a fun mash-up of holidays with photos of your family in costume -- an especially great idea if you dressed up together in a family theme. To tie it all together, add original text to your personalized holiday cards to make a pun on your costume. For example, a superhero theme lends itself to saying something like, "Wishing you a Super Christmas and a Marvel-ous New Year." Go ahead and get creative!

A great holiday card is an opportunity to be creative and show off your personality. Have fun with the design process, and don’t be afraid to use a great picture that isn’t all about Santa or a winter wonderland. Any photo can make a great card if you think outside the box!

When you’re dealing with taking pictures of babies and toddlers, sometimes you have to accept that the perfect photo just isn’t going to happen. Try turning a less-than-perfect photo shoot into a photo essay that tells the story of the moment. To do this, choose a card with three to four spaces for photos and arrange them to tell a story: I got a great one once with a pair of toddler twins crying, hugging and pulling the cat’s tail. There were no perfect smiles, but the effect was to show their personalities in a far more touching way. A series of photos can also be turned into lovely photo gifts as well. Let your family be themselves, and you can’t go wrong.

No babies to show off? Young singles and couples can still make awesome holiday cards by marking their own milestones. If you adopted a pet, landed a promotion, or got engaged, snap a photo that shows off your accomplishment and add some text about it to let recipients know what you’ve been up to. If you moved over the year, you can add a photo of your new house and go with a “New Year, New Address” theme to let everyone know where to send next year’s holiday cards.

PUT THE HOLIDAY BACK IN THE HOLIDAYS

EMBRACE IMPERFECTIONS

MARK THE MILESTONES

MERRY HALLOWMAS, HAPPY CHRISTOWEEN

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TRY ON YOUR OUTFITS AT LEAST ONE WEEK PRIOR TO YOUR SESSION. I encourage my clients to try everything on and send me a quick picture. If we have time, we may make adjustments and swap out a few pieces. Trying items on not only ensures that everyone’s outfits are sized appropriately, but also gets little ones excited about their upcoming photo session. Taking this extra step has allowed clients to make adjustments on ill-fitting attire, and prevented a few wardrobe malfunctions.

BE COMFORTABLE! I tell clients, “Above all else, be yourselves!” If a little boy never wears bow ties, and you decide he will wear one the day of the session, he will likely be pulling at it the entire time. And that cute beret for your little girl? If she’s not used to wearing it, she won’t want to the day of your session either. My advice is simple: wear your normal attire, a bit elevated.

FIND AN OUTFIT YOU LOVE for one of your children and work backwards from there!

COLOR SCHEME IDEAS: Choose metallic (silver or gold) with black or a cozy cabin look complete with plaids, snow boots, hats and scarves. For traditional style, choose red and green or casual black with white and red or cream and gold.

Kate L Photography KATELPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

Lisa Turner Photography LISATURNERPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

Molly Garg Photography MOLLYGARGPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

LAYER IT UP! Layers create visual interest and keep you warm and cozy while you’re outside playing in the leaves or snow. Think tights, cardigans, blazers, and scarves.

CHOOSE TWO MAIN HUES you love, and develop your color scheme around them. Use the brightest color – also known as the accent color – sparingly.

DON’T FORGET ACCESSORIES! Pieces like burlap suspenders or a flowery headband for the kids will take your ensemble to the next level of cute.

To save you time and stress, we asked the National Association of Professional Child Photographers to share their best holiday card outfit advice.

What to Wear in Your Holiday Card Photos

Tips from the Pros:

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FLAT CARDSSIZES: A7, SQUARE AND NO.10

Perfect for hanging on the fridge

Great style for sending lots of cards

JUMBO CARDSSIZE: A10

Supersize card size stands out in the mail

Perfect for hanging on the fridge

ACCORDION CARDSSIZE: A2

Unique folded style with four folded panels

Stands on a counter top or mantle or hangs on a fridge

TRIFOLD CARDSIZE: A7

Unique folded style offers more room for photos

Stands on a counter top or mantle

FOLDED CARDSSIZES: A7 AND SQUARE

Classic greeting card style

Stands on a counter top or mantle

SELECT A COHESIVE COLOR THEME WITHOUT BEING MATCHY-MATCHY. Most adults and children, outside of school or work uniforms, don’t wear matching outfits. Why start with your family photos? An elegant look is clothes in a selection of complementary colors, where no two people are dressed alike, and yet all the clothes coordinate.

MAKE WARDROBE SELECTIONS BASED ON A THEME RATHER THAN A COLOR PALETTE. Another way to achieve a unified look in family photos is to pick a theme. Fun hats, winter gear, western wear, boho chic, or even sweaters.

USE THIS AS A TIME TO EXPRESS YOUR INDIVIDUALITY. Rather than looking for a specific motif, document your family memories with a photo of everyone in clothes of their own choosing. People feel best in clothes they love, and that will shine through in your photos.

Life UnstillPhotography LIFEUNSTILL.COM

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Holiday Cards come in a variety of styles. At Pinhole Press, all holiday cards feature premium paper with matching envelopes.

HOLIDAY CARD 101

SHOP HOLIDAY CARDS AT PINHOLEPRESS.COM

WHY HOLIDAY CARDS ARE SO IMPORTANT

an image from your last vacation or your kids’ school pictures is just a tap or swipe away in today’s tech-savvy world. Social media makes sharing photographs and connecting with friends and family members, whether they’re across the street or across the country, easier than ever. With this instant access to photos and greetings, you might even reconsider sending out holiday cards when a simple holiday greeting is just a click away. Before you ditch holiday cards for a smartphone–snapped photo on Facebook or Twitter though, consider these distinct advantages of sending holiday cheer the old-fashioned way.

in our Digital World.

Sharing your latest family photo,

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Maybe you have a hip and trendy parent -- or even grandparent -- who is active on social media and constantly liking your posts. However, odds are some of your relatives

aren’t on social media and are missing out on these all-important family updates. Holiday cards serve as an opportunity to reach out to the older generation -- or anyone who simply isn’t active on social media -- using a traditional greeting delivered through a service everyone uses: the U.S. Postal Service. A personalized holiday card with your family’s smiling faces will surely deliver cheer to your great-aunt or godfather who craves an update on your family.

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Social media doesn’t have to be the end of the traditional handwritten note. Holiday cards let you step back to a time when our lives weren’t constantly updated on the web,

a time when checking your mail every December day brought great excitement. Holiday cards allow you to reach out to those folks who are most important in your life and let you know you’re thinking of them this holiday season. Even if you might not be able to get together with them and give them a warm embrace or a perfectly wrapped gift, your holiday card sends the thoughtful message that you’re thinking of those special people in your life this holiday season.

Let’s face it -- your life is busy, and you might have forgotten to send a thank-you note or two along the way. When your neighbor brought you a pot of homemade soup on a

chilly evening or your hairstylist fit you into her already-booked schedule, you might not have had the chance to send an adequate thank you. Use your holiday card as an opportunity to thank your family and friends for all that they do for you. After all, the holiday season is the perfect time to share your gratitude. Tuck a note of thanks into the envelope with your photo holiday card, or have a thoughtful message printed right on your card to thank those special folks in your life for their support and love.

Today’s holiday cards aren’t the greetings that your grandparents sent out decades ago. Pinhole Press offers a variety of unique personalization options, giving you great

freedom in precisely how you send holiday greetings to your loved ones. Upload your favorite family photos to your holiday card to make it one of a kind. Then send the perfect greeting by customizing the text to your liking. Whether you want to send brief holiday wishes or a detailed family update, you have complete freedom in the content that you include on your holiday card. No matter the photo or text you choose, your card will feature a dazzling design and high-quality printing as well.

CROSS-GENERATIONAL GREETINGS

THOUGHTFUL HOLIDAY CHEER

A GESTURE OF THANKS

REFLECT ON THE YEAR

Personalized holiday cards are a thoughtful way to show loved ones you care this holiday season. Your friends and family will proudly display your beautifully designed card in their home — something they certainly couldn’t do with a mass–delivered social media post. Take the time to add a personal touch to your holiday greetings this season with a custom holiday card or photo gifts.

4 Reasons to Send Holiday Cards

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The National Association of Professional Child Photographers (NAPCP) is a member-based association representing and promoting the community of professional child photographers. The NAPCP provides a valuable platform for seasoned veterans and rising professionals alike to share their experiences, hone their craft and raise their professional visibility.

NAPCP connects parents searching for child photographers with its members by providing a comprehensive directory and informative articles on what to expect from their professional photography experience.

At Pinhole Press, we make it simple to create beautiful, customized photo cards and photo gifts.

Founded in 2010, Pinhole Press is a lifestyle brand delivering high-quality personalized photo products such as holiday cards, photo books, wall calendars and magnets.

Pinhole Press has been widely recognized for its product quality and design sophistication and has been featured in Real Simple, The Washington Post, Martha Stewart Living and on The Today Show.

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