Festive Family and Company Christmas Cards

The 25th of December is very much on its way, which of course means picking out some seasonal and jolly Christmas cards! To help you get the job done, we’ve compiled some tips on how to take the perfect photo to adorn your Christmas card this year. Regardless of your chosen photo upload design, having an image ready to go will make shopping even easier.

Planning Your Festive Photos

Browse for Concepts

Check out social media or Funky Pigeon for some great inspiration and to get a feel for how you’d like your photos to look. Whether you need some ideas for the poses or angles or themes, it’s always useful to do some research beforehand. If you’re after a forest location or a cosy traditional picture – Instagram or Pinterest will have some inspiration available.

Pick Your Location

Location is always key, so be sure to choose your setting first and then work your props and concepts around it. The background of your picture although not the main focal point, does have an impact on the other decisions you’ll need to make. For example, if you’ve chosen an outdoor location, you’ll need to check the weather forecast and when you’ll lose the natural light to make the best of your shooting time. If you’re lucky enough to live near a beautiful, wooded location or somewhere with snow then make the most of natures beauty and use them as your backdrop. Outdoor shots help give a more organic feel to even a posed photo!

If you’re taking your image indoors in a makeshift studio space, try to use it somewhere where you won’t be disturbed and can make use of the décor and natural lighting. If possible, shoot near a big window or glass door to maximise the light. You’ll need to be facing the light rather than having the light showing from behind you (this goes for Christmas tree lights too), for the best possible picture.

Purchase A Tripod

Treating yourself to a tripod would be helpful as it helps keep your image in focus and prevents blurring. Family shots and corporate shooting can both be a little hectic, so you’ll probably find a tripod to be a great addition. It also makes it super easy to use the timer function if you haven’t grabbed someone to use as a photographer.  You can get some moderately priced tripods online, so just search around and check out the reviews. If you don’t have a tripod, a flat surface where your phone or camera can be supported and propped up works almost as well.

Check Your Device

It goes without saying that your chosen phone or camera will need enough charge left for the shooting session. Another thing to take note of is if you have memory left. Double-check before starting the photoshoot as there’s nothing more frustrating than getting a ‘low storage’ pop up when you’re taking a photograph!

Prep Your Shot

It’s now time to clear the space for the photoshoot and check everything and everyone is picture ready. The best way to do this and to ensure the lighting is great is by taking some test shots. This will help you figure out where the shadows will fall and what the backdrop will look like. Remember to check the angles and camera positioning and try not to use the camera flash indoors as this makes the exposure on the picture look a little harsh!

Family Christmas Cards

• Focus on your framed subjects. If you’re shooting on a camera there should be options that help you to focus on their faces and if you’re using your phone – simply tap the face you wish to focus on, and it should then be in focus.
• Synchronize your festive outfit choices! t’s completely up to you if you want to go down the matchy-matchy route with Christmas jumpers or PJs for a classic Christmas card look. However, if you fancy something a bit less traditional, get your family to dress to show their personality. If your little one loves superheroes or Disney allow them to dress as their favourite character, if your teen is going through rock or K-pop stage let them dress how they’d like. It makes the Christmas card more than just a greetings card but a true snapshot of your lovely family.
• Beware of the height differences! It can be hard to get everyone on the same level on a Christmas card. Whether that means everyone sitting down for the photos or picking up the little ones to bring them to your height. Keeping the height lines for the subjects’ similar makes for a cleaner looking image. You can even grab a stool or chair to add some height to the kids.
• If getting a posed shot is proving a little difficult (screaming babies, bored little ones, etc.), why not go for something a little more natural-looking? The possibilities are endless if you can use another set of hands instead of a timer function to get the picture. We recommend doing a festive-themed activity such as decorating the Christmas tree, putting the decks up or even making some yummy cakes. This is a great way to keep the whole family engaged in the shoot!
• Keep the children busy! Whether this is keeping them smiling by telling jokes, singing a Christmassy song, or giving them a task to do. It doesn’t matter if it’s keeping an eye on a younger sibling or even making sure the Santa hat stays on Dad’s head. Helping your kids stay focused on the shoot can be tricky so keeping them involved and happy is important. If all else fails, persuade them to smile with a sweet treat or little toy, there’s no shame in it!

If your family photo includes your furry baby too, check out our pet photoshoot blog for some hand tips and tricks to get your adorable fluff ball looking its best. You can view our range of family Christmas cards here.

Company Christmas Cards

Getting a successful group photo in any situation can be challenging but arranging a work team photo can be even more so!  Although it’s hard to organise and get everyone in the same place, it really adds some character to your business Christmas card.

Whether you opt for a traditional posed shot or something a bit more real and fun looking, showing off the faces behind the company helps your clients or customers feel like you’re wishing a Merry Christmas to them personally. Alternatively, if getting a photo taken of your team is just not feasible (especially with homeworking), choosing a festive non-photo Funky Pigeon card works just as well!

1. If getting the perfect team image taken proves a little harder than expected, you can also use a stock image or even (if you are a little design savvy), create your own image to use on your card. For example, a beautiful Christmas scene image or a snowy photo can work great for a company card. The perfect alternative for when the group shot just isn’t working!
2. Go for an image that best represents your company and its culture with a bit of festive cheer incorporated too. Although, Christmas trees, snowmen, Father Christmas, or a reindeer with the company logo can be just as effective.
3. It goes without saying to include your company name and any notable logos as well on your card, make it in keeping with the festive period by including it in a bauble or wreath. You want to make it clear who the card is from to help cut through the noise caused by the other company cards they’ll be receiving.
4. Try to choose a clear and refined text for your card to keep that professional feel but if your company is a bit more casual, then use a font that symbolises this best.
5. Send your card early to avoid any postal delays! You’ll be remembered as one of the first Christmas cards your clients receive too. Aim to send your card at least three weeks before the 25^th to allow for dispatch and postage time.

Funky Photo Tips

We want our customers to be over the moon with their orders, so here are a few tips to help you create the perfectly printed Christmas card this year.

• You can upload photos from any device, be it your phone, laptop, tablet or desktop. You can also log in to your Facebook or Instagram account to upload photos straight from there too!
• To produce the best possible printed results, we recommend all images be 300dpi and no less than 1000 Pixels in height or width. It also helps if your image is high resolution and isn’t super dark or zoomed in. Our cards print best with a bright and high-quality image.
  The image will need to be uploaded in a .jpg format to work best with our website. Images taken from your phone camera will already be in this format.
• In the unlikely event that you have some issues uploading your image please save them to your computer first and then try uploading it to your chosen card design. Images from a USB or any external drive could cause problems.
• There are several ways you can get creative by using our card maker; you can edit your photos, add filters, change the text colour/sizes and upload photos inside the card. Every personalised greeting card is printed with your customisation, on a high-quality gloss card with a superior finish.

Hopefully, this post has helped you discover some handy ways you can create the perfect family or company Christmas card this season. Browse our sweet family Christmas cards and company Christmas cards for even more inspiration. If you go for a Funky Pigeon card design, be sure to tag us and use our hashtag #funkypigeondotcom so we can see your wonderfully festive greetings!