This time of the year the call is for in-home family portraits. Makes sense right? The family is visiting from all points of the earth, time is limited and the turkey has one hour left on the timer. Too cold or inconvenient to go outside and studio sessions are too trite and unfamiliar. So why not brand the family holiday experience in a memorable location—the living room. Other places are available but ninety percent of the time, the living room is the location of choice.

Many, many moons ago I disassembled and reassembled the family living room to suit my needs and desires by erecting backdrops, dragging in blaring studio lights… actual building a Hollywood style set right on location. Painstakingly, I watched as homemakers shrink in shame as hidden dust bunnies stampeded across the floor. Knowing that I would never work in this town again, I developed a whole workflow based on silly dust bunny jokes and rhythms.

 A Jamaican competitor saw my labors and laughed.  “Don’t be so dumb, man,” she said, “You’re wearing yourself down to nothing… break one thing & you’ll never make any money.”  Initially my ego clogged my hearing. A bad back later, I learned to weigh the room tone and take advantage of the core living arrangements. Plus, most families don’t want more work created for them nor do they want a big-deal moving project going on before dinner.

Remembering the old acronym “KIS” (Keep It Simple), I refocused my efforts to meet the needs of the busy holiday household. Years later, I’m still working to perfect the in-home family portrait. So what do they expect? Again, KIS, pictures full of natural holiday joy with eyes with plenty of emotion. A simple portrait that can be placed over the mantle to brand their traditional annual meet, perhaps a few holiday cards and most important a file for their social media account.

The lesson could’ve ended here. Interesting enough, a couple of days, during a Christmas Eve in-home session, as I was relating my story to a Jamaican born client, she immediately chimed that most people prefer a convenient familiar family setting verses the drastic rebuild. So there you have it. The vote’s in on this one. The clock doesn’t stop ticking just because the picture taker man drops in. They might love and befriend you but they want you out of the home before the timer dings.

If you’re a photographer wannabe reading this post, don’t kick yourself. Your handiwork could always be better…be ye prepared for a little postproduction work and bill or prepare accordingly. Extension cords pop up like startled rattlers in the hot sunny desert, glaring balding heads become spotlights, and other blaring mistakes not noted during time of session will have you pulling your hair out. It’s all good you’ll become more experienced through the years. In the meantime keep the inspiration high and the setup simple(KIS).