Thanksgiving Day Tips for Photography

In this article, I’m going to move away from the classic family group photo and instead help you elevate the quality of your shots to create something truly special and worthy of a place on the mantelpiece. I’ll show you how to find unique and engaging angles that will have everyone in your family asking for a copy of your photos.

Then, for the final course of this Thanksgiving photo tutorial, I’ll show you how to achieve high-quality edits with ease using the portrait-specialist photo editing software Aperty. So, let’s get started.

1. Capture the Atmosphere Before the Meal

From the moment you wake up, your camera will rarely leave your hands. Think about telling the story of Thanksgiving not by starting in the middle of the day with the meal, but by capturing all the activity that unfolds from the moment your alarm clock rings.

For truly authentic Thanksgiving photos, avoid overly posed shots. Instead, try to remain unnoticed, quietly capturing candid moments without your family members realising. The instant someone becomes aware they are being photographed, they tend to tense up and lose that natural look. It is best to photograph them while they are relaxed and enjoying themselves, capturing the moment without interruption.

Before the meal begins, focus on themes such as decorations being put up and ingredients being prepared. Capture those cooking, those setting the table, and anyone helping out. Everything related to the preparation of the day can be documented, but how you capture it will determine how your story is told.

Personally, I envision using a shallow depth of field with a wide aperture, an approach that comes with several advantages. Firstly, it allows more light into the lens, which is crucial for indoor scenes where lighting can be low, giving you sharper images. It also creates beautiful bokeh from indoor light sources such as candles, adding to the nostalgic feel of your shots.

I also like to isolate moments using that shallow depth of field to blur away distractions. Fill the frame with a close-up of a family member hard at work, or zoom in on their hands as they prepare food. A good zoom lens can be useful for capturing these more intimate scenes from a distance, helping to preserve the candid nature of the moment.

2. Work With Warm Tones and Light

When shooting indoors, you will likely have a mixture of artificial light from bulbs and candles, alongside natural light coming through windows. To make your images feel cosy, lean into the warmer tones. Think about how you can light your interior with warmer bulbs and add candlelight instead of relying on natural light, which can look unflattering if you are eating your Thanksgiving meal between midday and mid-afternoon.

Once you are satisfied with your lighting, expose your shots for skin tones to retain detail and avoid losing texture through overexposure.

3. Capture Genuine Emotion

As mentioned before, you will want to avoid posed shots, so what should you go for instead? Aim for those warm and cherished family moments such as laughter, smiles, greetings, and hugs. All of those moments that show the bond and connection you and your family share can be captured candidly.

A tip I recommend for moments like these is to use continuous shooting mode. This gives you a series of frames to choose from and reduces the chance of missing a fleeting moment.

4. Photograph the Food

One of the main features of Thanksgiving is, of course, the food. Once you have captured the preparation, it is time to photograph the final result.

There are several ways to approach these shots. Try taking flat-lay photos of the whole table if possible, using a wide lens if you are short on space. Make good use of natural light for these images, as it will help enhance the texture and colour of the dishes.

Then move on to photographing the meal in action. One photo to absolutely avoid here is someone mid bite, nobody likes how they look when they eat so you can be assured that those shots will not be requested for the mantlepiece. Instead, focus on actions such as pouring gravy, carving the turkey, or pouring drinks. These moments tell the story of the meal and show how much it was enjoyed, without resulting in unflattering images of family members.

5. Embrace the Evening Glow

As the day winds to a close, you may find that this is when you capture your best shots. At this point, you will mostly be relying on artificial lighting, so make sure there is enough light coming from warm bulbs, candles, fairy lights, and perhaps even a fireplace.

A shallow depth of field is essential here to allow enough light into your lens. The slowest shutter speed I recommend is 1/125 sec. You may be able to use 1/80 sec, but only if you are photographing stationary subjects such as Grandpa snoozing.

If you can get your lighting right, you will be able to capture some wonderfully cinematic shots during this time. Candid moments of family members talking, laughing, and sharing memories will look fantastic under warm lighting and are sure to become treasured keepsakes for years to come.

Editing Time with Aperty

A full day of shooting, especially if you have been using continuous shooting mode, can take a long time to edit, and it certainly used to in years gone by. Aperty is designed to make this process fast and efficient, and being powered by AI, it does exactly that.

It analyses your images and allows you to make changes to facial features, skin, and body with just one click. It has saved me so much time in my portrait editing by removing the need for tedious pathing work and allowing me to apply the adjustments I need with ease. It will also identify individual faces in a group photo, allowing you to make dedicated changes to different family members.

Here is how I approach an edit using Aperty:

1. Import the Photo

Start by importing your image into Aperty. Choose the photo you want to enhance. For example, a cozy family dinner or festive food shot.

2. Begin with Essential Edits

Adjust the exposure and contrast to achieve balanced tones. Then use the Details and Structure tools to add clarity and bring out texture, especially helpful for food photography where you want crisp, appetizing details.

3. Retouch the Subject

Move on to retouching any portraits in your photo. Aperty offers a range of smart tools:

• Skin smoothing and blemish removal for a clean, natural look.

• Shine reduction and wrinkle softening to create flattering skin texture.

• Teeth whitening, lip enhancement, and eye brightening to make your subject’s features stand out.

• Optional make-up tools let you refine or add make-up with realistic results.

4. Apply Color Grading

Once retouching is complete, move on to color grading.

Thanksgiving photos look best with warm tones—think cozy golden light and rich colors.
Use Aperty’s tools to fine-tune the look:

• Face Skin Colour Correction keeps skin tones natural by removing unwanted color casts (ideal if strong window light affects the photo).

• Masking helps you separate your subject from the background with one click—so any color adjustments to the background won’t affect skin tones.

5. Enhance Warmth and Final Details

Adjust the white balance or use color tools to boost warmth and depth.
Review the image and make small refinements until the photo feels balanced and inviting.

6. Save and Share

Once you’re happy with the result, export your edited photo and share it with your family. Your picture will have a polished, professional look—the perfect Thanksgiving keepsake.

The Bottom Line

So there we have it, you should now be ready and raring to go for the upcoming Thanksgiving festivities with your camera in hand. Remember, the key to capturing engaging and treasured family photos is to keep your approach as candid as possible. Stick to the corners and shadows of the room and photograph your family members without them realising, helping them stay relaxed and natural.

Capture the full story of the day, from the preparation of the food and the arrival of family members to the meal itself, and finish with cinematic shots of a calm, relaxing evening.

Once the day is over, head into Aperty, where you can deliver professional-quality photos to your family members using AI tools that provide flattering results with just one click.