Smile and say cheese - before taking their position in front of the camera, Brit families are making sure the pets are in, the makeup is on point and some are even opting for fancy dress in the snaps.
Parenting on Female First
New research from Europe’s largest photo calendar company Vistaprint.co.uk, has revealed the lengths Brits are going to in order to capture the perfect family photo.
The research, carried out as photo calendar demand peaks for Christmas, identified the Festive Season as the most popular time of year to take family photos, with Brits set to take more than 149 million family snaps over the next few weeks.
Britain has become a vain nation according to the poll, with one in ten families admitting to hiring a make-up artist to improve their snaps. Families from London are most guilty of this tactic, followed by the Welsh and those from Essex.
Brits are also using fancy dress and unusual props to create memorable photos, including hiring fancy cars to pose in, recreating famous film scenes and even placing Dr Who style Daleks in the shot.
Vistaprint.co.uk spokesperson, Sanjay Lobo, said: “The rise in popularity of our personalised photo calendars and photo books seems to be bringing out the creative side of the nation. Our customers love finding new ways to share photos with their friends and family and it’s driving them to make more and more effort with their pictures.”
Having the family pet in the picture was identified as essential for capturing the perfect family portrait, with over a third of Brits believing their snap isn’t complete without their beloved animal included.
When it comes to the ultimate in family photos, The Royals are the celebrity family the nation believes take the best photos securing more than 20 per cent of the vote, closely followed by The Beckhams with 15 per cent.
London based make-up artist Jo Baber has witnessed the trend for families hiring professionals for their shots. Jo said: “We've seen more and more families approaching makeup artists in order to hide blemishes and control shine before taking their picture. It seems to give them the confidence to stand comfortably in front the camera.”
For more information on Vistaprint’s photo calendars, photo books and other personalised gift ideas, visit vistaprint.co.uk.