Kate Middleton and Prince William's Photographer Shares His Top Tip for Capturing 'Everyone's Favorite Picture'
- - Kate Middleton and Prince William's Photographer Shares His Top Tip for Capturing 'Everyone's Favorite Picture'
Janine HenniDecember 28, 2025 at 4:00 AM
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Josh Shinner/The Prince and Princess of Wales/Instagram
Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, Prince William, Kate Middleton and Prince George in April 2025 -
One of Kate Middleton and Prince William's go-to photographers explained how to take the perfect family picture this holiday season
Joshua Shinner told The Telegraph his tips, including a surprising way to get what turns out to be "everyone's favorite picture"
Shinner took the Prince and Princess of Wales' Christmas card picture in 2023
One of Kate Middleton and Prince William's go-to photographers is explaining how to take the best snap of your loved ones.
Joshua Shinner captured the black and white picture published for the Prince and Princess of Wales' Christmas card in 2023 with their children, Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7, where they matched in white button-down shirts and dark pants before a backdrop.
He collaborated with the family again for the photo session that produced George and Louis' birthday portraits this year and Prince William's Father's Day pictures with all three kids, also sharing a solo photo of Princess Kate in May. The same photo shoot provided the image that the Prince and Princess of Wales chose as their family Christmas card this year.
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In November, Shinner shared his family photography tips with The Telegraph, from setting the vibe to gathering everyone together, and his first tip was to slow down.
"It can feel like a rigmarole to take a family picture, so people rush and they look bad," he said. "That’s not to say it needs to be complicated. Some of my favorite pictures are the most informal. You’re trying to capture a moment. If it’s a Christmas Day to look back on, that’s perfect, you don’t need all the gear and knowledge."
Establishing a relaxed atmosphere is also essential for a calm ambiance — and don't fuss with it too long, either.
"It’s creating the most relaxed atmosphere so the people in front of the camera can be themselves. If you can make people feel at ease, they can open up, which creates a better picture," he said.
"When you’re photographing your own family, you have the biggest possible advantage in that you know these people, so you can make it comfortable," he continued. "Don’t do it 10 minutes before Christmas dinner; don’t take hours over it."
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The photographer argued, "There’s only a set amount of ways that it will look good," and recommended that groups "break it up a bit," using different levels to position faces, as seen in the Wales' family's 2023 Christmas shot.
Shinner also suggested that people relax their hands ("People freak out about their hands looking weird," he joked), avoid standing directly under lights and loosely coordinating outfits for a cohesive look.
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Prince William, Prince George, Prince Louis, Princess Charlotte and Kate Middleton at the Together at Christmas Carol Service on Dec. 5, 2025.
"And when everyone thinks you’ve finished, take one more," he added about when to wrap.
"Maybe everyone lets their face slip, and you get that authentic moment. I often take one or two frames after I’ve ‘finished,' just because people (even if they don’t think they are) are holding themselves slightly differently and that turns out to be everyone’s favorite picture," Shinner said.
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Source: “AOL Entertainment”
