The Holiday Playbook

The Holiday Playbook

Sale price  $39.00 Regular price  $57.00
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The Holiday Playbook
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The Holiday Playbook

Sale price  $39.00 Regular price  $57.00

Holiday sessions book fast. The hard part is making the photos feel like the holiday.

The Holiday Playbook gives you 45 ready-to-build looks for the three seasons when families, kids and couples want themed photos the most: Halloween, Christmas & New Year, and Easter. Each look comes with the result to aim for, the lighting diagram, the props with costs, the measurements, the camera settings and the poses, so you can build the set, light it and shoot without starting from zero.

Every look is designed for a home, a small studio or a front porch, with the gear you probably already own: from a jack-o'-lantern and a white card to a full three-light setup.

What's included

  • 🎃 Halloween: 15 looks. Pumpkin glow, monster makeup, haunted family portraits, skeleton families, fog and colored rims
  • 🎄 Christmas & New Year: 15 looks. Tree lights, Santa's chair, the Christmas card, fireside, snowy mini sets, midnight toasts and sparklers
  • 🐣 Easter: 15 looks. Bunny ears, egg hunts, Easter bonnets, a real bunny, floral arches, blossoms and brunch
  • 🖼️ A visual contents page in every guide, so you find the look you want at a glance
  • 📐 A top-down lighting diagram for every look, with measurements in cm and inches
  • 📝 Props and shopping list with costs, set layout, camera settings and step-by-step build notes
  • 🗣️ Three poses per look, with the exact words to say to get real expressions
  • 📋 A base kit, a safety page, a seasonal planning calendar, a mini session plan and a one-page quick reference in every guide

Who it's for

For photographers who shoot families, kids, couples and pets, and want holiday sessions that look like the holiday, not like a regular portrait with a pumpkin in the corner. Built for mini session days, where the set stays up and only the client changes, and just as useful if you want great holiday photos of your own family.

What you'll be able to do

  • Pick a look by its result, then check the light, space and budget it needs
  • Build a themed set on a small budget and a small footprint
  • Light practicals the right way: tree lights, candles, jack-o'-lanterns and fairy lights that actually glow on camera
  • Use gels, haze, fill flash in the sun and rear-curtain sync with confidence
  • Run back-to-back mini sessions with a set you only build once
  • Direct kids and families with poses and prompts that work

Why get the bundle

Halloween Real Halloween atmosphere, from cozy to spooky
Christmas & New Year The card photo, the magic of the lights, the midnight toast
Easter Bright, soft, spring sessions for families and little ones

With the bundle you get all three guides and a full season of themed sessions, from October to Easter, saving 32% compared to the single guides.

Other Lighting setups

From seasonal inspiration to a shoot you can actually repeat.

Choose a look by season, space, gear and type of client, then follow one complete setup from the reference image to the finished shoot.

Without the Playbook

Save ideas all year, then figure everything out at the last minute.

  • × Collect references from Pinterest, Instagram and YouTube
  • × Guess which lighting setup created the look
  • × Test camera settings during the shoot
  • × Rebuild or adjust too much between clients
  • × Repeat the same research again next season
With the Holiday Playbook

Start from a setup that is already mapped out.

  • ✓ Pick a Halloween, Christmas or Easter look
  • ✓ Check the space, props, gear and setup time first
  • ✓ Start from practical camera settings
  • ✓ Save Mini Session Ready setups for repeatable client days
  • ✓ Reopen the guide next year instead of starting over
Download the Playbook

45 setups across Halloween, Christmas & New Year, and Easter

Visual Preview

Take a look inside the guides.

Each setup follows the same four-page system—from the visual reference and set plan to the lighting diagram, camera starting points, poses and common fixes.

The Look guide preview
The Look

Start with a clear visual target.

Visual reference, concept, space, prop budget, setup time and Mini Session Ready status.

The Set guide preview
The Set

Build the scene without guesswork.

Props with estimated costs, set layout, outfit guidance and décor notes.

The Light guide preview
The Light

Place every element with confidence.

Top-down diagram, gear, distances, measurements, camera starting points and step-by-step build instructions.

The Shoot guide preview
The Shoot

Turn the setup into a complete session.

Poses with prompts, variations, common failures, post-processing and safety notes.

Find the setups you need

Three guides. 45 holiday setups.

Everything you need to plan and recreate your seasonal shoots throughout the year.

Halloween Playbook

$19

Christmas & New Year Playbook

$19

Easter Playbook

$19
Bundle price
$57 $39

View store information

The Holiday Playbook

FAQ

Questions before you download.

What is the Holiday Playbook?

The Holiday Playbook is a digital photography reference containing 45 ready-to-recreate seasonal setups across Halloween, Christmas & New Year, and Easter. Each setup shows the finished look and explains how to build, light and shoot it.

Are the guides printable?

Yes. The guides are delivered as downloadable PDF files, so you can view them digitally or print them for personal use.

How do I receive the guides?

You receive the PDF files digitally after purchase. You can download them and keep them for future shoots.

What do I get inside each setup?

Each setup includes a final reference image, lighting diagram, gear and placement details, camera starting points, step-by-step build instructions, poses, variations and common fixes.

Is this a video course?

No. These are visual PDF guides designed as practical working references you can use before or during a shoot.

Do I need expensive gear?

No. The Playbook includes setups ranging from natural and practical light to simple one-light and multi-light builds, so you can choose setups based on the gear you already have.

Can I buy one guide instead of the bundle?

Yes. The Halloween, Christmas & New Year, and Easter guides can each be purchased separately. The complete Holiday Playbook bundles all three guides together at a discounted price.

Who is this for?

The Holiday Playbook is designed for photographers and creators who want practical seasonal references for kids, families, couples, pets, products and food.

Is the Holiday Playbook for beginners?

Yes. Each setup is broken down visually with clear placement, gear, camera starting points and step-by-step instructions, so you do not need advanced studio experience to get started.