The most meaningful Hanukkah family photos are built around your own traditions: your family's menorah, the way your kids spin a dreidel, the grandparent who tells the story every year. Many studio photographers offer a Hanukkah set in blue, silver and soft gold, and you bring the pieces that make it yours. Here are ideas to try, how to style the family, and how to keep the session personal.
Start with what Hanukkah looks like in your home
Before any styling, tell your photographer how your family celebrates. When they contact you after booking, share:
- which items you would like in the photos, such as a menorah, dreidels, a book or a family heirloom
- who lights the candles in your family, and whether the kids take turns
- any foods that are part of your tradition, like latkes or sufganiyot
- anything you would rather avoid
Every family celebrates a little differently, and a good photographer will ask rather than assume. You decide what goes in front of the camera.
Menorah moments
The menorah is usually the heart of a Hanukkah session, and the most beautiful photos are often the quiet ones.
Bring your own menorah
A family menorah, especially one that has been passed down or that the kids made at school, means more in a photo than any prop. Bring it, along with your usual candles. If it is fragile or very old, mention it, so the photographer can plan where it sits and nobody has to worry about it.
The lighting moment
The classic Hanukkah photo is faces lit by candlelight as the shamash moves along the candles. Real flame in a studio needs a little planning, and some studios do not allow it, so check the profile and ask before the session. Your photographer can tell you what is possible safely and plan the set around it.
Ideas around the menorah:
- a parent's hand guiding a child's hand toward the candles
- a grandparent and grandchild side by side, both looking at the flames
- the whole family gathered around the menorah, looking at it rather than at the camera
- a close-up of small hands near the menorah, with faces soft in the background
- the moment after, when everyone looks up and smiles
Ideas beyond the candles
Some of the best Hanukkah photos happen away from the menorah, especially with kids who need something to do.
- Dreidel on the floor. Kids sit in a circle and spin. The photos capture the concentration, the cheering and the arguments over who won.
- Gelt. A pile of chocolate coins between siblings. Expect chocolate fingers, and bring wipes.
- Sufganiyot faces. A child biting into a jelly doughnut and getting powdered sugar on their nose. Do this one near the end, after the clean outfit photos.
- Story time. A parent or grandparent reads a Hanukkah story with the kids tucked in.
- Eight nights. Kids hold up fingers to count the nights, or each child holds a candle to show their place in the family.
- A family portrait. A calm, classic group shot in the set, for the card or the wall.
Bring any food you want to include from home. Sticky treats are wonderful in photos and less wonderful on velvet, so plan the order: portraits first, food last.
Styling: blue and silver, or your own palette
Blue, white and silver are the colors most people associate with Hanukkah, and they look lovely in a Hanukkah set. But you do not have to dress the family like a flag. A few approaches that work:
- Blue and cream. Navy, royal or dusty blue on a few people, with cream and ivory on the rest.
- Silver and gray. Soft gray knits with a little silver in the details: a sparkly headband, a silver tie, a metallic thread.
- Warm neutrals with gold. Cream, camel and soft gold, which picks up the glow of the candles beautifully.
- Jewel tones. Deep blue, emerald and plum, for a richer and more festive look.
Whatever you choose, coordinate rather than match, keep logos and slogans out, and pick soft textures like knits and velvet. Our family photo outfit guide explains how to build a palette for the whole family.
If someone in the family wears a kippah, a necklace or another meaningful item, include it. These details are part of who you are.
Big gatherings and more than one holiday
Three generations together
Hanukkah is often the time grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins are all together. If the extended family is coming, plan the session around them:
- Look for a longer session that allows a big group. Many photographers handle around 10 to 15 people, so check the group limit on the profile.
- Make a short list of priority groupings, starting with the whole group, then each family branch, then grandparents with grandchildren.
- Give grandparents a comfortable seat in the center and bring them in for the most important photos first.
Our guide to holiday photos with grandparents has a full planning checklist.
Interfaith families and more than one holiday
Many families celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas, or Hanukkah alongside their own traditions. A longer session with two sets or backdrops lets you do a Hanukkah set and a Christmas set in one visit, or pair Hanukkah with a classic portrait. Look for photographers who list both sets, and tell them what you would like so they can plan the order.
When to book
Hanukkah moves on the calendar every year, and it can begin as early as late November or as late as late December. Check this year's dates first, then work backwards:
- For photos before the first night, book a few weeks ahead and plan the session one to two weeks before.
- For Hanukkah cards, give yourself time for the gallery, choosing a photo and printing. Delivery times vary by photographer, so check the profile. Our holiday card photo timeline breaks this down.
To see how a full session can be structured hour by hour, read Example Session: A Hanukkah Family Session.
Quick answers
Can we light the menorah during our Hanukkah photo session?
It depends on the studio. Ask your photographer after booking, and they will tell you what is possible safely and plan the set and timing around it.
What should we bring to Hanukkah family photos?
Your outfits, your menorah and candles, and any family items you want in the photos, such as dreidels, gelt or a favorite book. Check the profile to see which backdrop and accessories the photographer provides.
Can we do Hanukkah and Christmas in one session?
Often, yes, with a photographer who offers a longer session with two sets or backdrops. Check the profile and tell them your plan.
Find your photographer
Look for a photographer whose profile shows a Hanukkah set, then pick an open date. Browse holiday sessions in NYC and Long Island, or family photographers for a longer session.