Valentine’s Day is one of my favorite holidays, not because of flowers or chocolates (although, who doesn’t love chocolate) but because in our house we celebrate the love we have for one another and show it by spending quality time creating together. One thing we do pretty much every year is take updated DIY Valentine’s Day photos. Why? Mostly because it’s just too festive and fun NOT too, and I have whittled it down to quite a science that makes it a super fast, stress-free experience! Valentine’s Day is the perfect excuse to capture sweet, love-filled moments with your kids and you don’t need an expensive, professional Valentine’s mini session to do it.
With just a white wall or piece of large paper, a little paint, and some natural light, you can turn a blank space into a sweet and simple Valentine’s backdrop—and the best part? Everyone has fun in the process!
If you’d love to capture beautiful, personality-filled Valentine’s Day portraits of your children without spending a fortune, keep reading! I’ll walk you through the exact steps I used to create these Valentine’s Day photos—plus some fun ideas for what to do with them afterward.
(Want a full step-by-step guide to creating professional-looking white wall portraits at home? My DIY Portraits Workshop is on sale for just $25!)
Step 1: Create a Simple DIY Valentine’s Day Photos Backdrop
The backdrop doesn’t need to be complicated! In the past, I have pretty much always used this exact pink paper roll. You don’t need a backdrop stand like this, just cut a piece long enough to drape on the floor if you want full-body shots, and tape on the wall. If you just want 3/4 portraits cut it when it hits the floor.
This year I had a small piece of scrap paper from a first birthday session I had just done that I let my daughter experiment with art materials on, which then gave me the idea to paint a backdrop this year! Since I wanted something festive but still minimal, my daughter and I painted red hearts and Valentine’s designs onto another piece of this white backdrop paper. Not only was it an easy project, but she loved being part of the process! I let her direct what symbols and colors we should use.
Other easy backdrop ideas:
- Hang paper hearts or a DIY paper garland.
- Tape pink, red, or white balloons to the wall.
- Use a solid-colored sheet or curtain as a background.
(This setup is inspired by the white wall portraits I teach in my DIY Portraits Workshop—you don’t need a fancy studio to get stunning results! this workshop is currently on sale for $37!)
Step 2: Set Up for Natural Light & Authentic Expressions
Lighting can make or break a photo, but you don’t need expensive gear. I did use studio lights here with my favorite umbrella, but it’s not necessary. I have more specific instructions and videos on how to get the perfect light for this with no equipment in my Portraits Workshop. Position your child near a large window for soft, natural light. If you can get across from the window, that is best. If not, next a window will work and you can place a reflector on the opposite side of them to bounce some light back in and fill the shadows. Make sure you turn any artificial lights off so you don’t throw off your color balance.
Step 3: Capture the Perfect Photo
Once your setup is ready, it’s time to snap the photos! I prefer the idea of prompting over “posing” because like what child wants to sit there and smile for a photo (what adult does, either?). I have found it can also be helpful to shortly discuss with children why you are taking photos, why it is important to you, etc. Not in a “this is important to mommy, so behave” kind of way, but in a genuine, “Did you know valentine’s is a day to celebrate love? You (+ any siblings) are some of the people I love most in this world. I love taking photos together every Valentine’s day and looking back to see how much we have grown. I think grandma/grandpa would love for us to send them a valentines day card with photos in them since they love you too, and live so far away!”
Here is a list of prompt ideas to help you get some “authentic” smiles and have fun doing this!
- Give them something to interact with (a heart-shaped prop, a teddy bear, or even a piece of chocolate, save that for last resort though).
- Play music and let them dance!
- Ask them silly questions like, “What’s the silliest thing you love?”
- Ask them who they love and what they love about them.
- Play Simon says (such a good one, check out this reel!)
- Ask them to jump up and down as high as they can
- Make absolutely insane faces (works especially great for those under 2)
- Make pretend fart noises, look inside your camera to see who did it (don’t ask, it works lol)
For more tips, check out my post with tips for photographing children! Don’t stress about making it perfect—just focus on capturing their personality and attempting to share a few giggles.
Step 4: Edit & Share your DIY Valentine’s Day Photos
After taking the photos, a few simple edits can help give them a finished quality. Adjust the exposure and contrast slightly to bring out the colors, Sometimes I find I need to decrease the highlights and increase the shadows before bumping up my exposure. If you want a timeless look, try converting a few to black and white.
(Want to master editing, too? I cover my simple editing workflow in the DIY Portraits Workshop including a free B&W preset, but you can also sign up for my email list here to get access to a free 5-min editing tutorial in the free Adobe lightroom app for phones)
Step 5: What to Do with Your DIY Valentine’s Day Photos
Now that you have these adorable portraits, don’t just let them sit on your phone or computer! Here are a few creative ways to use them:
1. Make a Valentine Photo String
Print your favorite shots and hang them on a string with mini clothespins for a festive Valentine’s Day display at home.
2. Create a Little Love Book
Print a mini photo book featuring your kids’ Valentine portraits along with little love notes from them. This makes a sweet keepsake for you and a great gift for grandparents! I love mixbook (40% off and free shipping at that link) for photobooks but chatbooks is another good one!
3. Send Handmade Valentine’s Cards
Attach a printed photo to a handmade Valentine’s card and send them to loved ones. Grandparents, aunts, and uncles will love receiving these personal notes in the mail. I have used my instax camera (Amazon affiliate link) for these in the past and that turns out great too!
4. Frame It for a Year-Round Keepsake
Choose your favorite portrait and frame it in your child’s room or playroom. A black-and-white version (don’t forget my free preset inside the workshop) could even work as timeless wall art. Read this post for more ideas
5. Turn Valentine Photos into a DIY Puzzle or Magnets to gift
If you get this done early enough one year it would be adorable to make it into a puzzle or magnets to gift to family members!
Want more free photography help?
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