Photo Editing for Christmas Cards: Clean, Natural, and Print-Ready

Skip heavy filters. Do a quick, natural pass that prints well. If the background is bad, swap the scene—not the faces—with AI.

Fast edit checklist

• Brighten slightly; add a touch of warmth.
• Keep skin texture; minimal smoothing.
• Heal small distractions (outlets, cords), not whole walls.
• Straighten and crop with space around heads.
• Balance saturation; avoid neon reds/greens.

Tools that fit your time

• 1-minute fix: Upload and generate 18 polished scenes—edits + new backgrounds at 3000x4000 px.
• Phone: Snapseed/Lightroom Mobile for exposure/white balance/spot heal.
• Desktop: Lightroom/Photoshop for batch consistency and precise retouch.

File settings for print

• sRGB, 300 DPI, final size (5x7 or 4x8).
• Resolution: 1500x2100 px minimum for 5x7; 3000x4000 px ideal.
• Keep faces/text 0.25" inside edges; add bleed if the printer requires.
• Matte/satin 130–150 lb paper feels premium.

If background/lighting is a mess

• Take your best-expression frame; upload and pick a preset (Tree Farm, Modern Minimal, Fireplace, Gift Box).
• Export at print size; no reshoot needed.
• For collages, use the same preset to keep tones consistent.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Over-smoothing and over-blur that chop hats/hands.
• Tiny text over busy areas; unreadable on print/phones.
• Using compressed social media images; always export originals.

Quick workflow (10 minutes)

1. Brighten/warm.
2. Heal small distractions.
3. Crop straight with breathing room.
4. Export sRGB, 300 DPI, 5x7.
5. Proof one copy before a full card order if time allows.

Natural edits + correct export settings = a card-ready photo. Let AI fix the scene if you need multiple looks or a cleaner backdrop fast.