Family Photo Fun :: Affinia Hotels, New York City

The holidays, or anything that puts my brothers and me together under the same roof or even in the same city, gets my mother scrambling with a camera, trying to take that Hallmark-type portrait of loving and lovely adult siblings.

It never works. Someone scowls, someone else’s hair is a mess or another of us has eyes closed when the camera shutter clicks. Or the tree in the background goes unnoticed until the photo is printed and it looks like horns growing out of our heads (often not an inappropriate image).

Affinia Hotels in New York has come up with a better way to preserve the memories: the Forever in Focus package that gives guests a professional photographer for in-studio or on-location shootings of family, friends or pets.

The hotel staff isn’t going to hook you up with just anyone holding a digital camera. They’ve tapped into a network of top tier professional photographers in Manhattan, including:

— Paloma Sendrey, who specializes in portraits of families and children. The package includes a one-hour photo shoot and two 5×7 prints for $375.

— Petography, Inc., which has been profiled in InStyle and the New York Times, focuses on pet portraits and has worked with Jennifer Aniston, Charlize Theron and Billy Joel. Packages start at $1,000 and include three matted prints suitable for framing and a dozen note cards.

The packages can be added to any Affinia room rate or package. Reservations are required two weeks in advance. Once reservations are made, the hotel will contact guests within 24 hours to schedule the photo session. For details, go to www.affinia.com and click on the “specials�? icon.