Every Friday, I share my thoughts on Family Fun. 

Thank you to today’s guest authors Rondi Hillstrom Davis and Janell Sewall Oakes.  Rondi and Janell are the co-authors of the award winning book Together: Creating Family Traditions.  To check out their website that’s jam packed with family ideas, visit
www.TogetherParenting.com

Holiday Photography Made Easy   

Holidays are magical and make for great photo opportunities. Whether
you’re shooting an annual family portrait, the family pet, or simply
trying to capture the moment, try these sure proof tips for great
pictures.

1.  Shoot lots and shoot often.  With today’s digital cameras
there is no excuse not to. Keep a camera handy throughout the holiday
season and remember to have the batteries fully charged. If you are
shooting children, within a split
second, the entire scene can change. To be sure to capture the magic of
the moment, you will need to shoot many pictures. Shoot first and
discard later.

2. Shoot candid pictures. Some of the best holiday moments are
unscripted. Catch your child when she’s ignoring the camerareading a
book, opening a present, or playing with a new toy for the first time.

3. Pay attention to the background. Avoid busy backgrounds packed with
lots of objects or activity. It’s distracting. Move in close. Let your
subject fill the frame.
This is the one thing that will make the biggest difference in the success of your pictures.

4. Make it fun. Use holiday props. Many people hate having their
picture taken. If you are shooting group portraits, be quick and take
lots of pictures. Since there is always the chance of someone blinking
or looking off in another
direction, taking a large number of photos will give you the best
chance of catching everyone looking their best.

5. Shoot the emotions. We all have plenty of pictures with everyone
smiling straight at the camera. But, try shooting when the kids are
pouting, or even a little out of control. You’ll capture their true
personality.

6. Avoid using your flash indoors if you can. The light from flash
units tends to produce a harsh, flat light. This is usually not
complimentary to your subject. If you are shooting indoors at night,
try to flood the room with as many
lamps as you can turn on. It will also help to avoid red eye.

7. Give the Gift of Photographs.  Family members in particular love photos as a holiday present. 

Make your own cards. Commercial greeting cards are fine, but a photograph of your family is a much more meaningful gesture.

You can make refrigerator magnets by printing photos onto magnet paper that goes right into your printer.

Turn a family photo into a puzzle. Mount your photograph onto a piece
of lightweight cardboard and cut the pieces into fun shapes.