Just a few tips to help you get some better pictures this holiday season:

1) Get a little closer, don’t be shy!
- fill the frame with your subject, but don’t feel that you need to show his/her entire body. Your child’s smiling face, or whatever is in that tiny palm—THAT’S what we want to see!
- and while we’re at it: your child may be the center of your universe, but they don’t always need to be at the center of your photo! Move them towards one side or the other, and you may be pleasantly surprised.

2) Step away from that background!
- people have a tendency to line up directly in front of things—don’t let them do it! Move them forward a couple of feet if possible, and your background will be much less distracting.
- speaking of backgrounds: be careful of what yours is! It’s far to easy to have things (trees, bike handles, lights, etc…) growing out of people’s heads when you forget to look at what’s behind them

3) Don’t be a straight shooter!
- change your angle of attack: shoot from way down low, or way up high—anything but straight ahead from eye level, and your pics will take on different flavor.
- don’t be afraid to tilt the camera, either! I wouldn’t advise doing it on every shot, but sometimes it’s the right thing to do.

4) There’s safety in numbers!
- Shoot, shoot, and shoot some more—and then, when you think you’ve got the perfect shot, shoot a couple more, just in case.
- Don’t worry about trying to pose all of those shots! You’d be surprised to know how often the unplanned shots wind up stealing the show.

5) Go towards the light!
- Turn off that flash! Look at your surroundings, and see where the light already is, and you won’t need it anyway!
- Shadows are NOT the enemy! They add texture and dimension to your shots, when you pay attention to where they land….

6) Getting the perfect Christmas portrait
- I would recommend either hiring a pro or, if that isn’t an option, having someone else take it. It is so much harder to take portraits of your own children, especially when it actually matters, and especially if you want to be in the picture, too! Also be aware that you should always consider the kiddos schedule… no meal times or nap times. They never work out for anyone!
Hope you find these tips helpful! If you have any questions about something I didn’t cover, feel free to ask away!

Carole : )