Holiday Photos That STand Out!

Holiday Photos That Stand Out!
Photography Tip for December 2009

Holidays bring exceptional moments for photos that are cherished through the generations, a little know-how will make your holiday photos stand out and you'll be proud to share them with family and friends!

Let me start out with a few basic reminders...Just to make sure you are paying attention!  Check batteries for a full charge and/or be sure you have spare batteries on hand, as well as plenty of room on your memory cards the night before the big event.  Think about the lighting conditions you’re likely to be shooting in and have your camera preset and ready for those conditions.  If you are primarily going to be using your flash, pack your diffuser if you have one (I've talked about that before).  If you are shooting in existing light, know what type of light so you are prepared to make color corrections as necessary, and if its low light, don’t forget your mono-pod or tripod!

Okay, here we go...

• If you are having a large gathering or holiday party, keep in mind that people look their best when they first arrive, so if possible why not have a corner somewhere that you have created with photographs in mind?  As your guests arrive have them join you for a quick photo before the lipstick comes off and the hair gets mussed!  They’ll love you for it and your pictures will look even better.  Have some Santa hats or tinsel for them to decorate themselves with and let them know that you can take photos of them throughout the party with other guests; all they have to do is come get you.
• Taking pictures of a group of kids is always difficult, they find it hard to sit still and often pester each other while you’re trying to get the perfect photo.  Use the fastest shutter speed you can under your lighting conditions to stop motion, some of those can be lots of fun and very candid.  Also try this…take the group photos before the gifts are open.  Ask each child to choose one of their gifts and hold it in their laps then begin shooting.  Have them hold the package up and shake it, have them interact with each other...all the while you are shooting continuously. That type of photo shoot is sure to capture great expressions and break up the posed and unnatural monotony of standard holiday shots.
• Don’t lose focus when it comes to focus!  In other words, don’t forget to watch your depth of field depending on your subject and what you want to include in the picture.  If you are shooting a group, then be sure you choose a small enough aperture ( f/8 or f/11 at least) to give you depth of field and keep everyone in focus.  However if you are taking a photo of just baby Louie’s face, then open up your aperture to let the background soften by falling out of focus drawing attention to sweet baby Louie.
• Remember that less is more.  If your subject is Kathy making a toast, then zoom in on Kathy and exclude as much distracting elements as possible.  If you are ever in doubt, take several photos at several distances, so you can choose the most pleasing later.  When shooting digitally, it’s best to take at least three pictures each time you point your camera at someone.  One of the three is most likely going to show their eyes closed or a silly look on their face and one of the three will be perfect!  The secret to capturing great photographs is to shoot, shoot, shoot!
• When opening presents, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement and miss some truly great moments or get other people’s arms blocking your view.  As everyone settles in to open, you can consider these tips.  1)  Find a spot for yourself, on the floor at the kids’ level is perfect, where you are clear of obstructions such as other guests and furniture.  2) If there are kids opening gifts, ask in advance if the adults would mind waiting until the kids are done before they begin to open presents.  This often gets you two benefits, first you can concentrate on the kids and get some great shots of them under the tree, and secondly when the adults begin to open, the kids, with all their presents open, want to help the adults which are often precious moments seldom caught on film.
• There are so many distractions and obstructions this time of year that can clutter up the best photograph.  If you can take a deep breath while that camera is at your eye and look at what is in the viewfinder before you shoot, usually you can move slightly, have your subject move slightly, zoom in or zoom out, or throw the background out of focus.  Decorations are lovely but what is pleasing to the eye is not always pleasing as a photograph so keep it simple.
• When at the Christmas Tree Farm, Holiday fairs, shopping and even neighborhood walks to see the decorations, don’t wait to pose your kids.  Bring another adult along so you can have that camera ready to grab your shots while your kids explore and react to what they see...those are the photos that truly capture the season.
• Don’t forget to get the before and after pictures!  Shoot the preparation of the party food, decorating the tree, wrapping presents and how the place looked ready for the guests.  Then take the after shots showing the mess and all the fun that was had.  These pictures give your albums, DVD and/or scrapbook a beginning and an end to complete your holiday story.

Happy Holiday Shooting!