Stop it! Stop it right now and let’s get creative! No more lining people up like glazed-over mannequins for the annual group photo! Life is beautiful and so is your family, your friends, and even your coworkers. With a little forethought and a few simple steps you too can bring forth award-winning digital photo holiday cards without running to the local portrait studio. Here are a few ideas to get you going:
- - The number one trick to taking good photos is to take lots of them. You delete or discard the unusable ones and are left with only the spectacular. Digital cameras make this very easy to do.
- - The second technique is to find refreshing locations, even if it is in your own backyard. Parks, golf courses, churchyards, beaches, and gardens all offer lovely settings with natural light. Seat everyone on a sand dune or on an outcrop of rocks. Have some standing, some seated; variety can come together into the perfect shot of a warm family gathering.
- - A third technique is to match apparel or manner of dress for your family photos. Have each person wear casual white shirts and blue jeans, for example. Shoot a few pictures with everyone barefoot. And it is not necessary to have everyone look directly into the camera. Some or all participants can look off into the distance or other direction for a more thoughtful pose.
- - Finally, think of several scene settings in advance; be the director and put them to work. Sometimes it takes careful planning to come up with that natural and spontaneous shot, but if you work your plan you will be absolutely delighted with the outcome!
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I laughed when reading your post about non-boring digital photo holiday cards. It reminded me of the best business greeting card my employer ever sent. A year ago, our annual summer picnic was held in a county park. In the children’s playground area, we piled up around the colorful tree house/jungle gym, and took a group shot. We’re wearing company t-shirts designed by an employee, and big grins from whatever activity we were called in from, holding tennis racquets, softball bats, hot dogs, or whatever. Totally not boring! I still recall the delighted comments from our business contact card recipients.
Thank you for the great tips. I almost hyperventilate at the thought of taking photos that others will see or (gasp) have to be printed in large quantities and sent to our closest friends and family members. I can now keep your tips on hand rather than the brown paper bag I usually have at my side.
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