If you decide to send a Christmas photo cards, vary your photo techniques. Choose beautiful backgrounds, experiment with different camera angles, and take candid rather than posed photos. Be the director of your Oscar-worthy Christmas photo cards.
Do you live in a cold climate? What’s more seasonal than hills of snow and majestic pine trees in the background as your family goes sledding or skiing past your camera? Dress everyone in brightly colored parkas, zany ski caps, and scarves. Buy or rent a tripod for your camera, set the timer, and join in the action. Tilt the camera at an angle and it will look like you’re skiing down the Alps.
If you live in a sunny, Southern state, digital photos from a day at the beach will turn your snowbound friends and relatives “evergreen” with envy when they receive your Christmas photo cards. Colorful beach balls and umbrellas contrast beautifully with the white sand and blue ocean. No beach nearby? Gather everyone in your own backyard or in the park, or choose a picture from your most recent vacation.
Be aware of the sunlight’s glare on the snow, the sand, and the water. Set your camera at the recommended exposure for those conditions. If you have an automatic camera, remember to keep your subjects’ faces in full sunlight to avoid any deep shadows.
If you’re indoors, photograph the family around the Christmas tree or in front of the fireplace. Have a tree trimming party and play some favorite Christmas music to set the mood. Seat a few people in chairs, have some standing, and let the children sit on the floor or in Grandma’s lap. If you have pets, include them in the photo too. Turn the camera vertically to emphasize the height of your tree, or take some photos from the top of a ladder.
Combine and overlap several finished photos in a collage. Use the editing features on your computer to enhance any of your photo techniques. Lights, camera, action! And be sure to get those Christmas photo cards finished in time for the holiday mail!