Holidays are great times for getting pictures of family and friends. Everyone is together and normally having a good time, it is people at their best.
It's also important from an historical perspective. You might be tempted to skip taking the camera, but think about how many times you've looked back on old photos of family and friends. For better or worse those pictures mark the progression of your life. I've never looked back on any family event or place I've visited and wished I'd spent less time taking pictures, almost always the opposite.
So take the camera. Here are a few tips for getting the most out of your holiday pictures, whether you have an inexpensive point-and-shoot or the finest digital SLR on the market.
Control shake - When you can, brace yourself against a wall, a chair or something to give yourself a little extra stability, particularly when shooting indoors. This is a bigger problem with small cameras using an LCD screen at arm's length, than larger cameras which you're holding closer to your eye.
Check your settings - I'm notorious for bumping my camera mode selector, so I check it religiously. Check to make sure your camera is on the proper setting. For most people taking holiday snaps that will be on "A" for Automatic setting. But don't be afraid to deliberately fiddle with the settings to get a different look, just remember where they were when you started!
Watch those fingers - Yes, even pros get fingers in the way of the flash sensor and the lens, especially with those little point-and-shoot cameras. Stay aware of how you hold the camera.
Take pictures at odd times - Everyone does group pictures before going your separate ways, so think of something different. Shoot pictures at the breakfast table, while traveling somewhere, or other times.
Use odd angles - Experiment. Lay on the ground, find a higher perspective, or some other unusual angle. I once took a picture from the perspective of the Thanksgiving turkey being carried to the table, it's one of our family favorites. It costs nothing to delete digital pictures so don't be afraid to be creative.
Use doors and windows as natural frames - Framing adds visual impact, so use doors and windows to your advantage.
Look for details and texture - Sometimes it's textural details that spur the most vivid memories. A close up of someones hands, the colors of a favorite shirt. Get in close and emphasize the details and textures of your subject.
Use roads and paths as lead lines - Try to find a perspective where a road, path or other picture element leads your eye to the subject. Instead of stand over there by that house, take a perspective farther back and use the path to lead in to the subject.
Take pictures on bad weather days, too - Every day does not have to be a sunny day. Rainy days have their own special appeal and dark clouds can add drama to any scene.
Mainly just have some fun. As I look back on my pictures the ones I like the best are sometimes just pictures of nothing special. A grove of trees outside our old house, a picture of my mom in the kitchen with my nephew and his fiance, candid moments that I just pointed the camera and pushed the button without really even thinking about it.
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