by Cherylyn Feierabend

Hey there! You’re listening to the Mighty Mommy with some Quick and Dirty Tips for Practical Parenting.

Back in February of 2007 I completed my very first episode of Mighty Mommy. The topic was Family Photos. Well, here we are in 2009 and it's the holiday season again and here I am wondering how to get a great picture of my family to put in our annual Christmas letter.

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On my first show I received a comment from a listener who mentioned that family photos should be candid and not necessarily posed as they would be at a professional photography studio. I have to agree that some of my favorite pictures of families have been the more candid, or at least less structured than the studio shots we are all used to. So, I did some research, asked some questions, and did some picture taking of my own. I’ve learned some fun things about candid pictures and how to get the most out of photos you take.

My first tip, and probably the most important one, is to keep your camera with you. Digital cameras can be obtained for very reasonable prices these days. Do your research and get a camera that will fit your budget. It doesn’t have to be the most expensive camera on the market in order for it to take good pictures, but a digital camera is going to be your best bet if you really want to get the most pictures without spending a ton of money. If you use a camera that requires film and doesn’t allow you to preview the pictures before you have them developed, you’ll never know what you are going to get until you’ve already paid the developer. A digital camera allows you the freedom to take oodles of pictures, preview them, delete the ones that don’t work for you, and develop only the ones that you really want to keep. So, keep your digital camera with you and be sure you have it charged or carry plenty of replacement batteries. You never know when that perfect picture taking opportunity might arise.

Once you have your digital camera charged and ready, start shooting. Take as many pictures as you can whenever the mood strikes. Go to the park, your backyard, play areas, or visit areas with interesting architecture. You can even set up a mini-studio at home by hanging blankets, sheets, or tablecloths in strategic areas. Most digital cameras have timers on them, so make use of this feature for family shots. Family pictures are great when everyone can get into the frame. I tend to find that I’m behind the camera on most shots, so if you are like me and are always taking the pictures, you may want to grab a friend to snap a group of pictures that include you with the kids. Just make sure to tell your photographer to take as many pictures as possible. The key isn’t for every shot to be perfect, it’s to take enough pictures that you are guaranteed a few great pictures.

Employ silliness during your photo sessions. Remember to have fun! The more fun you are having, the more fun your children are most likely having. 

So sing songs, dance, cuddle, make funny faces or repeat funny sayings. Natural smiles or laughing smiles are much better than the posed cheesy smiles you usually see in posed portraits. Keep in mind, however, that a smile isn’t always required for a great picture. I remember one particular picture of my daughter where we had some tooling hanging around her and she reached up and pulled some of it toward her face. She sort of looked off into the distance as the picture was taken and it turned out to be the prettiest picture in the bunch. You never know what you are going to get, so keep an open mind and don’t force everyone to smile all of the time.

While you are taking your pictures use many different camera angles. Shoot from above, below, and at eye level. If you aren’t a skilled photographer, you may not know how to best position yourself to avoid shadows or bad lighting. I certainly don’t have an eye for those sort of things so I’m always trying different angles to give myself an opportunity to get the best possible quality photo. If you are in natural or bright light, try turning the flash off or use the different modes on your camera. Avoiding flash will eliminate the issue of redeye in the pictures. Redeye is my worst enemy since all of the men in my family have blue eyes. Several photo editing programs offer solutions to remove redeye from pictures, but I find that even if I fix the pictures, they often look unnatural. For this reason, I try to avoid redeye as much as possible.

Finally, remember that even if you are in a strange location or there are other people meandering by, you can use photo editing software to crop and resize your pictures. If your camera uses SD cards, carry an extra or two with you in case you fill one up. Many digital photo frames use SD cards so, once you’ve got a nice collection of pictures, load them up on an SD card and you can give a photo frame pre-loaded with pictures as a gift. Grandparents and other friends or relatives living out of state will love a great gift like this. So, what are you waiting for? Grab your camera, some batteries, and your family and get snapping! Have a great holiday season and a very happy new year.

That’s it for now. Thanks for reading.

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This is your friend the Mighty Mommy wishing you happy and fun parenting!