I received an email the other day asking about Holiday Portrait Ideas for families and small groups. So…I wanted to share some portrait ideas and posing tips to help you create Amazing Shots this Holiday Season.

Here’s a portrait we just created for our Digital Creation’s Club and it’s called “Home For The Holidays”. Remember what I said before? You should always name your sets and themes that you advertise.  Go ahead and swipe our new name “Home For The Holidays”

Pic #1 – Home For The Holidays Theme (Family Pose)

Posing Tip: Try to always group subjects tight together avoiding gaps. Use the children as bookends to complete the pose.

Pic #2 – “Home For The Holidays Theme (Children Posing)

Posing Tip: Have the children look at a present or a book. This will help create a more natural pose and the parents will love it!

Pic #3 – Presents By The Tree Theme (Children Posing)

Posing Tip: Have your subjects touch hands and lightly touch heads. This will create a sense of closeness and bring the image together.

Sometimes it’s the simple things that make a great portrait. It can be a certain pose or a new portrait idea that inspired you to create a unique shot.

Feel Free to study these images and swipe these ideas to use in your own photography sessions.

Here is a Digital Background Portrait Idea For The Holidays.

This can be done with or without using a Digital Background or Digital Prop when creating this portrait. The Holidays are the busiest time for most Photography Studios and some times we need creative ideas we can offer to our clients.

So…I wanted to share a new Digital Creation we recently created for our NPB Digital Creation Club.

But…the key here is that anyone can create this shot with stuff you probably already have in your own kitchen.

Here’s a list of items to create this shot

• Cookie Dough
• Rolling Pin
• Cookie Cutters (Holiday Ones)
• Flour for the table, face and nose
• Chef Hat (If You Have One)
• Apron or White Jacket

…and obviously you’ll need a table or counter to set the shot up and a background or backdrop.

Here’s the before shot we took knowing we were going to use it for  our Digital Background and Prop Set.

Before Shot

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Here’s the shot with the first Digital Background we created.

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Here’s the 2nd shot with a different Digital Background.

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And the 3rd Digital Background we used was a muslin style.

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Now…by using Digital Backgrounds I created 3 shots from 1 basic image with very little work.

So, like I said in the beginning of this post. You can use this same idea in your photography studio and create a Holiday Baking Theme as a new idea to show your clients or just have some fun with your own kids.

Now get out there and create this Awesome shot

If you want to save yourself time and use our Digital Creation or others like the one I showed you in this blog post…Click Here!

Here’s a few tips for better photography in 2010.

Here you’ll find 7 Simple Digital Photography Tips, that everyone should follow.It doesn’t matter if you are a seasoned photographer or if your new camera appeared under the Christmas Tree this year. New Year’s Eve tends to make people reflect over the past year and look forward to new possibilities in the coming year.

Tradition has it that we should make some sort of list to try and motivate us to achieving greater success in different areas of our lives. It is no different for the professional photographer or the budding photographer. Making a list of New Year’s Resolutions can be positive and encouraging. Here are a few suggestions in making your list this year.

Tip #1: Read Your Camera Manual.

It doesn’t matter if you’ve never read it or perhaps read it several years ago. It’s always good to refresh your memory and perhaps find a hidden nugget you’ve either never knew or forgot that you had. You can pick up new tips from your photography bible.

Tip #2: Take a Photography Class.

If you’re new to photography or if you’re seasoned but find yourself a little stale, look for a course that will broaden your horizons. There are numerous courses offered online from beginner to advanced. It is always a good experience to find a local school or experienced photographer that offers hands-on training. It might take a little digging but having ‘real’ people to talk to and learn from is worth the time and expense.

Tip #3 Join a Camera Cub.

Joining the local camera or photography club can help you network with local photographers. Meeting regularly with them can provide you with educational resources, motivation and offer you encouragement.

Tip #4 Learn to Use Your Lenses.

Chances are you have at least a couple of lenses in your bag. Sometimes we are tempted to buy a new lens when we can’t quite get the image we want with the lenses we have. Spend time this year learning how to use the lenses you have to their fullest potential. You might amaze yourself at what can be achieved by making more effective use of what you have.

Tip #5 Use Your Tripod.

I am sure most camera owners have a tripod of some sort laying in a closet or drawer somewhere. Learn to use your tripod and then make use of it regularly. It can increase the sharpness of your image by controlling camera shake and enables you to compose your shots more effectively.

Tip #6 Getting Off the Green Mode.

The auto (green) mode on your digital camera can do a wonderful job of taking snapshots. Take the time to learn about using your manual settings (this can be a scary thing to do) and you will find a whole new world of camera control opens up to you. Search the internet; there are plenty of books and tutorials that can help you learn about exposure, shutter speed and ISO settings.

Tip #7 Take More Photographs.

In photography, as in anything else, practice, practice, practice. In the digital world, there is no reason to limit your picture taking. It does not cost you to develop rolls of film, you simply hit the delete button and start over again. Make a commitment to take at least one photo every day. If you take more, pick out your best shot and save it in a ’365 Day’ folder. At the end of the year pick out your favorite image for each month, arrange them in a collage then print it. You will be amazed at your progress and have something permanent to remember your year in pictures.

These are just some Simple Digital Photography Tips, so feel free to add your own. We would like to take this opportunity to wish you all much happiness and success in the New Year whatever your goals and desires may be.

Until next time, Happy Shooting!

Christmas is an amazing time of year! So much color, so much fun and so many treasured moments! Here are a few Christmas Photography Tips that will help you take memorable photos this holiday season with your digital camera.

Tip #1 – Make sure you have plenty of supplies

If you forget to have plenty of batteries and memory cards available, you may miss that precious shot of the delight on your loved one’s face when they open that special present.

Tip #2 – Get up close and personal

Fill your viewfinder or viewing screen with the subject to capture their expressions. You can capture amazing photos when you time your shots and snap that photo when they aren’t looking at the camera. Don’t forget to take those ‘traditional’ group shots of your family and friends.

Tip #3 – Use different angles

Have some fun and get interesting shots by getting on a chair and shooting down. Kneeling or laying down on your stomach can make your shots more dynamic and personal. Getting eye level with your subjects will also produce great shots.

Tip #4 – Using the camera flash

Most digital cameras have a zoom feature. Use this to your advantage when you are using the camera’s flash. Get as far from your subject as possible, then zoom in and take your shot. The extra distance you put between you and your subject will soften the sometimes harsh white flash. You can also diffuse the light by taping a tissue or some other opaque material to the pop-up flash. How about getting creative and attach a colored piece of transparent plastic over the flash. You may end up taking a shot of your very own Blue Christmas!

Tip #5 – Photograph the Christmas frills

Don’t forget to take photos of lights, decorations and the tree. A close-up shot of that treasured ornament will preserve that memory for you for a life-time. You will be amazed how shooting different aspects of Christmas will enhance your photo album for years to come.

Tip #6 – Fixing red-eye

When using the flash we sometimes get these bright red reflections in our subject’s eyes. With most cameras there is a red eye removal feature. Make yourself familiar with using it by reading your owners’ manual. There are also many other free photo editing software programs available to help you adjust your photos and remove red-eye.

Tip #7  – Take Outside shots

You can get some great shots outside at Christmas, but you might tend to think you don’t need your flash. Oftentimes, the faces of the people in the photo are dark while the background lighting is bright. Turning your flash on and using it will help to light up their faces.

Tip #8 – Take lots of shots

With the digital cameras and memory cards we have available now, it is a very worthwhile practice to take a ton of shots. You don’t have to waste your money or get disappointed because half of the shots you took with your film camera were not good. Simply delete the bad, print the good!

Tip #9 – Have fun

There is so much to see and do at Christmas; so many ways to capture the warmth, fun and excitement. It’s a wonderful time to experiment with your camera so go out there and capture the moments! You have the opportunity to make a treasured memory with one click of your shutter.

Use these simple tips this holiday season to help  capture those precious memories that will last a life time.

Happy Shooting!