Take Great Photos During the Holidays

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	The winter holidays are a special time, and there's no better way to hold on to the memories than with photos. To take great holiday photos (and get great holiday prints), be sure to read the following quick tips:
	Use Holiday Meals as Your Centerpiece One of the high points of the holiday season is the family gathering around the dinner table. This is the perfect opportunity for a group photo, especially if the table is decorated for the occasion. To create the most attractive scene, make sure that you take the picture before the meal begins, when the food is artistically arranged in serving dishes. Choose one side of the table where everyone can gather, moving the chairs close together and placing unseated family members behind those who are seated. If you have a tripod, set up your camera on the opposite side of the table, with the flash set on red-eye reduction, and activate the self timer (if available). Most cameras provide a 10-second self-timer, which gives you time to press the shutter button and take your place in the picture before the shutter is released.
	Enjoy the Winter Wonderland If you're spending your holidays north of the Mason-Dixon line, chances are some of your family activities will take place in the snow. Whether it's a ski trip to the mountains or building a snowman in the front yard, it's important that you know some simple rules of exposure. Most cameras take two types of exposure readings: An "averaged" meter reading measures light from several areas of the image and averages them to provide an overall exposure value. A "spot" meter reading takes its reading from the object in the center of the scene, and uses that to determine exposure. If you're taking pictures of a dark object (or people) surrounded by snow, move in as close as possible, center your subjects, and set the camera to spot meter. This will prevent the bright white snow from skewing the exposure.
	Meet Children Eye-to-Eye When you're photographing small children during the festivities, try bringing yourself down to their level (even if it means lying down). Photographing little ones from above tends to distort their features and provides an unrealistic perspective. By getting up close and personal, you'll be getting a "kid's eye view" of the world and you'll capture all of the facial expressions that make children so special.
	Don't Forget About Decking the Halls If you want to make your holiday photo album complete, don't neglect the decorating process. Take along your camera if you go to pick out a Christmas tree and make sure to capture each member of the family participating in the search. Since there will probably be shade from surrounding trees, we suggest using a flash to clearly illuminate your subject's faces and the piney details of the dark branches. For the ceremonial stringing of the outdoor lights, you'll be shooting from a distance (10 feet or more), so an on-camera flash is not going to be as effective. Try to take your pictures in daylight and late afternoon, when dusk is approaching. An hour before the sun sets there is still enough light to record the scene, but you may want to use a tripod to compensate for the slow shutter speed. Dusk is actually a good time to photograph holiday lights, because they don't have to compete with the bright sun.
	Share the Spirit of Giving The joy of giving and receiving gifts is one of the most expressive emotions of the season. As such, it deserves special attention from the family photographer. There are many ways to set the stage for a gift opening, depending on the size and location of the exchange. If your teen is getting her first car, you'll want to hide someone outside with a clear view of both the car and teen as she sees it for the first time. The picture will tell a much better story if the viewer can see why she's jumping with joy! For smaller, more intimate gifts, try to position the giver and receiver close together so you can capture the emotions of both when the wrappings come off. If the gift-giver isn't present, this is the perfect opportunity to send a thank you picture. Don't be afraid to stage the scene. For example, you can sit two or more siblings close together, and have them open their gifts at the same time, or a parent can sit behind the grandchild, and watch as he opens the box. The resulting prints will make great lasting memories of a special holiday moment. For more tips on digital photography, visit www.imaging-resource.com.