1. Move in close. Especially when you centre your subject but even when you off-
centre it, moving in close is the one thing that will make the biggest difference
in the success of your picture-taking. The simple fact is the audiences are always
more impressed when the subject is huge and impossible to miss.
2. Shoot First, Ask Questions Later
Especially if your subject is a child opening a gift – or playing with a gift for the
first time – you know that, within a split second, the scene can change. There is
often just a few brief moments when that “magic spark” appears.
3. Before and After Shots
Speaking of shots before the party starts, why not set up some before and after
shots both of the place you’re holding your party and what it looks like afterwards.
Make sure you take the shots from the same position.
4. The Unusual
Look for unusual subjects. Is the dog wearing antlers? Put yourself at her eye level
and capture it. Photograph your children or grandchildren in action. Perhaps they are
wrapping presents with WAY too much tape, baking cookies and getting it all over
the counter, or jumping in the leaf pile you just created.
5. It’s all in the detail
It’s not just the people in your family that are part of the holidays – it’s things like
the food, decorations, and the venue too. So take some close-up shots of these to at
least serve as a record of all the effort that went into the big day.
6. Don’t forget to include yourself
A common mistake made by the family picture taker is to never include themselves
in the photos. Take a look back through your previous holiday shots – how many
times do you appear in them? Make sure that other family members take a few
pictures that include you, or even better, use the self-timer or smile shutter function
on your camera so that you can join in the fun.
