Capture the Memories

By Rachel Elizabeth

How often do you hear a toddler say, “Why can’t every day be a holiday?” Although there is nothing you can do about prolonging a 24-hour day, pictures offer a wonderful way to keep the memories alive for many years to come.

This holiday season, remember these simple tips and you’ll be sure to have beautiful photographs that capture the joy of the season, for now and forever. 

TAKE LOTS OF PHOTOS
Familiarize yourself with the settings on your camera. With both digital and film cameras, a film speed of 200 is an ideal choice for average lighting. Turn everything on the camera to the automatic mode. Don’t worry about any of the other functions such as shutter speed and aperture. Leave that stuff to the enthusiasts and pros. The automatic setting will work just fine. To avoid red eye, turn off the on-camera flash. Instead, turn on all the lights, move your subject closer to the window, or take your camera outdoors. Don’t be afraid to be a shutterbug! Go ahead and snap away. If you have a digital camera, you will have the luxury of taking as many images as you need to get the perfect one. If you’re shooting with film, don’t be afraid to use as many as two or three rolls of film to find your perfect shot. 

WATCH THE BACKGROUND
A group shot with everyone smiling can become unintentionally odd if the background is wrong. When you get the subjects set up, take one last look through the viewfinder to make sure you’ve considered the background. If you’re photographing your family for a holiday card, break up the group into tiers. For example, if you’re taking a photo on the front steps of your house, don’t place everyone on the same step. Mix it up by having the kids on a lower step, then others on higher steps, and so on. When positioning the camera, don’t be afraid to get close to your subject. Look through the viewfinder and leave very little space between the subject and the edges of the frame.

THE FINISHED PRODUCT
If you are a digital guru, dump your final images into a basic image-editing program like Kodak EasyShare or an advanced program like Photoshop Elements. By using an image-editing program, you will be able to create one-of-a-kind holiday greeting cards. For those of us short on time this holiday season, simply take your final images to a one-hour photo lab by late November for quality holiday postcards.

When parties and trips to the mall overtake December schedules, sending holiday cards can become an afterthought … but that doesn’t have to be the case. By following the simple steps provided and adding some decorative paper, translucent glassine envelopes, and colorful ribbon, you can personalize your holiday photos by turning them into inexpensive little gifts. 

Happy picture taking and happy holidays!

Rachel Elizabeth is a photographer in Wake Forest. She may be reached at 522-3636, or visit www.rachelelizabethphoto.com.