Xmas pictures at home?? Advise--?

Question

Have you taken xmas pictures at home?instead of kiddi kandis or sears or jc? I always get them, and just wanted to know. I have a nice camera and would like to try, but should I do it or get them done. I Usually spend 120-140 bucks. We are going to sea world this weekend with hotel, so we will spen about 200 bucks. I just think thats major $ for pics. My camera can do black/white sepia and normal. I am not a professtional so any advise on what to do and how to take a good picture? I have been practicing and noticed you need lots of light for a good outcome?

cannon power shot sx100 IS
10xx15 optical ad 8.0 mega pixels

Ara57 I believe you miss understood my Q. I am doing them at home. I wanted to tell everyone I was already spending money at sea world and i usually spend 120-140 at a studio. So, I was wondering if I should do this at home, since I have a pretty nice camera.Thanks for the advise otherwise

Answer 1

Well, when taking your picture, if you can, set the background. Use your flash, and stay within 10' of your subjects for a better picture.

We just did this this past weekend, and after we took the pic's (in our home) I saw all kinds of things that needed to be removed from the 'scene'. The box of Duraflame logs next to the fireplace, the lighter on the mantle to light the logs, and a flashlight that I always keep next to the fireplace. So, be conscience of that.

Answer 2

I understand that it must be hard with 4 children, but I don't really understand how you can wait until just over 2 weeks before Xmas to realise that you don't have any money for it. I'm a single parent, and I only 17 hours a week, and my son's never had a bad Xmas. I started Ebaying again, a few weeks ago, to make some extra money so that I could give him a good Xmas. Surely if you knew that there wasn't much money coming in, you could have done something about it. You don't even have to buy expensive things, some cheap presents are better than telling them that they're getting nothing. I don't think that kids should be spoilt, or anything, but I couldn't imagine telling a 4 year old child that they're getting nothing. It's not good telling a 7 year old either, but 4 year olds are more likely to believe in Santa and not understand why they're not getting anything.

Answer 3

There should be plenty of photo ops at Sea World, but not much opportunity to set them up, and carrying a tripod in an amusement park can be cumbersome and maybe not allowed. I would plan to do them at home. As someone has mentioned, police the background for stray items and remove any clutter. The homemade bounce card on your flash is a great idea as well. Get as much natural daylight as you can, but try not to pose with a window in your background., it will create flare and fool your camera's meter into underexposing the scene. Use a tripod with the self timer or remote.

Arrange your grouping into triangles if possible. Faces that are next to each other should be on different levels and not in a line.
In other words don't do this: OOO

O O
--O-- Your faces should be more like this.



Turn bodies at an angle to the lens, get close together and shoot plenty of frames. With a little planning you should come out with a great image, much more personal than one made in the studio.

Answer 4

In my opinion, the biggest thing that is going to make or break your attempt is the lighting. These little point and shoots all have the standard flash, which is going to blast your subject with light from the worst direction possible.

External flash is the best here, but if you can't get one, I had luck attaching a piece of foil in front of the flash, pointed up at a 45 degree angle to the ceiling. You're going to have to increase the flash output too (if you can't do that, look for EV settings on your camera and push these up into the + values).

The effect is wonderful, bounced flash off a white celing will put your subjects in a more natural setting, and the picture will immediately look more professional!

Answer 5

I do this all the time. I love taking pics of my kids and grandkids. If your room/area is not sunny, take the shades off some lamps and place around the room but not by subject.
Get in close, or use telephoto lens. Most people shoot too far away. I love the full frame effect of having the person or people fill the frame with not much background. As above, set the stage first, and check for objects that would detract from the picture. Pose the person, or people. Take lots of pictures.
You will do great--and save lots of bucks too. I print all my own pictures and have great success.
Good Luck.

Answer 6

These days its nothing to create a nice photo. I use a Canon PowerShot A75 point and shoot camera, I sit my daugher in front of the tree, and snap a few pics. I keep somewhat low lighting so the tree is underexposed, and all you see are the lights and some reflection of lights on decorations.

Its a Christmas photo, dont do sepia or b&w's, its supposed to be a happy, colourful time of year.

Everyone compliments the photos because we give them out because everyone in the family and lots of friends wants pics, and they always ask where or who did them.

My Total Cost
-Photoshoot $0.00 (digital Camera already paid for)
-Slight touch ups using Photoshop on iMac (daughter has terrible red eye sometimes) = $0.00
-E-Mail to Wal-Mart Photo Centre = $0.00
-Cost of (20) 4x6 prints = $3.80 + tax
-Cost of (4) 5x7 prints = $3.88 + tax

Total Cost = $7.68

Answer 7

One piece of advice in addition to all the excellent remarks before. Remember to try and get down to kids levels if you are an adult. Don't take pictures of them looking down on them. Don't be afraid to kneel - you will get much better pictures.

Answer 8

I once got a picture of my kids in front of the Christmas tree, but with a difference. I draped the entire floor, all around the tree, up to the walls, with lace curtains. I arranged them in drifts, to have the effect of snow. Then I pulled out every one of their stuffed animals I could find that would fit in for a winter scene. Then I had them dressed in their holiday best, sitting cross-legged in the "snow", surrounded by "woodland creatures", all in our living room.