Now December's finally here and there's a dusting of white on the very tops of the mountains, I can at last acknowledge that it's THAT time of year. Yes, the fat man in the red suit will soon be making his rounds and turkeys are beginning to look nervous.
Christmas, maybe more so than any other time of year, means lots and lots of photographs will be taken. Kids opening presents, mum in her posh frock, grandad asleep in the big chair after the Queen's speech, dad monopolising the new Scalextric (or maybe that was just at my house?), and lots of other memorable moments you'll want to keep forever.
These days, everyone has a digital camera on their phone or a little point-and-shoot always to hand, so I thought I'd share a few "Top Tips" to help make your Christmas photos really special this year.
1. Children
Let's face it, when there are kids in the house Christmas is all about them, and of course you want photos of them to share with the rest of the family. The golden rule when photographing children - especially your own! - is never, ever tell them to smile (unless you're exceptionally lucky and your offspring are unusually accommodating). The best you're likely to get when shouting "Smile!" and pointing a camera at them is a general display of teeth.
Much better to engage the child by either saying or doing something silly to get their attention and making them laugh genuinely, or simply talk to them about something that interests and excites them (like the new remote control car they've just torn the wrappings from) and act like the camera isn't even switched on.
2. Don't pose it
Christmas morning is just magical, you don't need to stage it to capture wonderful present-opening photos. Just pay careful attention to what is in your shot and don't try to cram in too much or your shot loses impact. Zoom in close on faces as presents are unwrapped - often children will hold their new acquisitions up for inspection and admiration so anticipate the moment they turn towards you to show you their new toy or game and be ready with the shutter. Include your tree or decorations in some shots to 'set the scene' but don't overcrowd the image. Candid shots of the children playing with their new toys (or reading their new books) are guaranteed to become favourites over and above the standard "grin at the camera" snaps.
3. The grown ups
Adults hate having their photo taken as a general rule, and people can feel embarrassed in front of a camera. Avoid asking anyone to "say cheese" unless you want pictures of people cringing.
The best shots are the ones where the subject didn't realise the camera was there, so if you have a good zoom lens, use it to capture people in conversation, or just sitting in the living room together. Natural makes the best, and most "real", photo memories!
4. Ladies
Us girls do sometimes like to put on a posh frock, and for some of us it's a once-a-year event! When you're photographing mum in her swish new Karen Millen, have her turn very slightly away from the camera and look back - this slims her figure and adds grace. Make sure her back is straight but her shoulders are relaxed. Never shoot upwards as this can be very unflattering, best to angle the camera downwards slightly towards her face, which slims the jaw and chin and makes eyes appear larger. Don't mention smiling and there should be absolutely no reference to dairy products. Just tell her she looks great and you'll get a lovely natural smile (if she's anything like my mum, anyway!)
5. Flash
Sometimes it can't be helped - you're photographing indoors in winter and it's just not light enough to shoot steadily without flash. Wherever possible though, avoid using direct flash when you're photographing faces - it's very harsh and unflattering and will show up every line and imperfection. Grandma won't thank you for that.
6. Experiment
We photographers have accepted that the days of film have joined leg warmers, bell bottoms and the mighty Ford Capri as a fond and distant memory. The up-side of that, though, is that photographs are now so cheap to produce that it's possible to shoot loads and loads of images until we get one we like, without worrying about the time and cost of developing. So if your camera is a sophisticated one with different modes and settings, play around with them and see what effects you can produce with the different options. For example, try out some candlelight shots. Takes a bit of practice but the results can be really striking.
7. Details
A little attention to detail can really enhance an album and help to tell a story through images. Take a few extra images showing your table centrepiece, your decorations, even the food you serve - it can really add colour and interest to your Christmas photo collection.
8. Don't lose focus
The key to smooth photo-storytelling is in organisation. Make sure you're familiar with your camera and its settings and that you have plenty of spare, charged batteries to avoid any faff on Christmas day. Check that your lens is clean, and that you have film or a memory card in there before you start shooting (oh yes, it happens!) Make sure you're shooting at a high enough resolution to make decent sized prints - many new digital cameras have a small file setting which is just big enough for web use, and it would be a real shame to take that masterpiece on a low-res setting (yep, that happens too!)
9. Shoot what you see
You're behind the camera so you're telling the story as you see it. Don't just take the snaps that you think are expected. Document the things that trigger a response or an emotion. One of my favourite photos from my childhood is of my Grandad and my sister just sitting dozily on the sofa together on Boxing Day. It'll never win any awards, but to me it's incredibly poignant as it epitomises a happy childhood memory. Enjoy yourself and shoot what's important to you. This is YOUR story, so tell it!
10. Print them!
It's so easy now to dump a memory card onto a computer's hard drive, maybe upload a few to FaceSpace or transfer some favourites to your phone. But one thing that I honestly believe will never be replaced is the family photo album. Seeing your images in front of you, as real, tangible photographs and presented mounted in a beautiful book, just cannot, as they say, be beat. Make the effort this year to get all your favourite shots nicely printed and display them as they were meant to be displayed. After all, if you've put all our "Top Tips" into practice you'll have some cracking images that deserve to be shown off!
Have a very happy Christmas and see you in 2012!
With warmest wishes from all at Sally Marie Photography Ltd xx
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