Ideas for Making Beautiful Holiday Pictures

I am admittedly a photography junkie. I love taking pictures of anything and everything! I'm surprised my kids don't permanently see spots, as I've taken pictures of them since the moment they were born. :) As the holidays are nearing, I've been considering some great ideas to make beautiful pictures without having to get professional photos taken. I'm trying to save some money this year and this is a great way to save! Here are 5 suggestions for making beautiful and unforgettable photos!

1. Photo the Unexpected-- I've found that the some of the best shots I've gotten of my boys are action shots. I bring my camera with me everywhere because you never know what's going to happen! There may be a perfect photo opportunity so, stuff that camera in your diaper bag or purse!

2. Go Natural -- Go to a park, garden, or natural preserve. Pictures outdoors always come out more beautiful. The light gives you much more to work with, especially when editing pictures later.

3. A Good Editing Program Goes a Long Way - When my computer was in the shop, I only had my husband's old computer to save pictures. He had no editing program at all! It was awful. A good editing program can transform even the worst pictures, blurry pictures, dimly lit pictures into focus and beautiful. I recommend PhotoShop. It's a great program and the possibilities are endless. Read more about Adobe Photoshop Element 9 here.

4. Transform Blur into Beauty - When I find a picture that would have been absolutely perfect if not blurry, I always turn it into a black & white photo. Something about the black & white gives the photo extra depth and makes the photo less blurry. You can also work with the lighting to make the picture appear less blurry.

5. Never Force a Photo - If your children aren't in the mood to sit still for a photo and are not cooperative, don't force it. Planned photos like this rarely turn out good. Even on a good day, they are not representative of true personalities. The best thing to do for a photo shoot is to distract children with a toy, faces, noises or anything else that brings the focus to something happier.

Do you enjoy taking photos? What are your never-fail photo tactics? I hope I get some good ones again this year of the boys during the holidays! Honestly, my current camera is not a very good quality one, but, with a nice photo editing program you can make those pictures look like they came from a professional camera and photographer! I asked for a new digital camera this Christmas so, I sure hope I get one. Here's to the many photos that will be taken in the year 2011!!

I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Adobe blogging program, making me eligible to receive a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here