by Karen Clymer

Created on: June 23, 2008   Last Updated: July 02, 2008

It's holiday time, and everyone is counting on you to record the memories in pictures! Here are some tips to make outstanding photos:

Be careful not to place your subjects in front of a window or you'll fool your exposure meter. Either move the subjects or move yourself so that the camera is reading them, not the light behind them.

To reduce camera shake, hold it with both hands, with the left hand underneath the camera like a table. If you're shooting with a longer lens, you can lean the camera against something solid like a fence or wall to help keep it steady.

Use your zoom feature to crop out unwanted details. Filling the viewfinder with just one essential image creates pictures with impact.

Look at the background before you close the shutter. Is there a tree growing out of Uncle Ben's head? Is there a neon sign across the street that detracts from the scene?

Include something in each scene that will remind you later of the occasion.

The secret to a great candid picture is anticipation. Step back from the crowd a bit and be ready for the expression on Mom's face when she opens her gift. Catch the moment when the guest of honor walks through the door and everyone yells "Surprise!" Great pictures happen when the photographer looks ahead and waits for the decisive moment.

Getting everyone to cooperate for a formal picture can be a problem. Try taking smaller groups of three or four people at a time. Use informal seating, and remember this rule: keep heads as close together as possible.

Turn holiday photos into meaningful gifts by making a simple handmade frame. Here's a craft that kids can enjoy:

Arrange four popsicle sticks in a rectangle that is the same size as the photo and glue them together at each corner. Using four more popsicle sticks, repeat so that you have two rectangles. Lay the photo on top of one frame and tack it down at the corners. Sandwich the other popsicle stick frame over the first and glue together. Decorate the frame with paint, holiday mementos and craft pieces.

After the holiday is over, you may look at your pictures and wish there were some way you could enhance some of them the way professional photographers do. A professional photo retouching service can

- Remove distracting items from the background

- Correct lighting exposure and shadow problems

- Combine people from two photos into one

- Take someone out of a picture

- Open the eyes of a subject who squinted or blinked

- Add text such as dates, time, place, and names

- Take a color photograph and turn it into a black and white hand colored photo

Take a little extra care with your pictures during the holiday. Soon everyone will be telling you "Thanks for the memories!"

Learn more about this author, Karen Clymer.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.