The holidays are here, and you've bought yourself a fancy new camera or camcorder to record them. Not quite sure what to do with it? Here's a handy checklist for before and after the big event to help preserve your family memories. Follow them, and you'll end up with a photo album or video DVD suitable for gifting next year.
First, take some time to practice with your new camera and learn the basic controls. Make sure it is charged up, and that you have adequate spare batteries and tape or memory cards for a few days of shooting. Christmas morning is not when you want to be opening the package for the first time, even if it's a gift. You can rewrap it if necessary.
Next, read up on how to take better pictures and shoot interesting video. You don't need to learn fancy manual camera settings, just absorb some easy-to-remember tips on subjects, lighting and composition.
Tips for Digital Cameras
Put your subject off-center. This tip works especially well with other interesting material in the background, such as a Christmas tree.
Move in close. Make the subject the star of your photo. Fill the frame for greatest impact.
Shoot first, ask question later. Always be ready to capture the moment. Don't worry about settings or flash if there's not time. Just use automatic modes. And take as many pictures as you can. The odds that some will be great will improve.
Don't forget the lead-in. The holiday is not just the big day itself, but also the preparations for it: Buying the tree, wrapping presents, baking cookies. Capture the spirit and joy of the season by capturing these moments as well. They will often be more fun and candid, too.
Avoid indoor flash. Flash is harsh and can create bright spots on your photos, not to mention red-eye. Have people stand near a window or flood the room with as much ambient light as possible and take a longer exposure.
Set the scene. Take some shots of your house, the tree, the decorations, the snow on the trees outside, candles burning in windows, anything that sets the scene and mood for the holiday. You can use these shots in collages, greeting cards, slideshows and videos mixed in with your standard material.
More tips:
BetterPhoto.com's Top Ten Tips for Better Holiday Photos
About.com's Tips for Perfect Holiday Pictures
Tips for Digital Camcorders
Follow the rule of thirds. This guiding principle of photographic composition applies to video as well. Put your subject in the first or last third of your frame, depending on which direction they are moving. If the subject is looking at something, make sure the object of their attention is in the following two thirds and clearly visible.
Zoom in on faces. Every once in a while, capture an expression or moment by zooming in on a particular person. Use this technique sparingly, however.
Shoot from different angles. Even with only one camcorder, you can move it around or zoom in and out (slowly!) to get different perspectives. Get down to the same level as your kids, for example. Just leave the tape rolling and edit out camera moves later.
Don't forget the audio! Monitor your camcorder's audio recording to make sure you are getting a good soundtrack.
Ensure adequate lighting. If your camcorder video looks to dark or grainy, turn on a few more lights in the room, or ask people to stand in a different corner.
Shoot establishing shots. Establishing shots are things like the wreath on the door, stockings hanging in the fireplace, and presents piled under the tree. Also be sure to get around the house, not just in the main room. What's happening in the kitchen?
More tips:
Video Forum's Digital Director Tips
VideoMaker's Shooting for the Holidays
Gather it all Together
Now that you've done the hard work of creating your raw material, be sure to ask other family members who've taken pictures or video for copies of theirs too. They will likely have different perspectives and interesting shots that you lack, and vice versa. As soon as possible, import it all into your PC and organize it into a project folder. Even if you don't create anything with it yet, getting it organized and labeled while it is still fresh in your mind will ensure you don't forget things. Creator 10's Media Manager can help with the importing, tagging and organizing.
Create a Video or Slideshow
Finally, put it all together into a slideshow or video using Easy Media Creator 10 that you can burn to DVD or upload to your Web site. Learn how in our step-by-step tutorials: