The holiday seasons tend to bring out the cameras at our family functions. Sometimes they come out great, and others not so great. What can you do to change up the pictures, and make them more interesting? Below are a few tips you can consider:

• Use a Tripod: How often have you gotten your prints (or viewed on the computer ) and you were anxious to see that one picture that you were so happy to get, only to find it was blurred? That happens to all of us. One thing that can go a long way toward eliminating that out of focus picture is to use a tripod. Go ahead, take that bit of extra effort, and you will reap the rewards.
• Pay attention to the composure: Composing the picture is an important component of a successful picture. From the view of the 'viewfinder', pay attention to the surroundings. Make sure you don't have distracting things in the picture, such as a mirror in the background that will reflect the flash.
• Try different angles: Speaking of composure, you might shoot from the site a bit, or kneel down and shoot up. Different angles can offer a new and interesting perspective.
• Be Candid: Some of the best pictures are those where the subject really is not aware of the photographer. You can catch interesting and natural expressions. No unnatural smiles. The discomfort of the subject is gone.
• Fill the frame: While getting surroundings can be interesting, you may find even more satisfaction if you zoom in close on some of your shots. Especially those of individuals. Experiment with this and see how good they can be.

• Take lots of photos: Don't hurry through the shots to get the next, but don't hesitate to take multiples.  You may find that one doesn't come out, but the next does. If you are shooting candid, sometimes shooting repeating photos will catch the one that will be the star. One of the advantages of shooting digital, is that it doesn't cost you for more shots. 

That's all I have right now. Have a good holiday season, and fire up that camera.