Take Better Holiday Photos

Take better Holiday photos using some easy photography tips and an HP digital camera.

1) Using the sun to light your photos
Thinking of enjoying the beautiful outdoors during the holidays? Keep this tip in mind, as the winter sun can be blindingly bright! Natural sunlight provides some of the best lighting for great shots with more detail and vivid colors. Be careful:

• Really bright sunlight casts harsh shadows

• Overhead sunlight can wash out detail in faces

Tip: For best results, avoid taking photos when the sun is directly overhead. This can cause harsh shadows. Also, try to shoot with the sun behind you. This prevents loss of detail caused by bright light.

2) Capture breathtaking evening photos of the twinkling holiday lights
The key to great night photos is turning off your flash! Who would have thought? Just follow these simple guidelines to capture the beautiful holiday lights:

• Set shutter speed slower to let in enough light

• Stay steady, slow shutter speeds blur photos

• Use a tripod or place camera on stationary surface

Tip: Place your camera on a tripod and set its shot timer so there's no risk of your camera moving when you press the trigger.

3) Keep annoying "red-eye" out of your family photos
Nothing can throw off a family photo like a set of red glowing eyes! The flash reflecting off the retina of your subject's eyes is what causes the common problem of red-eye. Reduce red-eye by following these guidelines:

• Move outdoors or into brighter light

• Have your subject avoid looking directly into the lens

Tip: Many HP cameras offer in camera automatic red-eye removal.
4) The right background can make the perfect holiday photo
Backgrounds can play a huge role in how interesting your photo is. Do you have a great tree to show off? How about a festive yard full of snow and lights? Consider these points when choosing a background:

• Watch for clutter and other distracting elements

• Don't use a busy or competing background

• Remove objects that connect to the subject

Tip: Watch out for items in the background that might look odd when photographed, like a lamp post sticking out behind someone's head or antlers from the passing reindeer!

Learn how to take better photos with these tips and digital photography techniques. HP digital cameras provide in-camera design gallery features that can make any photo exciting and interesting.