A common mistake is actually paying too much attention to the people in a photograph. Think about things like the background and lighting before you even take the camera out. Choose a well lit location that preferably has some significance to the family. A popular winter choice is to take a snapshot by the fireplace and stockings. A fully decorated Christmas tree is another good background for a family photo. If you are interested in an outdoors photograph, the afternoon is considered the best time of day to snap a picture. If possible, have the sun behind the photographer. A winter wonderland makes an excellent background for holiday cards. The cards are probably most fun for relatives in the South who don’t see much snow. Plus, kids look especially cute when they are all bundled up in winter gear.

A fun way to put a personal touch on a picture is to experiment with props. Subjects can show some of their personality by being photographed with their favorite things. Try a basketball, ice skates, a musical instrument, the pet dog, or something more creative. If everyone brings their favorite things into the shot, you can show how varied your family’s interests are. Another option for a group photo is to dress everyone up in a similar way. It may sound cheesy at first, but it looks good and shows solidarity. It also proves that the family must really love the photographer to put up with him or her! Of course, formal dress works great, too.

Keep in mind that you can choose to use one family photo or several individual pictures for your photo cards. Having the family all together is great, but individual shots can take advantage of close-ups. Once you have a set of great digital photos, find an online photo card shop and start experimenting. Card shops have hundreds of categorized patterns and designs, so you’re bound to find something that matches your taste. By uploading some digital photos to a store website, you can experiment until you find the combination you want. This is a great option because you’ll see exactly what you’re getting before you make an order.

It is a good idea to write a custom greeting for your cards. Even if they are little more than holiday greetings and best wishes for the upcoming year, the sentiments are important for any card. Once you select the type of envelope you want and fill out an order form, the process is complete. Online card shops have really made it easy to send out customized photo cards to your friends and family. Combined with digital cameras, these websites allow a great deal of flexibility in the way that greeting cards are made. Just think of the time and effort it would take to send out personalized holiday cards with integrated photographs ten or twenty years ago. Now, the entire process can be completed in a matter of hours. Good luck designing the perfect seasonal greeting cards!