Indoor photography tips

Picture frame: Get the whole family inside a big empty picture frame (30x40 for a four-person family).

Fun Hats: Try wearing slightly different but similar cowboy hats (or backwards baseball caps or folded paper sailor hats or alien antennae or wizard hats or reindeer antlers...)

Spell it out: Cardboard letters that spell out "Peace" or "Love" or your family's last name.

Siblings: Have the kids interacting together, looking through opposite ends of a kaleidoscope, one looking on while the other one shoots a camera, exchanging play money on a gameboard.

Watch for reflections: Look for windows and mirrors that can help you catch a unique expression and play with the angles to get it right.

Play games: Play musical chairs. Shoot quickly as the running, smiling and dog-piling begins! Twirl around a stick with colored fabric streamers.

Outdoor photography tips

Detail shot (Entire Family): Shoot everyone’s soles from feet-level or from above, close-up holding hands, toddler with his blanket, princess with her wand, etc.

Full length shot (Child): If your child is feeling camera shy, use an object that obstructs their face, to help make them feel "invisible". Use her hand, a mask, mom's sunglasses, a cape, hooded sweatshirt , a Santa beard or a big fall leaf.

Upside-down shadow: Use harsh sunlight for shadows to make an upside-down family's shadow.

Bring the family dog: He’s a part of the family, too!

Pinwheel: Lay down a blanket and have everyone's heads together as they lay out in a pinwheel shape, faces up.

Family walking away from camera: Great back-of-card closing photo.