July 31, 2010 - Turn on the lights when shooting inside the house. Lamps and overhead lights will brighten any picture indoors. The light will add depth to the picture and often warm up the color. Most importantly, it will brighten up the background to avoid the harsh,... Read more

July 30, 2010 - Jump for fun. Have your kids line up for a picture. As the photographer, get low, and get ready to shoot. Have the kids all jump in the air at the same time. Capturing them mid jump can bring out their true personalities.

July 29, 2010 - Fill flash with bright backgrounds. If your subject is in shadow, and the background is brighter than your subject, it often will just silhouette your portrait. Turn on the flash and fill in the shadow, balancing the foreground and background.

July 28, 2010 - Be creative with your posing. Don't just line everybody up. Use the steps or the arm of a couch to experiment with some people standing and others sitting. Have kids sitting in laps or someone sitting on the floor or kneeling. Mix it up.

July 27, 2010 - Look for moments when family members are interacting. Be stealthy and sit back and watch. If you use a longer lens or zoom, they may not even notice the camera, and you can get genuine smiles and expressions.

July 26, 2010 - Always have your camera with you. Use it everywhere – restaurants, soccer practice, coming home from the doctor, even in your own backyard. Don't limit yourself to monuments, museums and birthday parties. Everyday use can expand your photography.

July 25, 2010 - Shoot a lot of pictures to get good candids. Most people are a little tense and awkward when a camera is pointed at them, but that awkwardness usually begins to go away after the first few shots. Ask them to just relax, and shoot. Shoot a lot.

July 24, 2010 - Get yourself in the picture. Nothing is worse than a vacation with no shots of the family photographer. Get in the picture by using a tripod (or a steady surface such as a wall or a car hood) and the camera’s self-timer to make sure you're included in the family memories.

July 23, 2010 - Don’t let telephone poles or trees sprout out of your subject’s head. Check the background carefully. Look over your subject’s shoulder to see whether any poles, trees or even cars are in the background. Sometimes simply moving a step to the left or right a few feet... Read more

July 22, 2010 - Don’t pose every picture. Candids are the best way to capture real life. Take photos of your subjects playing, relaxing, having fun. They’ll be more comfortable with you, and the photos will look more natural.