'Tis the season for taking photos for personalized Christmas cards - Some tips for photos & cards

November 11, 11:14 AMEarly Childhood Parenting ExaminerAngele Sionna

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This is the Christmas card I made last year with photo editing software

The turkey's not anywhere near the oven yet, but  it's time to get out a few Christmas decorations and those little suits and dresses, maybe even a Santa hat or two. It's time to start thinking about photos for Christmas cards. Yes, it is not yet Thanksgiving, but now is when you need to take the photos, so you can send them off and get them back in plenty of time to get your cards out in early December.

A recent survey found that 77% of people plan to send a holiday card this year, up from 67% last year.  So, for some tips on taking good photos for cards and about what cards to pick, I talked with Stephanie Roeder, card stylist for Shutterfly.com.

Examiner: What are a few quick tips for taking great holiday card photos?
Stephanie:

1. What (not) to wear? – The rule of thumb is to leave the busy holiday patterns for holiday pajamas. If family members insist on wearing clashing colors, opt for a black and white photo; it’s flattering for everyone and pairs well with the largest selection of card designs.
2. To pose or not to pose – A posed family portrait is still the most popular choice for holiday card photos. However, candid shots are gaining in popularity as a way to add a light-hearted touch to the season. Have the family try to make a pyramid, bring the dog into the photo, or simply chronicle the spontaneous moments of any given day to capture your family’s unscripted moments.
3. Where should we take the photo? –If you are choosing an outdoor location, remember to keep the light source behind you and get some of the colors of the outdoors into the shot along with your subjects. If you’re shooting indoors, try to forgo the flash by flooding the house with natural or artificial light. The tiny flash on a camera can sometimes produce a harsh and cold effect.
4. The Art of Looking Sideways – Try taking your photos both horizontally and vertically to avail yourself of the greatest option of corresponding card designs

Another card I made last year.

Examiner: Share some advice about picking out a card design.
Stephanie:  What do the holidays mean to you? Select imagery that best matches your connection to the holidays – classic stripes, modern circles or fun holiday icons like snowmen or candy canes. Remember to choose a card design that compliments the colors in the photo.

Photo cards aren’t just for families. Showcase your favorite photo of recent travels, your pet, even a picture of your home town. Better yet, share a photo of your favorite holiday dish and include the recipe.
Humor is on the rise. More and more photographers are opting for humorous cards instead of straight-faced greetings; for example a card with a photo of a new baby crying with the caption: "Wishing You a Silent Night This Christmas."

Here are some popular trends we’re seeing at Shutterfly this year:

One of Shutterfly's cute card designs.

• It’s more popular than ever to select a holiday card with a modern color palette – right now brown, red, light blue and chartreuse accents are very on-trend.
• Gold accents add a very current “Hollywood luxe” feel.
• Once again this season, red is the “it” color for cards; fortunately it’s a color that flatters all skin tones.

If you’re having trouble choosing a holiday card that reflects your taste, try the Shutterfly Card Finder. After answering three fun questions about how you view the holidays, you’ll receive a sampling of suggested card designs.

A holiday card I made & sent out last year by email.

Examiner: What about Holiday card etiquette? Share some tips with us.
Stephanie:

• Not sure whether to say “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays”? What’s great about all the personalized card options out there is you don’t have to choose. Create two versions of the same card – a traditional or religious card and a secular card for family and friends of different faiths.
• It’s polite to sign your own name to personalize your cards even if it’s already pre-printed in the greeting, and sign your last name to those you don’t know well.
• For families with different last names, address the card to Jennifer Jones and Jeff Smith. If there are kids, Jennifer Jones, Jeff Smith and family

Examiner: Are there any services where all you do is upload the photo and let someone else do all of the work?
Stephanie: Leave the heavy lifting to Shutterfly when sending holiday photo cards (folded Greeting Cards)! All you have to do is upload your address book (e.g. from your Palm or Outlook) to Shutterfly and we will print, seal, stamp and mail your photo cards for you!