No Looking Back
Tuesday, October 28, 2008 by Tracey Clark 
Today we are forging ahead with another installment of our great greetings!series. Although I know a few of you are already done with your cards (I won't mention any names) most of us are still only musing. For the mothers out there I'm guessing your focus has been on current events more than looking ahead to December. Although I do promise to share some ideas that might help you on your actual photo shoot in my next post, today I will touch on how to prepare for the shoot. I may be taking a simplified approach by breaking it all down like this but the object is to think it through before you get clickin'. Or not. It's up to you. If you'd like the guidance this might help.
Revisit your goal. In the first post of the series I encouraged you to distill your card- giving-goal. Just remind yourself what exactly you want to accomplish this year with your holiday card and keep it in mind as your planning.
Sort through what you've got. Something tells me that many of you don't really want an excuse not to shoot for your card (give me one good reason to shoot more photos and I am there!) but for those of you who find it tempting to simplify, you'll be cutting out a lot of work if you use a photo that you already have. Ruminate on your summer photos, a vacation shot, something playful or candid, a family group or a meaningful landscape. There could be the gem you are looking for right in your own flickr stream!
Choose a vibe or theme. If you're out to shoot something new for your card, I encourage you to decide on what vibe you are trying to convey with your image this year before you start. Colorful, fun, festive, sentimental, vintage, retro, off-beat? The possibilities are endless obviously but if you pick a direction it will help guide you as you prepare and shoot.
Identify your object(s) of affection. For moms, this one is pretty easy. You'll probably opt to feature your children or a family portrait on your card. But you don't have to have children to incorporate a photographic image on your card! Pets make for delightful subjects (on a good day) and can be an excellent focus for a holiday greeting. So can objects like ornaments or holiday keepsakes both vintage and modern, still lifes, objects found in nature or picturesque landscapes. The sky is the limit! Have fun with it.
Find the right fit. If children are the subject of your photos you'll need to dress them. There are exceptions. Anyway, I know for my clients this can be a painstaking part of the process. To make it easy on myself I switch it up year to year. For example, last year I shot something a little more traditional so my girls were all dressed up in their holiday best because the year before I used a photo of them on a hike in the mountains from a weekend getaway. Believe me when I tell you they looked like quite a motley pair in those pix (note-botched hair cut courtesy me) but when I used an entire sequence of them acting up while perched on their chosen stump, it worked perfectly-albeit hilariously. Keep the clothing simple whether it's about dressing up or dressing down, simplicity translates well into a card with borders and text accompanying it. I always encourage my clients to find outfits that coordinate which doesn't mean match like twins. I think it's best to use coordinating colors and styles without being twins (see above photo for a perfect example) unless you have twins in which anything goes!
Scout a location. This can be another obstacle for some people but you don't have to let it be. If you've got your heart set on let's say a close up of your kids (because it fits in with your goal and your vibe) then location is moot. You won't even be able to tell where they are in a close up.
- Use your home if you want to convey a warm and intimate vibe. It makes it easy to shoot and re-shoot with little stress or pressure.
- Use a local park or nature center or your own backyard if it's like a farm or a nature center. I wish. The great part about a place with a lot of trees is that you can find nice open shade almost anytime of day and you don't have to plan around the light like you do at a beach let's say.
- Which leads me to...the beach. For those of you that have one, this tends to be a location of choice. Nothing can beat it really but in order to get that quintessential dreamy beach portrait try to shoot within the hour before the sun sets and use the suns soft light to illuminate your subject. Same goes for open fields or anywhere that is lacking in shady shots.
If children aren't the focus of your photo then consider your location from an artful perspective. Capture some kind of landscape or element of nature that will make your card sing. There are no rules to this game; it's just a matter of sharing something that is meaningful to you. Someplace that tells a story, a landmark, a little window into your world. If it stirs your soul, chances are it will do the same for those that are lucky enough to get a card from you.
Just do it. Now that you've thought about the details, it's time to get out there are start shooting! Our next installment will tackle the how-tos for a successful photo shoot. You moms out there won't want to miss it! And neither will those of you who are doing the honors of shooting portraits for friends or clients. So get your cameras poised and ready.
Until then pop over to the great greetings! flickr group to see other ideas from holiday's past and find out what everyone is up to this year and enter your photos too.
Reader Comments (11)
http://bravo.unisonplatform.com/~marciesc/index.php?showimage=568
http://lemondingo.blogspot.com/2008/10/corn-maze.html
...and thanks for all the great ideas and tips.
:o)
http://umbrellablog.com/seasonal/49/
I am planning to use this photo, unless another image grabs my attention. It seems perfectly simple and yet somehow appropriate. :)
http://retinalperspectives.wordpress.com/2008/01/20/things-that-make-me-smile-2/