by Dave & Karin, seen on Flickr

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Clickin Moms allows you to post your own photos and browse the galleries of other members. A great place for photo inspiration!

The best part of a Clickin Moms membership is the access to the forums. Here you can ask a question and you will get advice and answers from all over the world! Some of the topics in the forum include:

• Photoshop and Lighthouse Tutorials
• Lighting Issues
• Equipment advice and reviews
• Photo Editing Tips
• Scavenger Hunt Photo Challenges
• Buy and Sell used equipment
• Advice for starting and building your own photography business.

We are giving away a One Year Membership to Clickin' Moms and to enter is simple.

Just leave a comment and let me know what photography question you would love to ask on Clickin' Moms.
Comments will be accepted through Wednesday, November 25th. Winner will be picked at random. Good Luck!

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Year after year, it's the same story: Tears and tantrums, wild untamed hair that was just brushed, clean clothes that are immediately dirty and a chorus of moans and groans… yes folks, it's family portrait time.

Bottom line: No one loves having their photo taken. But no one is ever sorry they did it. Afterwards.

Believe it or not, now's the time to schedule your annual family portrait with a professional photographer if you want one done for the holidays.

My advice: book now, schedule early.

I don't want to have to say it aloud, but hey, the holidays? right around the corner.

The sooner you schedule your family portrait session the sooner a) it's over and b) the better your photos will be.

What? The better your photos will be? It may seem a little far-fetched, but believe me, it's not.

As a professional photographer, the busiest time of year for me is not wedding season (Spring through Summer) but Fall when people are looking for family portraits to put in their holiday cards or to give as gifts. In the months of October and November, it's not uncommon for me to have 3 – 4 family portrait sessions booked per weekend.

Besides avoiding scheduling conflicts, having your portraits done before the holiday rush often results in better photos because the photographer isn't as limited on time, hurrying to get to the next shoot or in a time-crunch to get the photos back to you quickly.

The more time your photographer has to do post-production editing (i.e., Photoshop and the like), the better your photos will be. Of course, the better the photos, the harder it will be to choose the one you like the best, but that's just a chance you're going to have to take, right?

When choosing your photographer make sure they're a good fit for you and your family. If you're looking for a more traditional portrait with a backdrop and studio lighting, don't pick a photographer who has a photojournalistic style. A good photographer should be able to capture your personalities, not just your smiles. A photojournalistic approach may not be what you had envisioned for your holiday card, but tends to work well when you have small children who aren't so thrilled about having their photograph taken. A nice, classic posed shot may be just what the grandparents are looking for to add to their hallway wall.

Also, be sure to look at the photographer's portfolio before working with them. The photos will speak for themselves. You wouldn't normally hire someone without looking at their resume, right?

Things to look for in a professional photographer:

• Style of photography matches your own
• Upfront about costs & what's included in package
• Works well with children
• Flexible scheduling
• Reasonable turnaround time
• Guarantees his/her work
• Lets you keep the negatives/files for reprinting

Tips for better photos:

• Never say "cheese" – it creates a forced, cheesy smile
• Try breathing in when the photographer counts to three (It tends to make you stand up straighter and is more flattering)
• Black clothing is always the most flattering
• Avoid white clothing can be too bright/harsh
• Remove glasses (if not wanted in photo)
• Relax…

If you love your photographer:

• Ask for business cards – a referral is the best "thank you"
• Tip them
• Schedule next year's session now for a potential discount

Whatever you do, have your portraits done at least once a year. You will never be sorry.

Do you have any funny stories you want to tell about family portrait time? Share them on our forum!

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Sarah, our Family Editor created a book for her 365 Photography project. She had used the service at Shutterfly before, and couldn't wait to compile her year in photos into one bound treasure.

I was so terribly excited to have all my pictures in one place, and that I’d be receiving them in a book – and then when Shutterfly asked me to do a review, I was glad to – because I was already prepared to buy this book – it was, in fact, already in my shopping cart waiting for me to click “Purchase”. I was already familiar with the ease of use of their photo book system, and the quality of the product. How often do you get the opportunity to talk about a brand you ALREADY LIKE?

Malia, our Relationships Editor, created a book for her sister's wedding. What a great idea and a fabulous gift for any occasion.

My sister got married back in August and like the scenario I mentioned earlier, her pictures are all over the place. I gathered up several of my favorites and created an album for her and my new brother-in-law.

Have some photo projects you have been putting off?  Or want to create some books for Holiday gifts?  Here is a fabulous giveaway.  Shutterfly is offering to give 2 readers with a set of 4 books to make.  Four gifts off your list just like that!

• (1) New 7×9 photo books with personalized soft photo covers starting at $15.99.
• (2) Soft photo covers on our existing 5×7 and 8×8 books, both at great starting prices of $12.99 and $19.99 respectively.
• (1) Our flagship 8×11 photo books with a hard photo cover.

The winners will receive codes that are valid through November 30, so you can get to work on your projects right away!

How to enter:

Leave a comment telling what kind of book you would make, or who would receive these as gifts!

Extra entries for:

Subscribing to the Blissfully Domestic newsletter

This contest runs now until November 18.  Winners will be notified by email, so be sure to supply a valid email address.  Open to US residents 18+.

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I love taking close-up, or macro, shots of things. For some reason taking a tiny something and making it larger than life so we can appreciate the detail in the minute is fascinating to me.

I often have friends question me about how in the world I get good quality macro photographs with a point and shoot camera. They say their cameras cannot do this.

Your point and shoot camera can do this!

• Steady as she goes.

If you're not using a tripod (the best for stability) you have to get into a position where you can brace or stabilize yourself somehow. Camera shake will kill the clarity of your photo – and when I say shake, I mean even minute tremors. Sometimes I actually hold my breath for a beat! Do not hesitate to get down on the ground, on one knee, lay down – whatever you need to do to get the shot.

• Get as close as you can.

My favorite photographs have been taken with the lens of my camera practically right up against the subject. Zoom is nice, but nothing can compare to being there for real.

• Use the largest file size your camera will allow.

This way once you get as close as your camera will let you focus, you still have room to crop a bit, if you want to get "even closer" with your finished shot, without losing quality.

• Anything is a good subject.

Shoot any and everything you can.

Food, Nature, Yourself, and simply any random thing you see, are all worthy of shooting up close.

The more random and weird things you shoot, the larger and more skilled your photographic eye will become – you will literally see things around you that you never noticed before.  And the closer you get, the more you appreciate and understand the nuance of getting good shots.

I have learned over the past several years that you can work with what you have and find ways to get what you want out of your camera, no matter what kind of camera that may be.

The biggest pointer is this:

• Practice a lot.

I mean it. Give it time, take LOTS of photos, and do it constantly, from different angles. You will learn how to make your camera do what you want it to, and you skill will grow.

Have a point and shoot macro you're proud of? Please share it with us at the Photo Bliss Featured Photographs Flickr Pool!

©Lotus Carroll: All photos in this article are copyrighted; all rights reserved. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

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