The holidays bring cheer and merriment and each time it comes round we do our best to capture the memories so we may be able to share then with posterity. Sometimes, however we wished to have better skills at capturing these moments so we can do justice to them. Here we have provided 20 tips guaranteed to make your Christmas albums come alive like never before. 
1. Winter brings with itself the crispness of cold air and the purity that comes along with it. Move outside and take a few photos of the snow covered lawns. A lot of folks go overboard in the holiday season with their decorations and intricate lightings, which make for great backdrops for your photos. Shoot at night when the whiteness of the snow raises the overall light level. Slower shutter speeds may be required ( below 1/15) so you may want to being a tripod along to get pristine shots of the lit up houses and the sky.
2. Christmas lights and ornaments are a cliché in every album but there is a lot we can do with them. Try taking extreme close-ups and let the decorations dominate the frame of have the subjects (the people) become the background thus giving dimension and suggesting depth.
3. Holidays are the epitome of expressing love and relationships, with Christmas being at the tippy top of the list! Take advantage of this season of giving by having your loved ones pose in ways that express the relationships they share. Let the couples stand under the mistletoe and share a kiss. Once you have captured these bonds they will remain a testament to the love they shared for decades to come.
4. Its not just the holidays but the preparation for them that allow for great opportunities. Families congregate for trimming the tree and decorating it. They may have special ornaments that may go up on the tree. Concentrate on their faces as they open the boxes and set the decorations up on the tree. Children make for specially expressive subjects. Make sure you capture the placing of the star on the tree and plugging in the lights when the decorations are complete.
5. This Christmas let the eyes do the talking. Focus on the faces and eyes and reduce dead space at the top and sides. Don’t worry about the background. It will filter in. Having the eyes in the same plane brings about a look of unity in the family. You can use a flash for indoor Christmas photographs but use a detachable one and have the light bounce off the ceiling. There are a lot of vibrant colors and candles and you don’t to have them washed out by the flash.
6. Christmas photos have can be used to keep memories and can also be used as your family’s Christmas card. Taking group photos ensures that you, the photographer, are also a part of the celebrations. Get yourself snapped on all the important occasions. Have everyone position themselves by the Christmas tree and presents. Get a tripod for this shot. Fill in the exposure values (shutter, ISO and aperture), compose your frame, set the timer interval (between 3 – 10 seconds), then press the shutter!
7. Fall in love with the bokeh! They make for a variety of unique lightscapes and are always unique because you can design your own!
8. Today’s smartphones have very good cameras, which can pick up great details and colors. Take advantage of this and pick up those out-of-the-blue moments when you may not have a giant camera around or may not have time to get the settings right.
9. Take before and after shots of the Christmas party! The before shots will reveal the effort and delicacy which went into the preparations and the after photos will show the revelry that took place. You may even be able to piece together the whole journey as you look through photographs!
10. Finally don’t forget to capture the delight as everyone opens their presents! These moments are truly precious and make for endearing memories for generations to come! Make this Christmas album the best one ever with the above tips. Don’t shy away from trying new concepts, they may end up becoming the crowing jewel of your holidays. And finally, from all of us at Unique Photo, Happy Seasons Greetings and Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Photo Courtsey: Anna Langova