Planning our Holiday Photograph....Help, please!!

[Debbie, Brianna and Duncan]

I am trying to grasp this project. First, I have the worst digital camera in the world. My subjects are our four kids under 6 and three dogs 1yr- 2yr-happy and playful,18yrs old and grumpy. One mom trying to accomplish this without loosing my patience too much. Has anyone successfully pulled this type of project off at home? What lighting did you use, etc.? ......Thanks so much in advance!

[Adina P]

I'll give it a stab with some ideas off the top of my head!

--outdoors would be best light for your black doggies!

--maybe do it over a 3 day period so that you can take many shots without losing your patience.

--practice the poses with the doods alone at first.

--practice the poses with the kids alone at first....THEN put them all together.

--have a friend(s) help you--they can make funny sounds for the dogs to look straight ahead or wave treats to get their attention

--throw in some goofy shots to release the tension

[Debbie, Brianna and Duncan]

Thanks Adina, most excellent advise. I will do this in many steps like you said. But most importantly I have to remember to make it fun for all. I don't know if you noticed I corrected my spelling :) My kids have been my patients lately with the flu, but I sure would not want to loose my Patients...just a bit of my patience that's all and nothing major. The Holidays are coming up soon, should be fun here at DK with lots O doodle pics!

[1qrgkdwnfqccb]

i agree with adina...outside would be the best...and as far as your camera, take many many shots...when i take my pics, esp. of the dogs & my 3 yr.old i take 100's at a time. Usually only getting a few worth keeping. Then you can do a couple different things, there is a GREAT online program called picnik..it is very fun and easy to use! Play around with that and edit your photos, even if they are not the best, you can tweak them to make them look GREAT!!
What I did last year was make a collage of a couple great single pics, then add some clip are and some funky text...it worked out great, and i didn't have to get every one in 1 place at 1 time trying to get everyone to sit still! (that is very frustrating!)
the way i look at it is, who really wants to look at the "perfect" photo anyway, and we all know that family's never look as they do in those pics any other time! And more that likely everyone was yelling and crying just before the pic was taken...ha ha ha!
Give it some pizazz, make people talk about your card!! there are sooo many things you can do with an editing program to make your photos look great no matter how "bad" your camera is!

HAVE FUN WITH IT!!

[Debbie, Brianna and Duncan]

Wonderful information, thank you!! I will check out the picnik site. I have never heard of this before and it really does sound neat. Yep, you are right some of my best commented on pics of my kids, are the "off the cuff" and fun ones...not the ones MOM says to stand this way or PLEASE, please, please smile guys :( Really does not work with this age group..I have to remember also, I love positive training when it comes to the Doodles..gets the best results..

I think I started to stress about this adventure, but need to treat it like a fun activity for all, and empty my xD card on the OLD camera...and shoot away!!

Thanks a ton for the support!

Deb

[1qrgkdwnfqccb]

hey deb...i was out with the camera & doodles today, i just wanted to give you an example....i took 362 pics....i saved 20 of them which i now will edit (when i have time) but i had a blast...if you look on my page you will see a small bit of what you can do with picnic..
i wish you the best of luck!! and if you need any help just let me know!!
have a great day!!

[Debbie, Brianna and Duncan]

Cool and thank you very much. Would love to view your page/pics. I sent you a friend request though to be able to check out your page.

[1qrgkdwnfqccb]

if you would really like to play with your pics and have the patience to learn...corel had some great programs. they are pricey, but they have a free 30 day trial to check it out first. i use picnic when i want to do it quick...but if i need some major work done, or want to combine photos i use my corel programs. they are complicated to use, but once you get the hang of it it's great!
but to be honest, for a free online program, it is great!! i really enjoy using it!

[ClarkP]

What you should really do is just take pictures of all the individuals and then have Jacquie photoshop them all together into one big happy family. Some of the humans might end up with doodle heads... but that's just part of the charm!

[Debbie, Brianna and Duncan]

Hahahaha, Jacquie are you ready to do a B-crew mix? Let the fun holiday season begin! Thanks Clark!

[Debbie, Brianna and Duncan]

Thanks, I will have to look closer at the settings on my camera, many times my little crew adjust things when they have access to the camera..which is often.

[2zw8n9vphfrc6]

I have two little boys 5 and 2 it has always been much more fun and better pics when they are unexpected.

Im thinking of having lincoln in the pic this yr but we dooooo also have three other older dogs so i would feel bad lol.

[Debbie, Brianna and Duncan]

Hi Michele, I have many of the ones I love of the kiddo's/doggies out and about summer, swimming, etc. but was beginning stressing over setting up a formal photo which included all the doggies (except one) I have one who would not be able to handle this activity due to HD, asking her to sit, move, sit, stay, play by the younger dogs is just too much for her. But maybe if I do many combined photos like suggested above, she would soooo be part of holiday pictorial....this is getting exciting now with so much kind and good input...Thanks everyone!!!