Parker's first Christmas card

[Katie, John & Parker pup]

So I am definitely a amateur with my photography but I wanna do a Christmas photo of Parker for our Christmas cards this year! We live in a tiny apartment so it isn't like we have a beautiful fireplace as a background and the outside is a parking lot with bare trees so not exactly scenic! Anyone have any simple ideas I could do to make my photos look less "cheap"

Here are some of our practice shots! Someone had told me they used to use Christmas lights and scatter balls but with the limited space we have and junky backgrounds...not sure they worked out either! lol

[F, Calla & Luca]

I think some of these are adorable and not "cheap" at all.

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

i think they are fantastic!

[BG and Gavin]

Awww I think they look sweet.  I like the one with the lights around him and some of the others you could improve with just a little bit of cropping!  Excellent effort!

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

These are wonderful and Parker even looks like he is enjoying himself!!  Okay, you've inspired me. Now I have to come up with some creative ideas!!

[Leslie and Halas]

I like them!  I like the ones where he's looking away or looking down, but you might want people to see his cute, fuzzy face in a Christmas card.  All of these are great options.

[Doris, Knox & Flash]

I like the one with the reindeer horns, but they are all precious!

[Camilla and Darwin]

Very cute!

[Barbara B., Sasha & Oliver]

I think they look fine :)

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

Parker was definitely a good sport about the photo session.   There are some really cute facial expressions.   I think the approach of "less is more" would work a little better for the card though.  I think adding all the other items into the photo takes away from Parker and he is so cute that he can hold his own without the props.  Remember that if you are going to use the photo machines like at Walmart or somewhere to do your cards you are going to be able to pick a holiday background so it really makes any photo holiday like even if the photo itself isn't a holiday theme.  There are some really great pics on your page of the 3 of you that would make great cards.  There are also some really cute ones of Parker.  Of the props you are using here I like the antlers as well as the bow.  Can you take him to a park and just use the outdoors as your background.  The photos with the lights and the bulb are really cute as well, but I would want to see his cute little face also.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Katie, I don't know how you don't spend all your time hugging that cute Parker pup. You have some really cute shots. This year we took the easy way out. We used a great picture of Fudge and Vern and just added hats with Photoshop :) Another great idea is to use Picnik.com and edit your photo. It is all free and you can add Christmas frames, text, and stickers. Just avoid the ones marked Premium. When you are done, save the file and there you go. Good luck!!

 

[Elizabeth, Bailey & Bruin]

laurie, I have never heard of Picnik before...conna have to try it!  Thanks

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Katie, Here are three versions of Picnik just to give you an idea of what you can do. I am just a beginner and I am sure others could do a far better job, but Picnik is a fun place to start.