The Family Album

When taking shots outside, it can be tough to capture a scene without having a lot of shadow. Luckily, there’s a super simple technique out there that can make outdoor photography during the summer easier than ever. From birthday parties to weddings, you can capture it all – and do it beautifully – by using this great photography tip from StorePhotos.com.

So what’s this magical technique? Well, it is not necessarily magic, but it is something useful. The fill flash mode on your camera helps you take control of your flash so that you can illuminate your subjects the right way. In fill flash mode, the camera exposes for the background first, then adds – or fills in- enough flash to illuminate the subject at the front of the shot. As a result, you get a professional looking photo that’s free of harsh lighting and harsh shadows.

Just don’t forget – most camera flashes only have a range of about 10 feet or less, so you don’t want to stand too far away. Otherwise, this technique won’t work!

Family photos are always a favorite keepsake, but when it comes to making a family portrait work, there is a lot more than meets the eye. Here are a few tips to make the most of family photos so that every shot looks its best:

1.) Make sure that you coordinate with your family before you take the picture to determine the look and feel of the shot. Will it be formal? Casual? Goofy? Make sure everyone is on the same page concerning what the photo will look like.

2.) Also coordinate with family on attire. Avoid patterns and overly trendy styles, which can make the photo look dated or can cause the photo to look too busy. Make sure your family feels comfortable but is wearing similar colors to keep the look together.

3.) Get creative about your backdrop. Try going outside to find a nice backdrop for your photo. Just remember to adjust your camera settings if you’re going from indoors to out and vice versa.

4.) Speaking of lighting, be sure that there is plenty of light on your subjects so that there are not too many shadows. If you’re taking the photo outside, make sure everyone isn’t squinting into the sunlight.

5.) Have fun with it! Family portraits can be fun experiences. Do not be afraid to joke around with your family or get creative with the shot to make it work.

Did you know that somewhere between 16 and 25 percent of U.S. households include a scrapbooker? That’s a pretty amazing number, and considering all of the monumental events that have happened over the course of the past decade, it’s no wonder that so many people are referring to the first part of the 2000’s as the “age of scrapbooking.” If you or your family loves to scrapbook, take some time to think about all of the things you’ve put into your books over the past few years. You’re not just capturing those family memories; you’re also cataloging history.

For historians, scrapbooks are a wonderful tool to keep history alive and within reach. If you or someone you love is a history buff, encourage even more scrapbooking of life’s special moments. Years later, when you look back, you and your loved ones can enjoy a glimpse back in time, not to mention, a peek at all of the history that has taken place since.

The turkey, the trimmings, and family – what could be better? Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday that families around the nation enjoy every year, but this Thanksgiving, we want you to do something a little different. Instead of taking mental snapshots of those around the table moments, break out your digital camera and actually take some photos. Capture the dressing of the turkey and your aunt peeling potatoes. Save those memories of naps in the living room and Turkey Day football. Treasure those moments of hugs, smiles, and of course, pumpkin pie.

Once you’ve got the photos, it’s time to load them on your computer or have them developed. From there, you can feel free to create something fabulous, like a Thanksgiving Scrapbook or a treasured family album that can be enjoyed for years to come, or be gifted this holiday season. Just let that creativity run wild!

Also, once you’re finished with all of the turkey and celebrating, you can rest up – and gear up – for some great Black Friday and Cyber Monday savings! There’s going to be tons of great deals on the net for you to take advantage of, including some fabulous finds and terrific deals at StorePhotos.com!

So take some time now to enjoy those memories – and Mom’s turkey – this Thanksgiving.

Have a Happy Holiday!

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, but some people are already thinking about the holidays. If you’ve been having visions of gingerbread and sugarplums, it may be time for you to start thinking about how you’ll complete your holiday shopping list without breaking the bank. Luckily, do-it-yourself gifting is going to be big this year, so feel free to get into the spirit with this lovely gift idea from StorePhotos.com!

The Holiday Scrapbook

When it comes to family, there’s nothing better than reliving those special memories in photographs. If you have a huge photo collection of shots from the holidays, it may be time for you to get those pictures together and do something really creative with them! Don’t just shove them in an album or a shoe box. Instead, make them really shine by making a holiday scrapbook using the scrapbooking supplies from StorePhotos.com.

Start out by choosing a decorative scrapbook of your choice in a size that fits your photo collection. Think bigger books for more photos. Next, go through your photo collection and choose the best photos that show off the holiday celebration. Try to go for a combination of candids and posed shots to get the best variety.

Once you have your photos, use adhesive to secure the photos to your scrapbook pages. After the glue has dried and your photos are secure, feel free to get creative with ribbons, scraps, embellishments, and other decorative accents that really bring out the holiday spirit. Go for a holiday motif to tie everything together. Finally, personalize your gift by writing in captions, notes to your loved one, and festive holiday quotes that help to make the scrapbook memorable and thoughtful. All that’s left to do now is just wrap it and give it to someone you love!

Halloween has come and gone but that doesn’t mean that you still can’t be enjoying some of the fun! If you took a lot of pictures of your children trick-or-treating, or if you spent some time at a costume party or two, there are plenty of photos for you to sort through, scrapbook and enjoy. So we want to know – how’d they turn out?

If you have any fantastic Halloween or fall photos that you took last month, we’d love to see them! From bobbing for apples to fall festivals, costume contests to Halloween parades, we’re sure that there’s a ton of great great events you’ve captured on film this season. So tell us about your experience, the photo, and how you’re making the most of those memories. Remember, each and every photo tells a story. So share yours with us today at StorePhotos.com!

For those tempted to dive into the fun world of scrapbooking, there are endless reasons why you should start. It’s rewarding to be able to look at a finished project that you can enjoy yourself and share with others. Below are five reasons why you should start scrap booking today!

1. Scrapbooking allows you to connect with others. Whether it be attending classes or getting together with friends to scrapbook together, it offers interaction with others that have similar interests.
2. It brings smiles across family and friends faces as you look back at pictures from the past and reminisce. Enjoy looking through your scrapbooks when someone is feeling down to brighten the day.
3. Scrapbooking allows you to reflect that your life is art. You remember past moments and feelings in old snapshots.  These photos are just another one of the beautiful, artistic creations you’ve made to capture those feelings.
4. Time spent scrapbooking honors the experiences of people who make up your life. You find yourself enjoying the present moment to the fullest and time spent in reflection.
5. Any scrapbook is a treasured gift. Whether you hang on to your own work, or give one of your works as a gift, you know it’s filled with pieces of emotions and memories that can be cherished by any.

These are just a few reasons why you should start scrapbooking – so get out all your old photos and go for it, but most importantly, have fun!

Venture outdoors to explore and capture the gorgeous fall colors the season has to offer. The vibrant shades of red, orange, and yellow can create amazing photographs. This fall, maximize your photography skills with these tips to make your snapshots shine!

-The best time of the day to photograph in the fall is early morning or late afternoon. The shadows and light during these times of the day provide depth to your photos.

-Don’t be fooled by overcast days. Grey and slightly gloomy days allow for fall colors to truly pop in your photos.

-Windy day? Try out different shutter speeds and use a tripod to experiment with pictures that capture motions from the breeze or light wind. Moving leaves and blurred effects can be unique.

-Indulge in contrasts by including opposing colors. Bright fall foliage will look even brighter when photographed next to a dark landscape or building.

-Water reflection on a pond, lake or stream are best captured early morning when the light is slowing rising. It’s best to focus on a focal point to allow for a clear reflection.

Some of the most beautiful pictures are taken during the rall. Experiment with different lenses and shutter speeds to give an element of uniqueness to your photos.

Taking photos at some of the most beautiful times of day can be challenging, especially if you’re trying to get a good landscape shot. To help you through photographing sunrise and sunset, here are a few great tips from StorePhotos.com:

-Autumn has a lot of really great sunrises. Purple and pink skies will contrast beautifully with the bold autumn leaves when you watch sunrise from start to finish. But remember, if you’re taking early morning photos, be careful about your light. To get the full impact of all of the colors, try adjusting your settings. If you use a more advanced digital camera, turn down the exposure a few notches to get more dimension.

-Once the sun is in plain sight, you have to be careful of flare. Try using your hat or hand to block out flare or take your photo from a shady spot. If you use a camera with a larger lens, there are always lens hoods that you can use to prevent flare from ruining your picture.

-When shooting either at sunrise or sunset, try putting the horizon off center. This adds a deeper look to your picture and can make the shot look more interesting.

-Pay attention to the clouds. The more clouds there are – without completely covering the sky – the more dynamic the colors will be.

-At sunset, try moving to a higher elevation to get a broader view of the landscape and colors to really capture that moment.

Times change, along with fashions, color motifs, and of course, photo albums. If you’ve just uncovered a hideously covered album that has all of your favorite memories stored, you can still save this creation without having to remove, transfer, and reorganize all of your family photos. To do it, all you need is that dingy old album, some glue, some scissors, and a great piece of fabric.

To start out with, cut the piece of fabric like you were going wrap a present with it, leaving a few inches on all sides so that they can be folded over onto the inside of the covers. Next, lay the photo album out open, with the cover facing the back of the fabric. Then, using the glue, attach the fabric to the cover, being careful to fold the fabric tightly around it, just like a book cover. Be sure to add enough glue to keep the fabric from pulling or forming bubbles and wrinkles. No glue on hand? A varnish can work just as well. At the corners of the album, fold the fabric so that it wraps neatly around the corner and add glue to secure it. To keep the fold in place, use a binder clip to hold over the fold as it dries.

Once the fabric has set and dried, feel free to personalize your album cover with patches, buttons, ribbons, or other fun and affordable embellishments. Remember, you can change this style at any time!