Tech talk
Tips for taking holiday photos
By Robert DeLaurentis

ew events go hand in hand as closely as the holiday season and taking pictures. Making special memories is what the holidays are all about, and pictures help us preserve rare moments and enjoy them long after the decorations have been put away and the food is gone.
Technology has changed photography in countless ways, and even if you do not own a digital camera, there are still ways to use technology to give your photos a little sparkle.
Start by planning ahead. In the old days, if you forgot a roll of film all you had to do was run out to a convenience store. While memory cards are almost as easy to find nowadays, overlooking an adapter cable or a special battery is often the same as forgetting the camera. Before the festivities begin, make sure to have the batteries charged and all the other accessories handy.
Regardless of whether you use a digital or film camera, keep in mind that a computer may process the image afterward. Even if you never use an image editor such as Photoshop, someone else in the family probably does.
Shooting great images starts in the viewfinder. Make your images come alive by selecting unusual angles. Get low on the floor for a kid’s eye view, or hold the camera above your head just to see your subject from a different perspective.
When it comes time to take that all-important once in a lifetime group shot, set the camera up on a tripod, and shoot a dozen or more pictures relatively quickly. Anyone handy with an image editor will be able to use the best parts of each one to make an incredible portrait.
Technology has had its greatest impact on photography when it comes to sharing photos. Most digital cameras can display the photos in a TV screen for an instant slideshow. If you have an inkjet printer, have plenty of photo paper and extra ink in case Aunt Rose wants a dozen copies for her friends back home.
Do not feel left out if you use a film camera. Most file developers can make a CD of photos for your personal computer. Once the images are on your computer, you can email them, or upload them to a Web site like ofoto.com.
Making your photos high-tech may seem complicated at first, but the results will be well worth the effort.

Robert DeLaurentis is a free-lance writer and senior editor at MacFixIt. He can be reached at www.robertdelaurentis.com.