Any ideas for a child's Christmas photo???

[Dani~B]

OK ladies help me out. My sweet little boy is being a stinker and WON'T wear a santa hat for a photo. I have about 30 shots of a red and white hat being taken off in various blurred positions.
so besides adding a hat digitally, what are some other ideas for a cute Christmas shot??

[Laurie9585]

Dani,

Give him a big red sucker or a candy cane and let him go to town....or try a bunch of plastic shiny ornaments. Set him on the floor and just let him play with them (you can usually get a set of the plastic ones at the dollar store.) Try to just be relaxed and interact with him while he's eating the candy cane or playing with the ornaments. Ask him about Santa or sing a favorite song.....that is when the natural smiles and camera interaction will happen.

Good luck...can't wait to see what you come up with!

[Pachimac]

I am going to watch this thread like a hawk - I have a 3.75 year old who HATES my camera now. I can't tell you how many pictures I have of the back of her head with her hair flying!!

OK ladies help me out. My sweet little boy is being a stinker and WON'T wear a santa hat for a photo. I have about 30 shots of a red and white hat being taken off in various blurred positions.
so besides adding a hat digitally, what are some other ideas for a cute Christmas shot??

[Pachimac]

Those are some great ideas Laurie!! Mine gets so absorbed in what she's playing with, they might come out with scowls of concetration on her face, but a sucker...oh she LOVES those!!! Plant her in front of the tree and a camera on sticks so the flash doesn't go off...oh...I'm getting excited to try this now!Dani,

Give him a big red sucker or a candy cane and let him go to town....or try a bunch of plastic shiny ornaments. Set him on the floor and just let him play with them (you can usually get a set of the plastic ones at the dollar store.) Try to just be relaxed and interact with him while he's eating the candy cane or playing with the ornaments. Ask him about Santa or sing a favorite song.....that is when the natural smiles and camera interaction will happen.

Good luck...can't wait to see what you come up with!

[cheribear]

The playing with Christmas lights/garland/balls etc. are always cute.

Where are you? Because laying down in snowbanks or catching snowflakes pictures are cute, too.

[Laurie9585]

Susan,

I love that you are so excited!!! If you go into it dreading it you won't get the results you want!!! Have fun, relax and let her be herself. I promise that you will get some great shots.

Post them here if you do!

Laurie

[Jana1506]

Are ALL of your photos so far blurred? I was just thinking that it might make a cute card showing not so perfect photos.

I did a layout (http://www.digishoptalk.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=46237&cat=500&ppuser=866)the other day with less than perfect photos and now I like them better than the posed pictures.

[Kazadoodle]

I'm always using not quite perfect photos - the kind that are grainy or slightly blurred, etc.

[Kim2002]

My youngest had issues with the santa hat too which is why I gave him a candy cane. Once he had that in his hand and tried it, he was no longer concerned with the hat and just kept sucking on the candy. I was able to position the hat and got quite a few decent pix.

Another option is to let it go for a few days......try again with a different tactic. Perhaps set everything up and then sit down on the floor and play with a new "special" toy together or read a book or something. Then, while he is still in a good mood from having some fun, maybe you can grab a few pix.

[Dani~B]

OH you gals are so smart...seriously I never thought of the candy thing, so many awesome ideas! Going to go dig out those lights too, thank you!!!
And the blurry shots are of the hat flying off it is pretty funny.
Jana that is a great page too btw :)

[1967jodie]

I second the suggestions about the lollypop or candy cane.

How about the Santa Hat on a large teddy bear or other soft toy, playing with a Christmas toy like a reindeer or santa claus, playing with lights or tinsel. Maybe if he hates the hat, he might wear reindeer ears?

Playing with Christmas ornaments can work.... I got this great shot of my daughter with some christmas balls, totally unexpected and unposed

http://www.digishoptalk.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=45774&cat=500&ppuser=417

But don't get the glittery ones, it comes off and it takes forever to remove, either from the skin or in photoshop :rofl

I think the trick is to have fun, put the camera on the tripod and keep talking, laughing joking, pulling funny faces....promises of chocolate afterwards .... whatever it takes LOL! I took 300 shots of my two kids last weekend... to get maybe a dozen that are usable (I'm a freak I know :rofl )

[Kim2002]

Jodie, that shot is fabulous!

Dani, if the one of the hat is flying and it's workable, why not use it? I'm sure you could come up with a cute caption for it.