5 tips for editing and creating beautiful digital photo projects

Tis the season of photos! I give photo cards, photo books, photo mugs, photo calendars and more as gifts!  I was just reading the Thanksgiving Issue of Martha Stewart Living and Martha Stewart said that she takes about 2,000 photos a month!  I don't think that I take quite that many on a regular month but I can easily shoot 200-400 photos at one event.   How about you? Are you a crazy photographer?   Here are a few of my photo tips! I can't wait to read yours!

5 tips for editing and creating beautiful digital photo projects


1) Always have your camera with you.  This is the only way you can create beautiful photos.  I'd rather lug around my camera bag and not shoot a photo than not bring it and wish that I had it!  The type of camera you use is important, too! I use a Canon Digital Rebel XTi which I love. This is my 5th Christmas with this camera and I'm still not ready to trade it in.  I lug it around wherever I go.  If you want small, grab one of the Canon powershoot cameras.  They take simpler photos and is a tad easier to use.

2) Take natural looking shots of your subjects.  Don't always have them pose for a photo.  Some of my best shots come from shooting when the subject wasn't even paying any attention to me.  Once you get taking these random shots more you will really get the hang of it and your eye will be trained to look for good ones!  I love the above one of my daughter.  Don't be afraid to shoot a lot of photos! They are digital! Just delete the ones you don't want.

3) Upload your photos to a trusty photo storage program on your computer and online.  I use Picasa. It is free through Google.  You can store your photos on your hard drive and upload them to their web album.  This program includes very basic editing tools.  It also puts your photos into folders.  I put my in by date taken and tag what the event is.  You can share these photos with others, too!

4) Don't be scared, edit those photos!  I use to be a purist and accept whatever shot I got from my camera.  Now I'm  really into editing.  The good thing about Picasa, it saves your original file, so if you hate what you editing you can always undo or go back to the original.

 I use programs like Picasa, Picnik and  Adobe Photoshop Elements for fun editing.  Some editing is simple while other editing can totally change the look of your photo.  The photo above was in color with my daughter holding a frame.  We decided to use editing software to put fun things in the frame.  I wish now that I would have done this with all my girls and put their name in the frame.

5) Get out the props!  This was the first year I brought props when I took my girls on a fall photo shoot.  This is a great way to get in action shots.  Take pictures of them with their favorite toy, book, instrument or animal.  You will be amazed at your photos! 

So don't miss out on taking great shots of your kids! Get taking hundreds of photos of your kids! Upload them to a trusty site and get editing!  You can create fun and add flare to your photos with a little bit of editing!  It is adicting!
Share some tips with me on photo taking and/or join me in the Twitter Moms Blogging Program!  I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Adobe blogging program, making me eligible to receive a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.