Taking great holiday snaps has never been easier, with high-res smartphone cameras and super-snappy DSLRs at our fingertips. However, taking the photo is only half the story, printing these memories is the next step.
Epson makes it easy and cost-effective to print and share your Christmas memories with its specialist range of photo printers. Epson has a few suggestions to help you compose and capture perfect images for your 2013 holiday season memories.
* Have your camera ready to take photos throughout the day. One spontaneous photo often sums up the magic of a moment so much better than a collection of posed photos can – and you can do away with the stress of organising everyone into the “perfect” position with the perfect smile.
* Experiment with the full functionality of your camera. Now that you’re on holiday, you have the time to learn how to use your camera to its full potential. Why not learn how to take creative photos instead of the normal “point-and-shoot”. For example, try taking a photo of family members reflected in a mirror or on a reflective tree decoration – or how about focusing on one person, with the others out of focus in the background?
* Put everyone in height order for a family portrait. If you want a formal family portrait as a reminder of the day, take notes from the school sport team photographers: Shortest at the front, tallest at the back and nobody gets cut out. However, it’s not school any more – so remind everyone to smile.
* Stock up on batteries/memory cards/inks/paper. You don’t want to miss a one-off photo opportunity because the last shot you had space for was your teenager photo-bombing his grandmother’s after-lunch nap… You also don’t want to run out of photo paper just as you settle down on Sunday night to finally print out your pics.
* Plan your day. While the greatest photographs are the spontaneous masterpieces, it’s worth creating a list of ideal photos you know you want to capture – particularly if you have family or friends visiting from afar, who won’t be able to pop over for a re-take.
* Or un-plan your day. While plans are great to set out, don’t wreck your day by focusing on shoot lists so much that you miss out on all the fun. Your guests might also want to enjoy the spontaneity of the day – and holidays are great times to break rules anyway.
* Frame your photos. Get creative and use props that are part of the scene already to frame people in your photos – for example, someone pictured between candlesticks on the table would work, as would using doorways to frame a pose for added interest.
* Colour scheme. Ask your guests to wear an item in a particular colour to your festive season event, for a theme that will link all your photos of the day. You could also include this in your table decor, or in floral arrangements or other festive decorations.
* Take advantage of your camera. Most cameras and smartphones these days have various exposure modes, so experiment with different ones for a creative twist on conventional. How about a sepia filter to capture that romance under the mistletoe, or how about printing in black and white for a stylish twist?
* The calm before the storm. Before the chaos of the day begins, take a few photos that document all your hard work. A quick photo of the table decorations before you all settle down to eat to show the hard work that went into making such a special day possible, especially when contrasted with those taken during the meal.
Some recommended cost effective printers from Epson include:
* Epson L800 printer: Is an ultra-high-capacity photo printer with an integrated ink tank which helps cut printing costs, offering a low cost per photo. The Epson L800 printer is capable of printing up to 1,800 borderless standard (4×6) photographs off one ink tank system.
* Epson L355 and L550 printers: These two devices are all-in-one ink tank system printers (ITS) scanner, copier and the ability to print photos with wireless functionality, making it that much easier to print your festive memories anywhere instantly from your smartphone via Epson’s iPrint app.