Friday, March 4
by Karen Robert
I just came across these photos done by photographer Irina Werning. She takes old photos, has the subject repose in a similar way, then she tweaks it in Photoshop. It has an uncanny way of showing how you’ve grown and changed, though weirdly, how you haven’t changed. Check it out:
Here is what Irina says in her words:
“I love old photos. I admit being a nosey photographer. As soon as I step into someone else’s house, I start sniffing for them. Most of us are fascinated by their retro look but to me, it’s imagining how people would feel and look like if they were to reenact them today… A few months ago, I decided to actually do this. So, with my camera, I started inviting people to go back to their future.”
To see more of her work go to: http://irinawerning.com/back-to-the-fut/back-to-the-future/
All Photographs © Irina Werning
Saturday, January 1
by Karen Robert
These holiday cards were just submitted by the Bale family and they are some of the best series of cards I’ve seen this year. I adore how this family really goes for it every year always with a creative sense of fun and flare. It helps that Dad is pretty skilled at Photoshop, though it should be noted that the photos for all of these cards are taken by themselves with a timer. I am in awe.
This was their card in 2007. It’s a fabulous Christmas card where they are helping each other get a star on the tree using in the style of “Cirque du Bale”. I’ve seen many cards with this theme. but this one is particularly imaginative in the way they lean against each other. Lori Bale (Mom) says that they did this in 5 shots all photoshopped together by Dad. The dog was separate, Mom and Dad were taken in front of a green screen, then one of Mom and her daughter, then one of the kids, and finally, the tree was added into the back ground as the 5th shot. This card is a huge success; it’s one of my all time favorites Christmas cards. It’s incredibly creative and incredibly well executed, a perfect combination.
This is the Bale family Christmas card 2000 of the family reflected in an ornament. This is a wonderful idea which I’ve seen quite a lot, but this one is very well executed. I think I may do a blog posting soon showing all of the ornament reflection shots I’ve come across.
Here is their card in 2001. Great Christmas card of kids inside of a snow globe. This is a fun twist on the snow globe card with the kids looking at it from outside as well as being inside. I did a posting on snow globe Christmas cards which this card would fit into perfectly.
Here is their 2003 Great Christmas card of two kids looking inside their fish bowl decorated for Christmas. I have never seen the fishbowl theme, I love the hats on the fish. I wonder if the line inside the card was “Fishing You a Merry Christmas”?
This is the Bale Family Christmas card from 2004 of a photo of their dog stealing a slipper of one of the kids. It’s such a cute idea for a Christmas card. I am curious if this was one shot of photoshopped together.
Here is the Bale family card from 2005 where each member of the family holds a blank card and they are photoshopped one within the other. Photos of frames within frames are another theme I may explore in another posting.
The Bale family Christmas card 2009 made with Sparklers with time lapse photography. See more cards using light and time lapse photography.
And here is their card form this year, 2010. I love it! They posed the family into a scene mimicking the Norman Rockwell painting, “Freedom From Want”, but with a modern twist. This reminds me very much of a card by Theresa Thompson mimicking the same painting. Notice the dog, the lizard and the rabbit at the table. I also like the original Norman Rockwell painting in the background.
And finally in honor of the day, here is a New Year’s Day card from the Bale family from 2002. On this one they photoshopped more confetti into the picture.
A huge thank you to the Bale family for taking the time to share these with me. I look forward to seeing what they come up with next year.
Happy New Year!
More Christmas cards are coming they are still coming in and I am struggling to keep up.
Monday, December 20
by Karen Robert
A clever idea can make or break a holiday card photo shoot. From giving children building blocks to play with, or angle wings, props can be a useful tool to getting that perfect holiday picture. In my experience, we parents only have about 5 minutes to shoot a decent photo, after that the children have lost interest and are in danger of being uncooperative at best, at worst, of having a complete meltdown. The best way to get around this is to give them an activity or a prop to get them to cooperate. Lets face it, unless we’re super models, it’s tough for ANYBODY to pose comfortably in front of the camera with somebody saying “smile”. The photo is always much better if they’re smiling already, right? The following photos use props in a variety of ways and get that fabulous shot worthy of any Christmas mantle.
Let it Snow
I know I’ve shown this photo before, but for me, Marc Battaglia’s picture of his kid on a sled with the dog in a harness is one of the best examples of using props that I’ve seen. The caption is great as well. And how much do you love the V of the Geese up in the sky?
This child has building blocks spelling the word “JOY”. I love the Christmas message being already in the photo.
Found at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8739266@N02/2060973466
Thsi is an adorable shot of a newborn baby wrapped up like a coccoon with pinecones around him. Very sweet.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mamique/3018867818
This is a beautiful picture of kids with wings for their Christmas card like Raphael’s painting
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/luke05olivia/3085953710
Amanda at AC Photography did this great picture of kids asleep in front of the Christmas tree.
Cute kids with antlers and red noses looking just like reindeers.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/naomifrost/3005183436
And the children were all nestled all snug in thier beds. This is a cute idea for taking pictures of kids reading holiday books in bed.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/_juleeln/2104975449
A cute photo of children’s bottoms and the words “As we leave 2009 behind.”
Taken by Sharyn Peavey
Cute picture of a baby in the tub with words spelled out behind him in plastic letters. I think this is a very clever idea for a Christmas card… or any card for that matter. You could spell all sorts of things with these letters, from “Happy Birthday Daddy” to “Please Come to my Party”
I love the Santa legs in this photo shoot, the kid is, of course, going to look up engagingly and all the photographer has to do it shoot. What better prop than Santa?
This photo is taken by Robin Winkles
Cute photo of a little boy with a sign saying “believe” for his family Christmas card photo, the sign takes this card from good to great.
Taken by Robin Winkles
This is a fun idea for props for a holiday shoot, throw a bunch of candy canes on the floor and let the children play
Taken by Robin Winkles
This is a fun card where the kids have tape on their mouths with the Caption, “Silent Night”, it’s a clever idea if your kids are up for it.
Found at http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150315070990#ht_8962wt_1141
This is a cute idea for a Christmas card shoot with props of a baby in a tub with a teddy bear and a washboard.
Thursday, December 9
by Karen Robert
I have a new favorite card designer, Jon Arnold. I just discovered his fun creative Christmas cards at his site photoshopfu.com where he shows off his mad photoshop skills. Here are his cards over the years and a brief description of how and why he made them in his words. I am putting all of these into the Family Christmas Card Gallery, I have deemed them very worthy.
Here are all of the Arnold family Christmas cards with an explanation in Jon’s words of how their Christmas cards style has evolved over the years and a bit of a lesson on how to make a great creative Christmas card for yourself:
Christmas 2002
I feel like this was the year we turned a corner with a pretty unique concept, and this remains one of my favorite Arnold Christmas cards. Perhaps what is most surprising to me is how little Photoshop work was done here (I just had to remove the camera from the reflection). And this was old-school film, folks; I didn’t have a million digital takes to get it right.Fun idea for a creative family Christmas card with a sofa photoshopped put of it.
Christmas 2003
That Christmas we were expecting our third daughter, so I went with a “this is the present we’re getting this year” idea. I still like the concept, but this has been my least favorite Arnold Christmas card so far. I think I did a hack Photoshop job, and overall it feels contrived. The only thing that gives it a hint of genuine charm is the pointing finger of my then-youngest daughter.
The lesson: Either 1) it doesn’t matter how great your idea is if it’s not properly executed, or 2) sometimes your ideas aren’t as great as you think they are.
The (life) lesson: Good photography is all in the lighting
Christmas 2004
I think this was a step up in our creative Christmas card endeavor, and also the first of a slightly subversive, anti-commercialism tone that would appear in later Christmas cards as well. This was also the year I finally figured out the lighting technique for a pure white background right out of the camera, so I was thrilled to get to use it here.
The lesson: Don’t get carried away. Keep your creative Christmas card ideas manageable so that the whole process stays fun.
Christmas 2005
This year we wanted to incorporate a little bit of family news into our Christmas card, so we made a board game. The descriptions on the game board corresponded with the events of the year. And yes, we even included game pieces. I had a lot of fun making all of this, but it took a long time and was starting to feel like overkill.
The lesson: Don’t get carried away. Keep your creative Christmas card ideas manageable so that the whole process stays fun.
Christmas 2006
This was the year our business, our family, and life in general seemed to have gotten hectic and complicated. It was a tough year, but I’ll bet no one outside looking in would have noticed. But isn’t that how we all are?…putting up a certain facade on the outside, but inside we’re a bit of a mess? Seemed like a perfect idea for a Christmas card, though! The “picture” on the front cover was actually cut out, letting the smiling family from the inside show through. Opening the card, however, one sees the complete picture. (I love those burning curtains!)
The lesson: Being real trumps being creative.
Christmas 2007
Ok, I’m not going to feign humility here: we nailed this one. And I don’t mean just the actual card, I mean the whole experience of making it. Our girls were old enough to participate and have fun during the photo shoots, and being a huge movie buff, I loved the whole action-movie metaphor of family life. It was a lot of work, but we had a blast making it, which I think gave us all an extra sense of togetherness and ownership in this annual Christmas card tradition.
The lesson: Think of a creative Christmas card idea that hits upon your particular interest, and you’re bound to execute it masterfully (or at least have a lot of fun working on it).
Christmas 2008
I got this idea from one of my daughters’ Where’s Waldo books, of course. Here we are acting out different events and details from the previous year, and the card itself included a poem of what to hunt for in the picture. I knew this would be a bit of a Photoshop challenge (here’s my overview) but it was fun and satisfying to see it all come together. The photo shoot was one of those fun family activities that I’ll never forget.
The lesson: Feed the kids first for maximum fun and cooperation. See that pizza? That wasn’t just a prop; that was dinner.
Christmas 2009
Time to take another shot at commercialism (the inside caption read “May your only excess be of peace and love”). Our photo shoot, unfortunately, was going nowhere. Everyone was a tad grumpy and it was showing, so we changed our strategy and made it into a game. With everyone lined up on the other side of the room, we set the camera timer for a couple seconds and then would run to the couch trying to get in place before the shutter fired. Just a few tries at this, and we got our shot. And had fun.
The lesson: Your best photos will come when you’re having fun, something no amount of Photoshop magic can fake.
These Holiday cards are great right? He has a great, fun sense of how to pull off a creative card. I wonder what their card will be for this year. Contact me to ask me for my address Jon. (Hint)
Monday, May 10
by Karen Robert
I designed this card and sent it to my mother this year.
I chose this saying because, as I raise my 4 children I understand and appreciate my mother more and more every day. As they say, being a mom is the hardest job you’ll ever love. With motherhood comes fear, anxiety , angst, but more than anything, deep and profound love. And it’s the love that gets you through, because, God knows, why else would anyone put up with it? Mother Nature has a way of equipping us to actually enjoy all of the horrendous stuff. Think about it. Pregnancy is horrible. We get moody, depressed, fat, we can’t sleep and then, to top it all off, we give birth. We suffer horrible indignities through the process yet STILL most mothers will say that the day they gave birth to their first child was the best day of their lives. That smell of a baby’s head makes all the rest of it disappear. And then, crazily enough, most of us turn around and do it all over again. And again.
As we raise these little guys for the first 5 years we are on a never ending treadmill of changing diapers, doing laundry, wiping noses, picking up, cooking and cleaning. And don’t even start me on how little we sleep. But the trusting eyes of an infant and the tight hugs of a toddler are worth every second of work
For the next 10 years we help these kids learn to read, ride a bike, and cross the street. We teach them manners and help them navigate their way around cliques and bullies all with the idea of getting them independent and ready to take on the world. Finally, after all of that work, we are rewarded with rejection and ridicule from snidely teenagers. Yet, how does Mother Nature help us cope with this? We are bursting with pride that they are becoming independent and growing into young adults. Are we martyrs? slaves? idiots? No, we’re just typical mothers, strong enough to take it. How do we get that strength? From love. Crazy, blind, foolish, adoring love. Mother Nature has it all figured out. That’s why it’s called MOTHER nature, she knows what she’s doing. And I, for one, thank God my mother loved me enough to put up with it all.
Thanks Mom. I get it…and I love you back.
Tuesday, December 22
by Karen Robert
Putting the Holiday Greeting inside the photo is a fun and easy way of saying Happy Holidays, but it also gives the kids something to do in a photo. Without something to dothe kids run out of patience before you have the shot and you are left there pleading “just three more shots…please!!”
Here are a few which made it into my book, “Merry Christmas From…150 Christmas cards you wish you’d Received.” There are numerous shots out there where the kids are holding letters spelling out a word. This one where the dog has the ‘O’ around his neck , I think is particularly successful.
It was shot by photographer xxxxx. I love also how the little girl is chewing on the ‘Y”. You know she would have had a hard time sitting there without a prop.
This Christmas card spelling out Ho Ho Ho uses the same concept. 
It was taken by photographer Shaelyn O’Neil. You know the kids will remember this card for years to come.
Another way of putting the words in the picture is simply to have your children holding a sign. This picture was also in my book.(add photo) It was taken by photographer Jay Shoots for his Christmas card one year. His daughter is standing inside a cranberry bog. I adore the simplicity of this. The handmade sign makes it incredibly charming. Had she just been standing there with no sign, it would have been a sweet picture, but something would have been missing.
Here is another picture where the child is holding a sign. 
This picture was taken by my friend Tanya Mallot who is an amazing wedding and children’s photographer. She sent this out one year for her Christmas card. I think it is incredibly charming; I especially love the shadow the ‘Peace’ sign casts on the wall behind him.
Tanya Mallott also took the photos for my Christmas Card which I sent out many years ago. I did an iron on transfer on T-shirts for the words on both on the front and back of the kids’ shirts. The fornt of the card was the front of their shirts and the back of the cards was the back of their shirts. I have a particular passion for cards which have fronts and backs. It makes them almost 3-dimensional.
Lately I’ve seen quite a few cards where people are using children’s blocks for their Christmas message., like in this photo. What a great way also of informing people of an upcoming birth.
If you are really adventurous, try doing a card like this. It will take some photoshop skills, but it is absolutely fabulous. I wish I had found it in time for my book. This is also in the favorites section at the moment, under the corporate cards section. They are evidently an ambitious and creative team.
IHere is another take on that theme, this couple didn’t actually need Photo Shop for this , they just laid on their bed and spelled out “melekelikimaka”, that’s Merry Christmas in Hawaiian in case you are like me and didn’t know. (add photo)
As usual, if you have any ideas for cards, or if you have a fun card to show everyone, Go to the “Submit a Card” section on this site. Don’t forget to tell me who you are so I can give you credit for your idea.
Monday, December 21
http://www.rkdp.com
Monday, December 21
Monday, December 21
Monday, December 21
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pinksherbet/518463702/
