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.
Saturday, December 11
by Karen Robert
A lot of people are using the “American Gothic” painting as inspiration for all sorts of things; holiday cards, wedding portraits, ads, and just for fun. There were so many images to choose from ,this is just a smattering of what’s out there. but I chose these to show you because they seemed a good cross section of different styes and ideas of how to mimic this historic painting.
This is the original American Gothic Painting By Grant Woods
Classic black and white image by Gordon Parks of Ella Watson is a parodying the American Gothic Painting.
The Beverley Hillbilly’s pose like the American Gothic Painting. This was perhaps a precursor to the whole fad?
American Gothic Christmas Card done by Brian Bowker, in the book “Merry Christmas From…150 cards you wish you’d received”.
See it at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bowkerhouse/2088605125/
This photo is taken by photographer, Tristan Spinski of his parents in an American Gothic pose for their Christmas card
This is a very well done photoshop job. Found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/mjameshall/371493809
A fun couple photoshopped themselves as the American Gothic Painting
Found here: http://oddguyart.wordpress.com/
Fun photoshopped portrait of kids posing American Gothic style
Created by Theresa Thompson at http://www.flickr.com/photos/theresasthompson/2210407036
Dog’s even get into the action in this American Gothic parody.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/katydaly/311448055/
Great picture of a couple posing American Gothic style.
Shot by Jackie Good at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jakig/2651077624
Posted by jessica toney photography at
http://www.hallmarkhipsters.net/hallmark/hipsters/archive/2008_01_01_archive.html
This card is strangely similar to the Brain Bowker one above.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/15318056@N07/4457002279/
Beautiful bLack and white photo of a couple posing in American Gothic Style
http://www.flickr.com/photos/godkinphoto/4097491878/
Or you can use the American Gothic theme for a wedding portrait as shown at Utah Bride.
Also at Utah Bride : http://www.utahbrideblog.com/?p=2323
This bride also used the American Gothic pose for her wedding Portrait.
Shot by Dave Robbins http://www.etsy.com/storque/spotlight/etsy-finds-my-american-gothic-wedding-4288/
If you don’t have the photoshopping skills to make a photo like htis yourslef, you can cheat and get a costume with a frame, get it at :
http://www.costumecraze.com/HUMR153.html
Or you can have an image made for you with yor faces like this at findgift.com. What a fun present that would make to give your loved one for Christmas.
Go to: http://www.findgift.com/gift-ideas/pid-64670/
Friday, December 10
by Karen Robert
I love holiday cards with pets on them, in fact I used a picture of a dog wearing a Santa hat on the cover of my book . Dogs are particularly fun on cards because their faces can be so expressive. I decided to find the absolute best, most funny, holiday dog photos ever. As far as I know, none of these are commercial cards, they were sent out by their owners as their personal cards. In my quest for these photos I had to look through pictures of many hundreds of adorable looking dogs all dressed up for Christmas. There are a lot of dog lovers out there! In my first edit I had a hundred, but I finally narrowed it down to these 40 cards, and I couldn’t get any more pared down than that. Each of these 40 photos were so amazing and wonderful, I decided I had to show them all. I adore how most of these dogs look mildly annoyed yet stoic about having to wear a Christmas outfit. I have no idea why, but there is a preponderance of Chihuahuas, bulldogs and pugs in this final edit. Maybe photographers have a penchant for these breeds. or maybe these breeds just have absurdly funny looking faces. I promise I am not biased, I have a Golden Retriever , a breed which only got one photo in my cut.
I’m starting with this picture which was in my book. I think it is one of the great dog pictures. There is something about those bare bulbs above the dressed up dog on a present that I love.
By Eric Getty at : http://www.flickr.com/photos/photeric/2106607883
This adorable photo of a puppy wearing a hat way too big for him is beautiful.
Taken by Chad and found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/xmarine1973/2126132328
I love this photo of three dogs (chihuahuas?) wearing hats and looking very much like Christmas.( I love the Kath Kidston Wallpaper as well!)
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/88499915@N00/5223766659
This Photo of a German Shepherd with a wreath around his neck is wonderful
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/doublewithcream/3095481950
This is an amazing picture of a dog looking doleful about having to dress up in a Santa Hat.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dianabog/4201761902
This is a very funny photo of a dog wearing glasses for a Christmas card. This dog is one of the few who doesn’t seem upset about dressing up.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rainriver/2133469094
Funny photo of a dog wearing tinsel looking like a tree for this Christmas card.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/venosdale/5172999059
Funny dog photo for a holiday card wearing a hat and scarf.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7234729@N05/3096002699
This dog is so cute modeling a yellow hat and bow tie, like he is a harlequin.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aarynleathjames/3100384713
This dog , a pug I think, models a Christmas hat in this Holiday card.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/newstock/3867404188
This is a fun picture of a dog with a big star in front of him for his Holiday Portrait.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rainriver/2096588346
Fun picture of a pug all dressed up for the Holidays
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/55023235@N02/5103359752/
Great photo of a dog with a hat on in this Holiday Card, this is one of my favorite dog Cards.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nogsonline/3130883388
Great face on this Bulldog in this holiday photo
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/itsmetj/242801666
I love the face on this gentleman dog with a bowler hat in this photograph. Priceless.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/priviteraco/4948191712
Cute chihuahua dressed as an angel in this Holiday photo.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/itsmetj/244601781
This dog is so cute holding a Christmas Stocking in his mouth in this Holiday card.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/new_years_resolutions/4174593857
This pittbull’s face looks adorable with the santa hat on.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ride2anywhere/3089220121
What an elaborate dog Holiday card this is. I love the bone in his mouth.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rosebud81592/5209095374
The bull dog in this Christmas card is adorable with a bright red nose.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/diypaper/5044398946
I absolutely love the face on this pug in this Christmas card, it looks like he’s had too much Rum Punch.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bugbunnybambam/2110612296
What a doleful face on this hound wearing a santa hat. He looks very depressed about Christmas.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hannah19/4128749010
I love the cat and dog partnership as they look up at the star in this Christmas card. How they got them to do this is a mystery to me.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/marcpayne/4127595512
This dog is wearing a wreath for his christmas card, and looking very cute I must say.
Found at:
This is a very cute bull dog wearing a Christmas outfit for his holiday card.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/finetra/5192381693
These two bull dogs are wearing very silly antlers for their Christmas card.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/retalesbotijero/4225708517
The look on the face of this bulldog in this Holiday card is so charming, It looks like his eyes are bugging out of his face.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lizkerrison/3070993379
Here is a very cute picture of a pug dressed in a Christmas costume for his Card looking mortified.
Found at: Flickr
This Photo of a German Shepherd holding a Christmas Tree branch in his mouth is wonderful.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lamygrrl/3129803046
I love the picture of this black lab with one eye hidden under a Christmas hat.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/9936312@N05/4191179762/
Funny Picture of a dog, a spaniel, with antlers on his head.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24569010@N06/3085219549
Another funny picture of a dog with antlers on his head.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rainriver/3094989163
Hysterical picture of a Chihuahua wearing a Christmas scarf in this holiday photo
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/redskygraphics/4132347590
This is a funny picture of three French Bulldogs (or pugs?) wearing costumes for their holiday photo.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/labimposter/306969742
Very nice dog portrait for his Christmas photo for a Christmas card.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/chadlatta/5222419517
Cute picture of a dog wearing antlers for his Christmas card portrait
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cryrolfe/3063252084
Here are some very cute long haired dachshunds in this dog portrait for a Christmas card.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/doxieone/3087291621
Very sweet picture of a dog holding a Christmas tree in his mouth for his Christmas card.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/28601488@N05/5192462011
And finally, this is one of my favorites of a dog wearing a wig and Santa hat for his holiday card.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pilarkitty/3085113928
“Bone Annee!”
Monday, December 6
by Karen Robert
The Brady Bunch image from the opening credits on the show is great inspiration for making a Christmas or Holiday card. Many people are doing it. Some of you may be too young to understand the impact that The Brady Bunch had on the generation that grew up during the 70′s. Back when there were only a few networks, it was a big deal to have an amusing show which was appropriate for groovy young people like myself. This show has a real sense of nostalgia for many other groovy baby-boomers it seems. As I searched, there were loads of cards out there, some better than others. I think that these below are some of the better examples. What makes these cards work in my opinion is having good lighting and a consistent plain background. 
This is the original opening credit image of the Brady Bunch Show.
This is pretty a pretty cute Brady Bunch Card. I love the pregnant belly in the middle.
found at: http://home.348north.com/archives/our-family/
Again, this is by Theresa Thompson, I’ve shown this card before, but it is such a great Christmas card that I had to include it. I love the fact that she also shows the back of their head son the back of the card.
I love the polk-a-dot background on this Brady Bunch Card.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/skg/4320130833/
It’s a nice twist on this Brady Bunch image to make it in Black and White.
FOund at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/krissypics/4989302211/
And I love the bright colors on this version of a Brady Bunch photo.
FOund at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bananaketchup/4528973485/
This looks like it’s a Corporate card. I love the idea of doing a funny corporate card in the Brady Bunch theme.
I love the addition of pets in this Brady Bunch Card
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/35124656@N07/3279207369/
I love how this guy in the outer photos are all zoning on on the middle guy, It’s a good twist on the Brady Bunch theme.
I think this is all the same person in each square on this Brady Bunch Card.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/snelly23/3066701103/
If you have a Great Brady Bunch Christmas card, or any other fun, unusual Holiday card and would like to share it with us, please submit here. Or if you want to browse more clever, creative holiday cards, go to the gallery section in the menu and browse other fun cards in the Family Section, the Pets Section, the Grown up Section, the Corporate Section, the Santas Section, the Kids Section, the Vintage Section or the Illustrated Section. I also have a Book Section where you can see examples of cards in my book.
Wednesday, December 1
by Karen Robert
A fun way to make a boring beach shot fun for Christmas is to pose with a sand snowman. What better way to winterize a beach photo? Here is one I did once. The kids loved posing with the sand snowman they had helped make (and RE-make every time it collapsed). Hint: bring a spray bottle of water to help keep the sand moist.
Taken by Karen Robert
All it needs is a kid next to it
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamk/2398891839/
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamk/2371842490/
How do they get the sand to stick together like that?
Taken by Bill Shaw
http://www.flickr.com/photos/95771949@N00/6513744/
Sand sculptures at the Gaylord in Kissimmee, Florida
Taken by Robyn at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shutterblog/60743805/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/seancarr54/1563691180/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamk/2514305549/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kathyprints/2112574828/
by Kathy Archbold
found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gracedvornik/4438031887/
Wednesday, November 24
by Karen Robert
We are throwing our annual football party a few days after Thanksgiving. So I scored and found this old vintage photo to make our invitation.
Pretty Mad Men, right? Don’t you love the way the man and the woman are looking at each other? I feel like she’s thinking “don’t even THINK of messing with me buddy”. I feel like just after this shot was taken she ripped him to shreds, resentful after years of being treated badly in the workplace. Anyway, I am going to be making it available to use as an e-card or as a print card on my site when the programmers are FINALLY finished building it. We are very close to making it work, but sadly, it will be ready a tad bit too late to be up for this Christmas. In the meantime, I’m going to continue to throw out ideas for Holiday cards on this blog to get everyone’s creative juices flowing. More to come, in fact, tomorrow.
I know this is a big weekend for taking that family picture for the cards. It is for us. (My kids are so NOT excited). One thing to keep in mind, have a plan before you bring out the camera, give little kids a prop or an activity for the photo. You can give them a sign that says “Merry Christmas” or each kid letters which spell out NOEL, Or you can write something on their t-shirts, hands, or knuckles. You can also do things like put them on a sled on a sand dune, or have them build a sand snowman, or wrap them in Christmas lights. Whatever you decide to try, just think about it ahead of time and then taking the picture will be MUCH easier. Remember, little kids only give you 5 minutes to take the shot. Use those 5 minutes wisely. For more card ideas and inspiration, go to the Card Gallery and take a look at all of the cool cards I’ve been collecting over the years. These will not be for sale on the site, they are other people’s wonderful cards from previous years. On this side of the site I am merely a connoisseur of amazing Holiday cards.
Happy Photos & Happy Thanksgiving
Friday, November 19
by Karen Robert
And finally, here is my last card that I am posting for now from the Sigler family at weareheavyduty.com. For their 2008 card they used a long exposure camera and light sabers to make Christmas designs, in effect painting with light.
They are so descriptive about how they did it, I thought I should let them tell you how they went about creating this in their own words in case you want to try something similar.
“This large scale light painting of a Christmas tree was made in our backyard. On the ground the tree was 55 feet tall and about 25 feet wide. It appears short and fat because of the angle of the photograph. I had the camera, and video camera, in a stairwell window at the back of our house. I’m at least four storeys (someone asked, that is in fact the correct spelling) in the air because our property drops quite a bit. We are in the mountains. But the back lot is nice and flat. I used rope to lay out the tree and enlisted the family and some conveniently located neighbors to move the lights around.
The kids were in the middle of the tree swinging the light sabers (see below) in circles to make the “ornaments” and Mars walked back and forth to make a “garland.” The Moms (Mary and Jill) made the tree outline by waving two light sabers each as they walked along the rope, invariably racing at the end of each take to finish in time. I used a kitchen timer and called out the remaining seconds.
I wanted to do some light painting myself so I took the tripod and camera outside and made some “Nöels” in green and red. Nöel (Which I now know should be spelled “noël” – oof, embarrassing. I was in the dark!) is way easier than trying to write “Merry Christmas,” backward mind you, in the dark, before the time runs out and the shutter closes. Plus, Nöel is so short I was able to turn the light on and off for each letter, and add the umlaut over the “o.” I put a strip of four of these inside the card, along the top.
cool card
We did something similar for the family shot on the back of the card. For this one I used another camera, mounted on separate stand, just for the flash. That way I could move the lights around to make the frame, then get back into position before the second camera flashed, which would make us visible in the photo taken by the first camera. Staggering the timers on the two cameras so that the flash would happen after I was done drawing, but before the shutter closed on the first camera was a challenge. Have I mentioned we were in the dark? The image came out too dark on the card but the original looks good.
This was a fun card to make, but I was stressing about the execution. I mentioned to my friend Gary a couple months ago that I was worried about the logistics and he said something like “only you would have a Christmas card with logistical challenges.” Why do things the easy way? Walk hard.”
Thanks again to the Sigler family for allowing me to show you their wonderful cards. Hopefully I will posting this years card within the next month. Stay tuned. (No pressure or anything Siglers).
Thursday, November 11
by Karen Robert
I found these great Christmas cards on Flickr done by a guy named Doug Barlow. He has great ideas, he takes great photographs, and on top of that, he has talented photoshopping skills. All these talents are put to good use for the making of his creative and fun Christmas cards.
Here is his card for 2008:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/doug_and_anna/3119250307/
Doug explains how he put it together,
“Strobist:
Strobes left and right pointed at a low white ceiling.
2 exposures put together in photoshop. 1 of my daughter and the setting and another of my wife and I
I have so much fun putting together our Christmas cards every year. Our families have come to expect something a little different from us and we usually get a great response.
If you look close you can see the camera remote between my fingers 
”
and here is the following year’s card:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/doug_and_anna/4206516318/
Last year (2009) we wanted to make it more about Evinn, so we came up with the concept of her blackmailing santa. Technically the whole family is in the card. My wife is the mommy kissing santa, and I’m the lucky santa
We both loved the idea of Evinn showing the pictures to santa while eating the cookies and milk that she left out for him. She’s at a very manipulative age
This is a composite of a couple of pictures
• Evinn, cookies, milk table and background in one
• hand with pictures (really holding polariods, but pics photoshopped in)
• hand and book (naughty and nice on book photoshopped in)
Strobist: all shots were done with the same set-up, just pieced together so i had more freedom to move things around.
can’t remember my shutter speed, but it was fairly long to let the christmas lights in the background burn in a little.
sb-28 with a makeshift snoot with a white diffuser, behind subject camera left.
sb-25 in a white shoot through umbrella camera right, above, just out of frame”
I can’t wait to see what they come up with this year.
Friday, July 2
by Karen Robert
I found some great 4th of July Cards which are unique and inspirational. None of these are commercial cards by the way, all are people’s individual creative efforts. 
This digital collage is by Pamela027 on Flickr, it is so creative and inspiring.
I saw this on an ad for http://www.pasanellaandson.com, but I don’t think they created it. If so, my apologies to whomever made it for not giving you credit, it is a fabulous 4th of July message. I love words spelled out by sparklers, they are not that hard to do with a long exposure, yet so fun and creative.
This is creative 4th of July collage was again posted by Pamela027 on Flickr
This card was sent out as a shout out for the 4th of July by Daniel at DanielDunlapphoto.com
This digital art of a flag swirling around was done by Leoncillo Sabino and posted on Flickr.
This great dog (is it a basset Hound?) 4th of July card was also posted on Flickr by Komissarov
Oh why not post this one from OliviaMunn.com..she’s in the spirit of the 4th.
A 4th of July photo of a flag in front of the Brooklyn Bridge posted by Houry Photography on Flickr.
Audrey Elizabeth posted this 4th of July card on Flickr
And we will end where we bagan, with a sparkler spelling out “Happy 4th”, posted by Afaur on Flickr.
Happy 4th of July everyone.
Thursday, June 17
by Karen Robert
I am on a wedding kick right now since I have been designing Save-the-Date-Cards. Since I’ve been poking around so many wedding sites, I started coming across lots of funny and off-beat wedding portraits. I know wedding portraits don’t necessarily have much to do with cards. Funny portraits have more to do with my love of wacky and wonderful pictures. My thought is that maybe somebody would do take portrait like one of these below and make them into thank you notes for all of those amazing wedding presents people sent them. I love when people take a traditional concept and turn it around into something clever and fun. Everyone responds to people who take the initiative to be clever and fun. Right?
A deadpan wedding couple taken by Whitney Lee Photography
A bride and groom letting loose, taken by Whitney Lee Photography
Also by Whitney Lee Photography
Another fun wedding portrait by Whitney Lee Photography
This one is a bit odd. I guess I like odd.
This one is by White Rabbit Studios I think, I love it.
I belive this one I found at White Rabbit Studios, but I am not 100% sure, I can’t figure out where I found it. Sorry to the photographer!
White Rabbit Studios? Sorry, I can’t remember where it came from.
This one is a bit much, but funny.
This was taken by Superpirate who can be found on Flickr. They were imitating their wedding topper.
A bride and a groom take a break on their wedidng. Picture taken by CarbonSilver (gbenz) on Flickr
PIcture of a bride secretly wearing tennis shoes taken by Talking Tree on Flickr.
Fun couple acting goofy on their wedding day taken by Superpirate on Flickr.
A bride pretends to have put her groom in jail. Taken by Katherine (KAS photography) on Flickr.
If you have a fun portrait you took on your wedding day, please send it to me, I would be happy to include it on another posting.
