1. Use high resolution.
For photos that you do not want to print, low resolution is great! But if you are taking a picture that you are going to want to print out for your album or scrapbook, or to give as a gift to your mother for her upcoming birthday, you will get a better printed image with a higher resolution. If you need to buy an extra memory card so that you have the storage room, splurge on yourself and buy one.

2: Get close up.
Create impact by getting up close. The picture will look totally different with your subject up close and personal than it will with them just fitting into the background.

3. Don’t use the “Auto” setting.
Take control of your camera and your pictures. Doing it manually you are likely to get different and more interesting shots. For portraits, use low aperture – around 2.8. For landscapes, use high aperture – around 16. Don’t be afraid to experiment.

4. Change your angle.
Don’t just stand in front of your subject. Try kneeling down in front of your subject, laying down and taking the picture from the ground, or standing up high on a chair or on a second floor balcony. Have your family stand on the stairs and take pictures from the side as well as the bottom of the stairs.

5. Don’t center your picture.
There is no rule that your friend or family member have to be in the center of the picture. You can get a great picture by angling it so that your subject is to the left or right side. You can have him sit on top of a sturdy table and take the picture so that the table is included and your subject is just in the top frame of the picture. Play around, experiment and have fun!

Relax
Try to stay relaxed. If you feel tense your body will look tense and you will create hard lines that make a picture look stiff. If you are relaxed you are more likely to have a natural expression and smile in your photograph.

Angle Yourself
If you are standing up, turn slightly and rest your weight on one foot. If you are sitting, angle to one side or the other. This will give an added dimension to your pictures.

Smile Small
Many people do not like huge smiles on themselves. Often a big grin will make you look like you are squinting which will throw off the picture. Learn how to look natural by only slightly smiling or smiling about 3/4 of the way. You can have a beautiful smile only showing a small amount of teeth. Being relaxed will also help you accomplish this smile.

Don’t Look Directly At the Camera
Always look above the lens and not directly at the lens. This will help avoid the appearance of red-eye and will also help you look a little less posed and more natural. Looking up will also help raise your chin just a little bit so that you will not have an appearance of having a second chin.

Whiten Your Teeth
If you have time use a teeth whitener for a few days before your pictures are to be taken. While these are normally not permanent, they will make your teeth look nice and white long enough for you to take a great picture.

Dress for Success
Many pictures that you see you are able to say just from the clothes, “That picture was taken in the 50′s or 60′s.” In order to dress timelessly avoid clothes that are patterned or contain ruffles, frills or big sleeves. Wear simple, solid colored clothes that look timeless.

Check Your Mood
Be sure you are in a good mood when you go to get your pictures taken. If you are upset, overly tired, or just not feeling happy it will be hard to relax and hard to take a good picture. If you have pictures scheduled for a day when you are in a bad mood, consider rescheduling them.