One of my family’s favorite traditions is going through photographs we have of Christmases past. In old photo albums, you can find a 5-year-old version of me, still in my pj’s, holding a Hungry Hungry Hippos game overhead in triumph; me and my three siblings, sporting an array of now laughable trends, lined up on the couch; my grandfather standing next to the outdated aluminum tree he insisted on displaying every year.

One thing’s for sure: I hardly remember the gifts I received on Christmas morn, but I know me and my family had good times. We’ve got the pictures to prove it.

So, when Christmas comes around this year, be sure to capture the look on the kids’ faces when they open up their gifts from “Santa.” Don’t miss Grandma making the rounds to pinch cheeks and administer hugs. And if Mother Nature cooperates, be ready to document the impromptu snowball fight in the front yard.

Whatever the day brings, those special moments won’t be forgotten.

Share Your Favorite Christmas Memories

Show us your holiday spirit by uploading a favorite holiday picture and a short description to Facebook, and then share it on Inkubook’s wall.

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Kids are always in a hurry to grow up so fast. Few things are cooler when you are young than getting to do grownup things. From helping dad fix the car, to wearing mom’s makeup and high heels, children often aspire to be just like their parents.

Sons’ and daughter’s admiration for their parents is the inspiration behind look-alike Inkubooks. Next time you and your future slugger are throwing the ball in the backyard, get some pictures of the two of you both wearing your gloves and baseball hats. Or this year, when you and your little chef make holiday cookies, snap a photo of the two of you with the inevitable flour on your faces.

Look-alike Inkubooks don’t have to be limited to recent pictures though. Scan in old yearbook photos of yourself, and compare them to pictures of your kids today to give a past-meets-present feel to the book. The similarities might be more surprising than you think.

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Don’t fret if you missed the chance to get your holiday cards out in December. Buck tradition and surprise friends and family with a “Happy New Year” card.

We say a new year is plenty reason to say “hey” to all those people on your mailing list. But if you want more incentive, here’s why the Inkubook team is in favor of the New Year’s greeting card:

• Unique: Inkubookers like to stand out. Most people send out greeting cards in December, so your card will be a sweet surprise to ring in the new year.
• Versatile: “Happy New Year” is the new “Season’s Greetings.” No matter what religious holidays your friends and family celebrate, a new year’s card sends just the right message.
• Fun: Since you’re not tied to a specific holiday, you can get creative with your card. Inkubook has loads of backgrounds to choose from, no matter what sort of feel you’re going for:

Don’t drop the ball! Be one of the first to welcome your auld (and new) acquaintances into 2012 by making your photo greeting cards today (and check out Facebook and Twitter for our latest promotions so you can save when you send).

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Looking for a last-minute gift idea for that deserving educator in your life? Inkubook has you covered.

Everyone has photos that they’ve been meaning to use for something special, so whether for the Sunday school teacher or the high school math instructor, an Inkubook gift certificate will be one present they’ll be sure not to return.

• Inkubook gift certificates can be printed and wrapped or delivered instantly to the recipient via email. Plus, they never expire!

Go to our site now to treat teach to an Inkubook gift certificate.

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If you follow us on Facebook or Twitter, you’ll see we post a lot of links to articles about how to take better photos. The better the photo the less likely you are to hit delete, erasing it from your phone or camera and sometimes your memory. Better photos also make for better sharing via cards, calendars and books.

Below are a few tips pulled directly from articles we’ve linked to (and the links to them) I’ve found helpful in my quest to improve my photography.

Contrast

“Keep it simple! Just as too many cooks spoil the pot, too many visual elements are just as certain to ruin to the photo. Limit the number of elements and subjects in your compositions to what you can easily comprehend in a glance. It runs counter to logic, but the human eye lingers longer over the simpler shot while often “sliding off” more intricate shots. So stick to a maximum of three or four fields of color or texture at any one time.” (Pipedreamergrey, http://www.brighthub.com/multimedia/photography/articles/12793.aspx)

Color

““Black and white is the best way to learn photography, and in my experience, it’s the photography we all go back to,” said Mr. Versace. “If I had my druthers, I’d never shoot another color photograph as long as I live.” That is because without color to “distract,” he said, a photographer has to learn composition and the skill of capturing a story.” (Roy Furchgott, http://gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/03/five-tips-to-get-great-black-and-white-photos/)

Lighting

“I love lighting and it impacts the scene. I also love how I can manipulate the lights to achieve the results I’m looking for.” (Brice Burton, http://weeklyphototips.blogspot.com/2011/10/check-out-these-images.html)

Pose vs. Candid

“Have fun! — Posed images are nice, but your friends and family want to see the real you. Take plenty of images, and even consider using some funny outtakes to show your family’s silly side.” (Kristy Korcz,  http://www.geeksugar.com/Photography-Tips-Holiday-Cards-20245326)

Reflection

“Do rainy days and Sundays get you down? Don’t let them: embrace the photo opportunities afforded by the puddles. The rain is as much a part of the story of your holiday as the food you ate and the sights you saw. Use reflections wherever possible for a different take on otherwise well-known scenes.” (Nik Rawlinson, http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/cameras-and-camcorders/50-essential-photography-tips-50006080/)

Captions

Captions aren’t technically part of the photo taking process, but they are important in recording history.  A short blurb containing some key information will be the trigger you need to remember the photo’s significance down the road. Nothing to quote here, simply something I’ve learned since becoming a mother. But as a mother, in 5 years are you going to remember this picture was her first taste of chocolate?

Create a photo blurb: First taste of chocolate

Hope you find something helpful in these tips and links. Happy snapping.

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There’s one seasonal spectacle that kids everywhere consider an unofficial winter holiday – the snow day. Remember the excitement of waking up to a fresh blanket of snow, flipping on the radio, and listening through the alphabetical list of schools just hoping to hear yours roll off the DJ’s tongue? We do! Here at Inkubook, we can’t help but reminisce about how special those days were and how much fun they brought.

So in anticipation of the upcoming cold spell that’s sure to sweep over us as fall leaves turn to winter flurries, take a moment to prep for upcoming snow days by charging your camera and making a checklist of everything you’ll need to seize the snow day. Here’s our list of favorite ways to celebrate:

• Go sledding – scout out a big hill close to home
• Construct a snow fort
• Build a snowman – with a hat, scarf and all the trimmings
• Take a stroll through the snow-covered park
• Have a snowball fight
• Go ice skating (if the water is frozen solid, of course)
• Warm back up with a hot mug of cocoa and some holiday cookies

It’s not often that we’re given a free day to enjoy the season and spend time with the ones we love; and that’s what makes snow days so special. So make the day memorable, show how big of a kid you still are and have some fun. Just make sure to take some pictures along the way so you can remember it all.

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