Here’s a few pointers for beautiful DIY family pictures this season:

Natural light is the most complimentary. You don’t get flash burn and red eye, and things beyond 10 feet away don’t disappear into blackness. But most people are inside on Christmas, opening presents, playing, scarfing down a delicious holiday meal. So when’s the best time to take pictures, and how do you take advantage of natural light when it’s freezing out?

1) With pajamas on and holding up new presents, have kids, wife, dog, parrot stand in the doorway of the house facing outside. Run outside (bundle up if need be) and take their picture . Do lots of variations with everyone jumping, poking each other, having fun. Capture their authentic happiness. Think of the film strip machine at malls that give you a strip of pictures that are all slightly different. They’re fun, and they encourage being funny. Switch places with your spouse. If there’s a willing neighbor next door, ask her to come take the pictures. The key is to take more than one, because invariably someone has closed eyes, is moving, is blocked by someone else, etc. But if you have five pictures, one might be perfect!

2) Later in the day find a big window in the house with a lot of light coming in. Preferably on ground floor. Group the kids together or take individual pictures of them looking out the window. (Yes, you need to go outside again). It’s a plus if there’s icicles or snow on the window panes, even if you can barely see the face looking out. But the face will be nicely lit by the sun and that’s what counts. A Santa hat would be cute or have your kid hold up or adorn herself with decorations from the Christmas tree.

Picture to come!