8 Simple Tips for Taking Great Holiday Photos from Nikon Canada

Most families have someone who is eager to document festive family fun. If this person happens to be you, here are a few photo tips to help in your quest to capture important memories for the perfect holiday photo album.

Get your gear in order
Nothing is more frustrating than missing that perfect holiday shot because you’ve run out of battery power or space on your memory card. Your child’s excited reaction to opening his or her gift is priceless and fleeting. If you miss that moment, it’s gone forever.

Tip: Charge your battery the night before. Most point-and-shoot camera batteries will allow you to take around 300 shots, while digital SLRs will capture anywhere from 600-900 shots. For many of us, this is plenty of juice to get the job done. If you think you need more, consider investing in a spare battery (and make sure it’s charged). That way you won’t waste time scouting for a power source or waiting for your battery to recharge.

Invest in a memory card that will meet your photo and video needs. Deciding which size of memory card to purchase is dependent upon many factors including the size of picture files, type of camera, and the number of megapixels on the camera’s sensor. For example, an 8GB card will store approximately 1,600 medium-sized “JPEG normal” images when using a 24-megapixel digital SLR. As a precaution, it’s always a good idea to keep a spare memory card in your camera case or purse.

Get that perfect food pic
Many people love taking and showing off pictures of their holiday feasts. However, making foodlook as delicious as it tastes can be tricky. You’ve invested significant time into perfecting your dishes, so take the time to capture great photos.

Tip: Play around with natural and artificial light sources to achieve the best light to make that plum pudding look as scrumptious as you know (or hope) it is. Consider using a camera with incredible low-light performance, or even adding a flash unit that allows you to manipulate light by bouncing it off of nearby walls or ceilings. With the right lighting, the colour and texture of food will be captured with everything you remember. For a twist on a traditional “food pic,” get the kids in on the fun. Capture their faces enjoying their favourite treats. Their smiles, and the icing smeared on their faces, will leave no doubt that your sugar cookies are scrumptious!

Get that perfect group shot

Gathering the little ones in one place and keeping them still is tough. And, the more people you have posing for a photo, the more likely it is that you’ll catch someone with their eyes closed or in mid-sentence.

Tip: Make life easier by using a camera with a high-speed continuous capture mode with a full AutoFocus (AF) mode to track fast-moving subjects to increase your chances of capturing that perfect shot with everyone’s eyes open and focused on the camera. Consider using Smart Photo Selector mode onNikon 1 cameras. This feature helps capture critical moments other cameras may miss by taking 20 shots with a single shutter press and presenting you with the five best shots. It’s also important to shoot at a high frames-per-second (fps) rate to capture as many shots as possible, ensuring your subjects get back to the holiday revelry ASAP.

Get that perfect angle
Capturing photo subjects at eye level can really transform a photo. Pictures of your kids playing in the snow will become even more dynamic when a camera lens is placed in the middle of the action.

Tip: When taking pictures of kids and pets, get down to their level. This vantage point will evoke a sense of intimacy in your images and make the action pop. Consider using a camera equipped with a swivel monitor that can tilt, flip and turn to just about any position so you can feel comfortable shooting from almost any angle. Perfect for “selfies” too!

Get that priceless reaction 

Sometimes, a still shot just isn’t enough to capture the emotions of moments like trimming the tree or performing in the annual holiday concert at school. Many digital cameras are now built with video-recording capabilities to capture the joy and excitement of the holidays.

Tip: Capture videos to complement your still images. This mix will allow you and your loved ones to re-live all those pleasant memories of the holiday season. Or, consider blending still images with a short video clip by taking advantage of Motion Snapshot technology, exclusive to the Nikon1 line of digital cameras. This function captures moments by combining motion, stills and sound to create a short, slow-motion video that ends with a single defining still image.

Get the kids snapping!

The holiday season is especially exciting for the little ones – let the magic of the season be seen through their eyes.

Tip: Give yourself a break and let the little ones take the photographer reigns for a bit. You may be surprised by the moments they capture. A durable, easy-to-use point-and-shoot is your best bet (you may not want to hand your HD-SLR over to just anyone!). Consider providing them with a shockproof and waterproof camera like the Nikon COOLPIX S31 as a worry-free, kid-friendly option that will preserve their memories for years to come and add a unique perspective to your holiday album.

Get sharing
All too often, we capture amazing moments just to have them sit on our memory cards or home computers. Looking through old and new photo collections is fun year-round, but the holidays really make us yearn to share those priceless shots with loved ones.

Tip: Why delay? Share your images with friends, family and your social network on the spot, so they can enjoy your holiday photos while still in the season. Sharing will ensure that your aunt living across the country and your brother halfway around the world feel like they’re a part of your festivities. There are a number of digital cameras with Wi-Fi capabilities that simplify the process of sharing high-quality images on Google+™, Facebook and Twitter, and sending shots directly to your smartphone or tablet. The Nikon D5300’s built-in Wi-Fi makes sharing a breeze, allowing you to wirelessly transfer photos to a smartphone, tablet or PC.

Savour the moment!
Don’t let the holiday season pass you by because you’re too busy looking at the LCD screen on your camera. Keeping your eyes glued to that screen might cause you to miss out on other photo opportunities or more importantly, precious holiday moments.

Tip: Review your shots after all the action is over! Avoid making a habit out of looking at every photo right after you take it. Simply soak in the moments and take photos when it feels natural.

Happy Halloween!!!!

Last night, Samantha ventured out for her first official Halloween! Yes, yes, I know technically her first Halloween was last year (and she made the cutest darn elephant!) but this was the first year she was physically able to go trick or treating!

Mother Nature certainly didn't make the decision easy though. With rain and crazy winds all day, I was beginning to think Samantha was going to stay home with me and help hand out candy to those brave souls who did venture out. But by trick or treat time the winds died down and the rain let up! So...we put on our rain boots and ventured out!

Though she was dressed as an owl, I think she may have qualified as a duck last night with all her rain gear on! But, she had SO much fun! I am so glad I made the decision to bring her out at the last minute.

At first she was a little timid, so we started off with some friendly neighbours that she knew and then it was impossible to get her to stay still! She was running everywhere...down the driveways, up to the doors, across the yards!

The cutest part was that when someone would try and put candy into her bucket, she would slowly move the bucket away from the person, as if they may take it from her. She wouldn't even let me carry it. That bucket had an ironclad grasp on it the whole time!

By the end, it was pretty dark and the rain was starting to pick up, so we ventured home to help hand out the rest of the candy at our house! Or maybe eat a few first...

Hoping everyone had a Happy Halloween! From my family to yours! 

Who Who's the Cutest Owl of Them All?!

Free digital greeting created with Smilebox

The Leaves are Falling!

This time last year, Samantha hadn't even learned to crawl through the leaves yet. At about 4 months old, I had to prop her up in her Bumbo so she wouldn't flop over for the picture. Trying to get her to look at the camera was certainly a challenge though, I just wasn't any competition for how how those crunched between her tiny little fingers! 

Well, it's amazing how things have changed in one year! She certainly is not my baby girl any more. Now, she not only crunches those leaves with her fingers, she can stomp through their crunchiness and even toss them in the air...well sort of (maybe not over her head). She has grown and changed so much.

I'm not sure when it happened, but it feels like she has grown into this independent toddler almost overnight. I love how she HAS to do everything on her own, especially if she sees me or Daddy doing it! Though, this can be both frustrating and amazing at the same time, depending on the mess involved. However, watching her help me rake the leaves and and then "jump" into them (or what I would probably call a speedy walk into the leaves and her squealing "AH!" and falling onto her bum into them) is simply priceless!

But please slow down my Baby Girl...Mommy still wants some baby girl snuggle time! 

I Am a Stay-At-Home Mom

There has been a lot of information, blogs and controversy flying around social media the last week about stay-at-home moms. It all started with a husbands blog post defending his wife as a stay-at-home mother, to other moms of all people!

Personally, I find it quite insensitive of those particular women to wonder what she does all day.

Without trying to offend any mother or father, I do understand that everyone makes their own choices for their own reasons. Some are lucky enough to be able to stay at home with their children, while some would prefer to go back to work and others have to go back to pay the bills.

When I am asked "When are you planning on going back to work", "Are you back to work yet" or "Where are you working now" it feels almost wrong for me to say I am a stay-at-home mom. As if staying at home and raising my daughter isn't considered work or it's taboo for me to stay at home while other mothers went back to their job.

Firstly, I would like to say that while I was on maternity leave, I was given a whopping $25/week to stay at home with my child during her first year! Yup, a whole $100/month! As a waitress, even though I paid taxes on my tips...that income was not considered for my maternity leave. Ya Canada...there are still cracks in your "new and improved" maternity benefits. So, my husband worked his butt off to make it possible for me to stay at home with our newborn daughter and not have to go back to work early, if at all.

We tried everything! Thankfully, I was able to find a "job" where I was able to bring Samantha to work with me, while he built his business. As the event planner for momstown KW, I was able to both socialize myself and Samantha, as well as get a few extra bucks in my wallet.

Now, Samantha is 15 months old and I am proud to stay that I am still at home with her!

Now, for those of you who ask "When do I plan on going back to work"...Raising my daughter is work! I am a chef. I am a nurse. I am a janitor. I am a CEO. I am a teacher. I am the one who wakes up at 2am...3am...4am and 5am to hold and rock our teething, sick or upset baby so that my husband can sleep, so I can stay at home another day.

Yes, there are days, many days, where I just want to escape and drown myself in a big glass bottle of wine. But I am a stay-at-home mom and that is work, that is my job and I plan on staying right here as long as I can! The memories that I have been able to witness and experience with Samantha are priceless and all the hard work I do on a daily basis make it everyday with her completely worth it.

...On a side note, according to calculations done by Salary.com I should be making 6 figures! Personally, I consider myself a millionaire everyday!

Nikon COOLPIX AW110: Actively Outdoorsy!

OK, so I think that Nikon Canada has completely spoiled me. I have had the chance to try the COOLPIX S30, the Nikon1 J3 and now the COOLPIX AW110!


I always try and look at each camera from a mothers perspective. I am by no means a professional photographer, I simply see with my heart and try and capture that moment so I can remember it forever.

The Nikon COOLPIX AW110 is a great family friendly camera. It is not only shock proof...so when tiny fingers find it and decide to play with it and then drop it, you are worry free! Or when you are trying to juggle a diaper bag, car keys, and a tired fussy and teething toddler...if the camera happens to bump into the door you are trying to open, no harm is done!

It's also Waterproof, though we never got a chance to try this feature (insert sad face here) and freezeproof. I can't believe I'm about to put this out into the universe, but that feature almost makes me wish it was Winter so we could play outside with the camera in the snow!

This camera truly would be an amazing outdoor camera! Great for going on hikes, bike rides, swimming, camping, really any outdoor activity that you need a durable camera to keep up with you!

 I must say though, after trying out the the COOLPIX S30 and the Nikon1 J3, the COOLPIX AW110 wasn't my favorite camera. Not that I'm complaining, this camera was still great, but I felt like it wasn't the most user friendly camera. Though there are a lot of different preset settings you could use to capture that special moment, I found that trying to find the correct one for that particular moment not only took time, but some of the settings also took some time to "process" the picture. I guess sometimes more is not better.

I also found that it was hard to focus on an object and, for whatever reason, just could not get the zoom to "super zoom in". Which would have been great while we were on our walk and say an Osprey perched in the trees!

But while at the butterfly garden, the sharpness and clarity of the pictures were amazing! I just love the way the COOLPIX AW110 picked up on the various shades of color and the textures! 

I also loved the panorama option too! It was perfect to see the apple orchard when we went apple picking!

It also had a neat built-in slide show. At first I was taken a back by it a bit, because I didn't understand why my pictures kept changing while trying to view them...lol...but then I realized and was able to take advantage of it while showing the pictures to my grandmother, who is not tech savvy in the least!

And though I prefer photography over videography, Samantha seemed to enjoy capturing her toes against our wood floors. Not the best example of what this camera's video is capable of, but with the Full HD camera, you can see just how cute those piggies look!

All-in-all, for the price range this camera is a great family-friendly camera that I would suggest for the amateur mommy photographer. Play with the camera and then find your favorite features before you try and capture those precious moments of your family.

Here are a few more of my favourite moments I got to capture with the Nikon COOLPIX AW110!

So from my family, to yours I truly hope you enjoy your Nikon COOLPIX AW110! 

For more information on it click here! 

Thank you again to Nikon Canada and Strategic Ampersand for helping me to 

capture and preserve my families memories, smiles and laughter! 

Now I understand why Nikon is "at the heart of the image"

Nana's Homemade Pizza Soup!

Growing up, our family didn't exactly roll in the money. My mother must have been so stressed out, as a single mother of two, working part time AND going back to school to get her nursing degree, she had a lot on her plate. She truly is an inspiration to me.

Unfortunately, as much as she had on her plate, we often had little on our dinner plates. Not that we starved or were undernourished, but dinner was always a "Mama what's-in-the-fridge Creation". So, come dinner time, as many families do, my mother would look in the fridge and cupbards and say to herself "OK, how am I going to make for dinner tonight?" She is truly a whiz in the kitchen, making the most delicious meals out of barely nothing! Something, I have yet to master...

One night, along came Pizza Soup! This dinner quickly became our family favourite and I am happy to say that that has not changed at all in the Laur family! Last night, I could not feed Samantha dinner fast enough! And in between each bite she would wiggle and giggle for more!

Well, there are just some recipes that should not be kept a secret!

Nana's Homemade Pizza Soup

Ingredients

1 Pepperoni, sliced

1 can of mushrooms, drained

1 can of diced tomatoes

1 can of beef broth

1 green pepper, chopped

garlic, parsely, oregano and basil

dinner buns

grated mozzarella cheese

Simply combine the top 6 ingredients into a large soup pot and simmer over med for 20-30min. 

Taste at about 5 min and add more herbs as necessary. 

Serve in a large bowl and top with mozzarelle! Add a dinner bun on the side (to dip and eat, yummy!)

Can you believe it? That's it! Ta Da...Nana's Homemade Pizza Soup! 

I hope your family enjoys it as much as mine does! 

Please feel free to comment below and give me your feedback or how you modified it for your family!