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I've found that at many photo studios I get a photographer that doesn't know what they need to be doing, are rude and don't listen to what I want or are in a I've got better things to do than take photos of your brats. Has that happened to you? Since we had kids I have sent out photo Christmas cards. I always use photos that I have taken myself for our cards. I have used the posed shots and then I have used the not a posed shot but shows the true character of my boys kind of photos.

So far my favorite card that we have sent out was the one from last year.

It's a Shutterfly card! But that's not the reason I love it. I love it because I took pretty darn good photos of my 2 boys myself. I took a white bed sheet and draped it over our closet and a dresser and had the boys pose together. I thought they did really well given that it was right before nap time and they were not cooperating very much. Not to shabby for someone with little to no photography skills. I say it was a little know how and a lot of luck.

Professional photos are nice but you can definitely show off your DIY skills with a photo shoot in your den or back yard. Years before  I was not happy with the photos I had on hand to use for the card but I had also waited 'til the last minute to get a card made so I had to use the best of the worst so to speak. Shutterfly is doing Family Photo Days throughout the month of November to get your inspiration fired up to create a family photo that you know right off the bat that is 'The One' early enough that you can create the perfect holiday card in plenty of time to have it sent out not last minute. You can read all the Shutterfly family photo tips to get the perfect shot for your card.

disclaimer: I will receive free photo cards for participating in the Shutterfly Family Photo Day campaign. Thoughts and opinions in this post are those of Shanaka at Mama Bee Does. There was no money given for this post.