Newbie taking Christmas Card Pics...any tips?

[helkat]

Hey all! I am planning on trying to get my kiddos to cooperate for Christmas pics in the next day or two.

I don't have anything fancy. I am using a 40D and I have a 430EX (which I honestly don't really know how to use).

I bought a black "faux suede" curtain panel from Wally World to use as a backdrop. I hope it works.

I am *hoping* to use my 85mm f/1.8 if I can get enough distance between myself and the kids...if not, I'll use my 50mm f/1.8.

Any suggestions? Hoping to work in the living room, which may not give me enough distance for the 85mm, but it has the best natural lighting.

[EOS_JD]

Keep the subject away from the background. The background should meter a stop or so under your subject to get that black.

get some nice red gold/silver colour in. Use a reflector to bounce light into your subjects. Bounce the flash off your ceiling. eep some distance from subject to background.

If you have a tree, try keeping the shutter speed slow to bring in some ambient light. Flash will light the subject.