This year, we took some holiday photos of our own and I'm sharing ten tips if you want to try this yourself. In case you missed it, you can read the first part of this post HERE. Or read on for tips 6 through 10.

Tip no. 6 / Embrace interior photos this time of year.

Let's be real: a bunch of Californians trying to take a pretty photo outside in New England is not cute. I know because we attempted it a few weeks ago, and Ben looks like a hypothermic elf. It's not good. Also, holiday decorations are usually pretty abundant indoors. Plus, everyone's cozy and comfy. Just make sure you're using natural light when possible (see tip no. 6).

Tip no. 7 / Find the right light.

Our Christmas tree is situated in a great spot in our living room, sandwiched between windows on two sides. But when we tried taking pictures directly in front of the tree, we were getting all kinds of shadows on our faces because we getting the right light. So we shifted the tree a few feet and rotated our position so we were facing a window. It took just a minute to move the tree, but it was totally worth it.

Tip no. 8 / Watch out for weird backgrounds.

Initially, I set everyone up directly in front of the Christmas tree, which meant it was sticking straight out of Ben's head. Not cute. So after we shifted the tree, I positioned us off-center in front of it. Much better. Basically, make sure no one looks like they're wearing a wreath on top of their head and look to use asymmetry when it comes to tall trees.

Tip no. 9 / Take a bunch of photos.

This is especially true if kids are involved. Inevitably, someone's eyes are closed, someone's making a hair adjustment, someone looks half asleep. If you take a bunch of pics, your chances of having a good one in the bunch are a lot higher! We took thirty-two photos of the four of us before the baby imploded and melted down completely. Number 32 was pretty great, and there are some fun ones in the group. We're not all looking at the camera, but it's a shot that captures everyone well, so we'll take it!

Tip no. 10 / Get over your fear of having your photo taken.

I'm generally not a fan of having my picture taken, but I'm always so happy to actually have a photo with my husband or my kids or a friend or my sister. Since I'm usually the one behind the camera, I'm not in a lot of our family photos. Well, this is a great time of year to get over it, smile and preserve the memory of spending time with the ones you love.

What about you? Do you and your family or friends take photos this time of year? Do you have any helpful tips of your own?

If you found this post helpful, please share it and let me know if you have any questions. Good luck with your family photos!

In case you missed it, here's part one of this post.

tips for taking your own holiday family photos, part 2

Start simplifying your memories.

@catsaunders