Every year I create special photo-gifts for my family and close friends. For our family it’s a tradition to make photo-Christmas cards, and all those cards are treasured by my mom and by our relatives abroad. Photo gifts seem to be very popular in the UK and there are so many companies offering a great variety of choices for presents, like Christmas cards, mugs, phone cases, mouse mats, calendars, etc. etc . All of these items that can be customized with photographs. Photo presents are very unique and they show that you’ve put in a special effort to create them (rather than buying something ready-made in the shop).
Here are some tips on which photographs work best for Christmas presents.
1) Close-up portraits (of children or family)
This is a 100% hit, they can be simply put in a frame or used for any of the products mentioned above. Just make sure you get great expressions, and there is enough light on the faces.
2) Holiday snaps
These could be photos of you having fun on holidays or some special places you’ve visited in the past years. Blue sky and bright colours always look very effective on photo-gifts.
3) Christmas-spirited shots
Photos with Santa-hats, with a Christmas tree, or any other Christmassy items are always great, and can work really well for any of the photo gifts.
4) Beautiful photographs of nature
Last year I’ve used some of my photographs of flowers to made photo-coasters for my friends and family members. It’s always a pleasure to see them in use when I go and visit my friends. There are some great tutorials on YouTube on how to make DIY coasters using your own photographs.
Enjoy creating those special Christmas presents!