Take your own family photos.

• Position: Christmas Cards - Brief article

Renowned shutterbug Jennifer Chaney has teamed up with MyPublisher.com to offer tips for taking your best photos for those personalized Christmas cards--without hiring a professional photographer:

Pick the right time of day. Early mornings and late afternoons are when the sunlight casts a warm glow.

Location, location, location. Outdoors provides the perfect backdrop. If a more traditional look is preferred, head to a mall and use the decorations that already are in place.

What to wear. The key to a good family portrait is coordinating outfits, not matching ones.

Let go of perfection. Instead of pressuring kids to pose, sit back and let them be who they are. The resulting photos will be wonderful--and not forced looking.

Have fun. Let your family interact naturally--you are sure to get happy faces. Bring your pot if possible because it will give everyone something to play with...