4. Older children are really good at dressing up for photos. The hardest thing will be getting a natural smile from them. Say, “cheese” is a sure fire way to get a fake smile. Most of us learned young to smile automatically at that cue. Here you have to get silly. One time I was working with a young boy and his older sister. She was a natural smiler and loved being dressed up. He was not happy and kept pulling at his tie. His mother straightened it for tenth time. I posed them and addressed young boy I said, “Now on count of three I want you to say, “I hate this tie!” His sister smiled surprised at what I said, and he grinned. I took photo. He then screamed, “I hate this tie!” Again both smiled wide and I took a second photo. The images turned out beautiful.

I hope these tips help you to take better photos of your child. With a little practice and a few tips you’ll see better family photos immediately.

If you have some specific questions please visit my Photography Forum at: http://kellypaalphotography.com/v-web/bulletin/bb/index.php and post your question there.

There's really only a couple of rules you'll need to keep in mind when shopping for dog clothes. One is that if dog in question is an avid chewer, you should avoid buying him anything too tempting. Shiny buttons, fringe, and feathers are examples that come to mind. An object that can easily be chewed off and swallowed becomes a choking hazard or can get stuck in dog's digestive tract. 

The other rule is that any dog, no matter how tolerant, will be more comfortable wearing clothes that fit. Proper fit typically requires measuring from dog's collar to base of her tail for length. Most garment's girth can be adjusted with velcro tabs, but could still be an issue with a barrel-chested breed such as a bulldog. Measurements are in inches.

Remember that a dog will never "diet down" into an outfit that's too small , or -- unless you're shopping for a puppy or a pregnant female -- "grow into" an item that's too big. (Sorry, Grandma.)

Oh, and one more thing--if you're handy with a sewing machine, you can make your own dog clothes creations. Just don't forget to include an opening for dog to relieve himself. Don't laugh, it happens a lot!

Now, if you're shopping for your own dog, you're all set. If you're buying clothes for someone else's dog, I've got a few more tips for you.

Surveys conducted on subject of gift preferences of men and women have shown that men prefer gifts that are more playful or practical. So, if dog's owner is male this might translate into a doggie Harley jacket or a reflective hunting vest (more on practical clothing in another article!).

Women, on other hand, prefer gifts that are beautiful, memorable, and personal--except if woman is someone you don't know well. The more distant relationship between giver and receiver, riskier it is to give a personal gift. So, be they man or woman, if you don't know dog owner very well, you probably shouldn't be buying dog clothes. This leaves us with woman who's a loved one, dear friend, or close personal acquaintance. It shouldn't be hard to find an item for her dog that's either beautiful or memorable or both, and it will of course be personal!

Well, I hope you'll have fun picking out something nice for canine on your shopping list. If you get a chance, send me a photo. I love cute doggie pics and I'll add them to my site. Think of it as a gift that I'm sure to appreciate!