The economy is sure to make many families cut items off their holiday list. "With the state of the economy right now many families are pinching pennies anywhere they can," says Me Ra Koh, an award-winning photographer and creator of the Documenting a Child's Life DVD series (www.refusetosaycheese.com). "Many will probably forgo having professional pictures taken for their holiday cards this season. Taking your own professional looking photos of your family this holiday season will provide not only a great bonding experience, but will help your bottom line too."

Are professional holiday photographs not in the budget this year? With some tips from the experts, a camera and a little patience, an adorable picture of your baby to share with friends and family is a snap!

Many parents may feel intimidated or ill-equipped to take photos of their baby, especially if their camera has seen better days. But no worries, says Mary Catherine Hamelin, a photographer (www.marycatherinehamelin.com) from Brooklyn, N.Y. "I'm a firm believer that you don't need a fancy camera to make beautiful pictures," she says. "Some of my favorite shots of my own family have come from cheap point-and-shoot film cameras or my handier small digital camera."

Dion McInnis, a photographer (www.dionmcinnis.com) in League City, Texas, and author of Listen to Life: Wisdom in Life's Stories (Xlibris, 2005), says there are basically two aspects of a professional's portraits that stand out: lighting and expression. "An old saw in the portrait marketing business is 'ESP: Expression Sells Portraits,'" he says. "So if you want your images to look professional, pay attention to the lighting and the expression."

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