Parenting Healthy

3 Ways to Improve Your Photographs For Christmas Day — Photo by Anthony Cantin on Unsplash

Christmas is the time to connect with our friends and family, eat together, exchange gifts, and play games. One of the best ways to immortalise these memories is by taking pictures, and you’ll find that even the most camera-shy among us want to be snapped in their Christmas party hat.

However, it’s important to ensure these photos are of the highest possible quality. This way, you will be able to look back on them in years to come and remember the happy memories. Let’s take a look at how to improve your photographs for Christmas Day.

Choose The Right Camera Settings

Camera settings can seem intimidating to those of us without much photography experience or knowledge. However, they are actually fairly simple to understand, and knowing how to best optimise your camera settings will allow you to take much better photos at Christmas and beyond.

You’ll need to think about things like exposure, focus, white balance, and colour balance. Many modern cameras and camera phones will set these for you automatically, leaving you free to snap away. But to get the best results, you should take the time to manually adjust these settings to best suit your particular situation.

Choosing the right settings will give you high-quality, professional-looking photos that can be uploaded to your social media and then printed into a collection by using a photo book maker.

Pick The Best Subjects

Christmas can be fun, but it can also be a hectic time. A house full of extended family members can get rowdy in good ways as well as bad. It can be easy to take photographs of everything in sight, but the best way to improve your photos is by choosing your subjects carefully.

Think about form and composition and watch how things like light and colour interact with one another. Instead of trying to take a photo that captures the entire scene at once, focus on individual moments and build up a collection of singular memories that can be grouped together to represent the full Christmas experience.

Head Outside

Christmas doesn’t just need to be spent indoors. Heading outside for some fresh air can be the perfect way to clear the head after a busy day and can help you get a head start on working off that extra festive weight.

Make sure to bring your camera outside with you. Taking some outdoor pictures can act as the perfect accompaniment to snaps of indoor festivities. If you’ve been lucky enough to have a white Christmas and there’s snow on the ground, even better! Take some pictures in the snow to complete your Christmas collection. Just remember to wrap up warm!

Conclusion

Everyone loves a Christmas photo. Whether you’re printing them, posting them on social media, or giving them away to friends and family, ensuring your photos are the very best they can be is incredibly important. Use the correct camera settings, choose the perfect subject, and head outside for some snowy snaps.

All In: Miracle at St. Bernard’s film about Faith, Family and Football

December 12, 2022December 12, 2022 Erin Sluka

All In: Miracle at St. Bernard’s is a film by Gregg Backer & Evan Kanew, releasing on VOD December 13th! This was such a heartwarming film that speaks to the value of high school athletes, faith and community support. 2018 was a winning season at St Bernard’s in Fitchburg, Massachusetts despite rumors that their school is in dire financial crisis and in jeopardy of closing down for good after serving their community for multiple generations.

I went to Catholic school from grades 1-9. It was small and survived off dioceses support. If less families come to church and donate, the funds are hard to supplement. It is hard to support a financially failing school and St Bernard’s had to get very creative in only 1 year to try and save their school.

I couldn’t imagine my school closing back when I attended Catholic school myself. We were all close- we were small classes and we learned and prayed together as well as saw each other in mass on the weekends. Shutting down a Catholic school is like splitting families up. It is the saddest phenomenon that seems plaguing across the country. The neighboring school, who they played in the 2018 championship game, sent letters to families informing them of their closure. St Bernard’s would be the single Catholic school left in the area unless they also fail to raise funds. Then an idea hit….

The synopsis of All In: Miracle at St. Bernard’s is about faith, family and football. This documentary chronicles a tiny, 100-year-old Catholic school in Fitchburg, Massachusetts struggling with insolvency
yet defying the odds at a time when the Church was shuttering similar institutions nationwide.

It’s the underdog story of a working-class community and the state’s smallest football program rallying in pursuit of an impossible goal: to save their school from closure by the Church.

The Bernardians faithful needed a miracle. So they set about creating one. All In follows the
dramatic campaigns to raise money and enrollment as well as a magical football season
that together saved a beloved institution.

Watch All In: Miracle at St. Bernard’s on VOD (Video On Demand) channels. Amazon link to watch!

Movies Reviews

Catch 5000 BLANKETS exclusively in theaters for 2 days only

December 10, 2022December 10, 2022 Erin Sluka

Many thanks to Sony Pictures for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.

Catch 5000 BLANKETS exclusively in theaters for 2 days only

The Holidays is a great time to think about and practice service towards others. To get you into the spirit, 5000 Blankets is a heart-warming movie about giving to those in need. Gather the kids and head to the theaters this week. You can only see it for 2 days!

Movie Synopsis: Inspired by a remarkable true story, 5000 BLANKETS is filled with hope and highlights the power of family and faith. When her husband has a mental break-down and goes missing, a woman and her young son set out to find him on the streets, sparking a movement of compassion towards those in need and inspiring a city.

See 5000 Blankets in theaters 2 days only! December 12 & 13!

Buy tickets here -> https://www.fathomevents.com/events/5000-Blankets

Enter to win

1 US winner will win a $10 Amazon gift code, courtesy of Sony Pictures. Enter below and a winner will be drawn December 14, 2022!

Entry -Form

Healthy Living

Your Skin After Pregnancy – How to Navigate Postpartum Changes

December 1, 2022July 6, 2023 Erin Sluka

Eight out of ten women experience stretch marks after giving birth, and those who don’t may notice that their skin isn’t quite the same as it used to be, according to University of Missouri Health Care. With additional postnatal skin changes including dry, itchy skin and even postpartum changes like acne can prove to be stressful to deal with – especially right after having your baby. From the issues that can arise to what causes them – and how you can go about creating a new skincare regimen, here’s what you should know.

New skin challenges and their causes

While many new mothers may expect to experience some loose abdominal skin following pregnancy, other changes to the skin may not be expected. Postpartum dry skin is just one skin issue that many new mothers may experience. According to Baby Center, fluctuations in hormones like progesterone and estrogen can change the skin’s texture, which can cause dryness. Postpartum acne is another skin-related concern that many new mothers may face. Healthline notes that developing acne – both during and after pregnancy – is a normal occurrence, and states that breakouts are generally due to changes in progesterone levels (as higher hormone levels increase the production of sebum). While sebum is necessary for healthy skin, too much of it can lead to oiliness – and unwanted breakouts. However, Healthline goes on to point out that progesterone isn’t the only cause of postpartum acne, as increased stress levels can also be a trigger.

Making changes to your skincare routine

When looking to address postpartum skin issues, a combination of lifestyle changes and making changes to your skincare regime can help. For example, managing postpartum acne can be as simple as staying hydrated, ensuring to remove any makeup before bed, and regularly washing your face. Healthline notes that doctors typically recommend using topical medications as a first-line treatment for acne when breastfeeding, though it’s important to not apply any to the chest area so that your baby doesn’t come into contact with the medication.

Regarding dry skin, What to Expect notes that regularly moisturizing (after showering and before bed) and staying properly hydrated can both help. Using a humidifier can also help when looking to remedy dry postpartum skin, and avoiding harsh soaps as well as hot baths/showers can aid in preventing irritation and further dryness. What to Expect also points out that about 5 to 10 percent of women in the U.S. develop a condition called ‘postpartum thyroiditis,’ which is an inflammation of the thyroid gland following pregnancy, making it essential to talk with your doctor in order to determine if this is the case.

Another problem is weight gain, especially cellulite. It is so difficult to combat postpartum cellulite, however, there are a lot of ways worth trying. The first thing you should consider is establishing a healthy and balanced diet. A regular exercise routine of various combinations of exercise can help you lose fat, especially in the legs and abdomen. To support healthy skin you can find more tips on reducing cellulite in the stomach. In order to see results it is necessary to be patient and adopt a comprehensive treatment method.

The benefits of prescription skincare

In some cases, prescription skincare products may be a route worth considering, especially if over-the-counter products don’t seem to help treat your postpartum skincare issues. Prescription skincare products use prescription strength ingredients that are medically tested via studies, medical trials, and research, making for a skincare solution that you won’t be able to find in stores. Skin dullness (which can arise from issues like dehydration, skin texture, and acne) as well as acne, breakouts, and scarring from acne as well as overall skin health are all issues that can benefit from prescription skincare. Strength and effectiveness are the primary advantages of prescription skincare, according to The Cleveland Clinic, which goes on to explain that prescription-grade products are able to work their way past the surface layers of the skin, thus allowing the product to work better.

Navigating changes in your skin as a new mother can be stressful and even overwhelming, though it’s important to realize that not only are issues like dryness and acne normal, but also manageable. From lifestyle changes to topical solutions, even prescription skincare can offer a solution.