1. Chop heads every time you take a picture? No problem, the next time you're the photog, look carefully in the little camera window and make sure everyone's heads are safely within the square window's edges.

2. Pick a candid moment. Don't wait for people to pose: funny, unexpected shots are always more memorable. Like the time when Tita Remedios opened her mouth wide and there was this fly . . . you get the idea.

3. Don't be shy to take someone's picture. If you feel like you need to ask grumpy old Uncle Herminigildo's permission before taking his photo, and you're already quaking in your shoes at the thought, request one of your cousins or one of the other grown-ups to ask permission for you.

4. Eye-Mo for red eyes. Don't fret if you sometimes end up with photos where people's eyes are glowing a creepy red. Even professional photogs can have that problem. This usually happens when there isn't enough light and your subject stares straight at the camera. To solve this problem, just always take pictures in bright, well-lighted areas. If you really don't have a choice, take a dramatic shot by asking the person to have a "starry-eyed" dreamy look so that he doesn't stare directly at the camera.

5. To kiss blurry pictures bye-bye, ask your parents to buy you a film marked ASA-400. This film works best for bright and not-so-bright pictures plus it has a speed that is perfect for the hullabaloo of a Christmas party.

6. Another way to prevent your pix from looking like you took them from a whirlpool, is to support the hand holding the camera with your other hand. One reason photos get blurry is because your hand accidentally moves. If you're holding the camera with your right hand, for example, grip your right wrist with your left hand. Or you can cup your left hand to the bottom of the camera instead. Remember to click the camera button by just moving your finger and not your whole hand.

7. Try getting unique shots by standing on a chair and taking everyone's pic while they're sitting down. You can also lie down on the floor and have your cousins stand up and look down at you for a really wacky photo. Do close-ups. Experiment! Do close-ups of someone's paella-filled teeth (okay, we're kidding about the paella part)!