SIMPLE SOLUTION It’s not easy to squeeze all your friends and extended family into one holiday-gathering shot. But if your lens includes a wide-angle setting, this is the time to use it. A 28-mm-equivalent setting is minimally sufficient; 24-mm is better.

Set the camera to program mode. Arrange your group as a triangle, with short or seated people on the ends, heads tilted toward the middle (to avoid distortion). Taller or standing people should be in the middle. If there are too many people to fit into one row, see the serious solution. To add a vintage holiday feel to your portraits, use the setting for sepia tones if your camera has one. Reduce red eye by placing a light behind you.

SERIOUS SOLUTION Set the flash to the highest power ­available--the idea is to light the largest area you can. If you’re shooting more than one row of people, using a higher f-stop ­setting increases the depth of field (focus range). Experiment with slower shutter speeds to allow more background light into the picture, but still use the flash.