Kristi has made many attempts to corral her kids for a photo to put in their holiday cards. Unfortunately, she's never been able to pull it off. There's the red eyes, the squirming and her toddler never seems to stay put for long! Watch the video above to see the chaos unfold.

To help Kristi get a decent photo of her kids this year, children's photographer Donna Padowitz offers these tips on getting the best out of your children when the camera goes off.

• If you're shooting people or moving things, you want to be able to capture that moment quickly. Avoid a long delay by setting your camera to its fastest shutter speed or look for a camera with the least amount of delay.

• Remember that children are not models. It's hard enough just getting them to sit still so don't try to get them to remain in a certain pose for long. One's hard, two's difficult ... three of them can be really challenging!

• A great way to set them up around a Christmas tree is to put them in a "choo-choo train" formation. That way, they're close enough together so they'll all fit in the frame.

• Don't ask them to smile or be happy, the key is to make them happy. Make them laugh or distract them. Tickle them, be goofy! They'll forget they're in front of the camera and just have fun. That's what you want, a natural smile or laugh.

• If you can, get someone to help you out so you can capture the moment while your "assistant" gets their attention.