Messy People Have More Creative And Productive Minds, Science Says
While science may well say this, I’ve got to
admit after deciding that I had ‘no room to swing a cat’ with my stuff
everywhere, that I’ve taken some time during this COVID-19 lock-in to
plan and execute my office clean-up! Along with that office clean up,
I’ve reorganized my external storage, my raw image archiving, and my
general day-to-day workflow, and I wanted to share that process with
you.
I’ve been using a large external ‘DAS’ for a good while – a raid
array (external disk) with a Thunderbolt 3 connection. Without spending a
shed-load of cash on a very expensive cable, I wasn’t able to get it a
suitable distance away from my workspace.
So,
all of those pretty glowing blue lights and the accompanying whir of
drives had to be right beside me. Not necessarily a terrible thing –
it’s a very well behaved Raid array – however, it wasn’t very quiet.
And, it was kinda ugly in my new small, streamlined office.
I had the idea to ‘kill the clutter’ and switch to a complete NAS
(Network Attached Storage) setup with a single direct attached drive at
the back of my iMac.
Then I tucked the second NAS away in my “server room” (a cupboard in
the corner of my office with some powerpoints and a Cat6 patch panel).
This would move the big whirring, glowing drive out of my office
space and tuck my main image archiving server away, out of sight.
I also added a second monitor to my setup, a stunning 27″ EIZO. I highly recommend checking them out! It’s very easy on the eye.
So I loaded six of my regular-flavor hard disks into the Synology DS1618, the 6tb WD Red disks – the same drives I have in all of my Synology NAS gear.
Setting the NAS up using Synology’s SHR (Synology Hybrid Raid) and
splitting my data across the drives for some hardware failure
redundancy, is a very simple process I’ve written about here.
My workflow with the second NAS has changed considerably and, after a
month or so of testing, is working exactly as I’d like it to.
Now when I import from an SD card, I import directly into my external USB-C disk (Invariably, a G-Technology
4-8TB) and at the same time import to my backup location which is an
identical library on the freshly installed Synology DS1618, where
previously I’d import to the blue whirring beast (It was a Promise R8,
an amazing unit, but just not what I wanted in my new space) and the
USB-C drive. Over Cat6 the import of RAW files to my NAS doesn’t
register as taking too long and hasn’t bothered me once.
Now, when I import from an SD card, I import directly into my external USB-C disk (invariably, a G-Technology
4-8TB) and to my backup location – an identical library on the freshly
installed Synology DS1618. Previously I’d import to the USB-C drive and
the blue whirring beast (a Promise R8. An amazing unit, but just not
what I wanted in my new space). Over Cat6, the import of RAW files to my NAS doesn’t register as taking too long and hasn’t bothered me once.
Indirect benefits of the NAS running DSM as a second image
storage location are, I can put any RAW files (or all of them), after
conversion by the NAS, into a piece of Synology software called
“PhotoStation.” This automagically creates good-looking web albums and
can group and organize your photos in many ways. In this modern age of
never printing anything and having dinner-table arguments discussions about ‘never seeing any of the photos we take’ is a very good thing!
The other main reason for the setup change is that I consult
and, from time to time, have people into my home office to chat. Having
my servers out and about, with cables hanging around to trip people
over, was not a good look! Now, with everything tucked away, there’s no
fear of that happening! I also spend a lot of time in my office, and I
like to enjoy the space, so I am very happy with the transformation!
Since we talked last about storage, backups and NAS, my home/office internet has joined the (almost) 20th century in the form of 100Mb NBN. This means that my digital delivery
to clients directly from my NAS is MUCH faster. I’m able to share
albums and full-res finished images directly from my Disk Station, all
from the privacy of my cupboard!
In closing, the process of de-cluttering your workspace is really
very simple these days and can be quite cathartic! A small to
medium-sized Synology NAS tucked away in your cupboard, and you’re good
to go.
Together, Synology and WD provided the equipment for this test setup, but the opinions expressed are my own. Have you got a storage set-up you’d like to share? Please let us know in the comments section. Share this article.
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Saturday, July 18, 2020
How to Use the Orton Effect in Photoshop to Save Blurry Photos
Tags:
Photoshop, Self Portraits, Printing and Framing, Nikon, Travel Photography, How to avoid photography
problems, bad mistakes, photography, video. Photography
tutorial for beginners, photography, photography tips, photography
tricks, photo tips and tricks
Is your photo a little bit blurry? Don’t throw it out just yet. In
most cases, you wouldn’t want soft-focus in your image, but you can
rehash-it with a different purpose. One thing you can do is apply an
Orton effect in Photoshop to give it new life, especially if it’s a landscape.
Some times when you see your photographs in the camera without zooming in, they look sharp when they are not. Maybe your shutter speed was too slow, or you were using the wrong focus mode.
There are many reasons this can happen. Often you find out too late – when you’re already back home on your computer.
If it’s possible just go back and shoot again, you can find some useful tips in this article
so that you can get the best results. If this is not an option,
soft-focus and blurry images are completely acceptable if done in a
creative way. This is where the Orton effect in Photoshop comes in.
What is the Orton Effect?
The photographer Michael Orton invented this technique, hence the
name. It was created in the 80s, which means that it was done with film
photography. He overlapped different versions from the same scene with
different exposures and a different focus. As a result, the image gained
a surreal atmosphere.
His images look like paintings thanks to the experimentation he does with light, color, and motion. On his website,
he says that “The vast color combinations and unique variations of
light found in the natural landscape, used with the wide variety of
choices in compound camera motion provide an exciting challenge.”
You can go there to see his work and understand more of the technique before getting into it.
The Orton Effect in Photoshop
Because this technique was done by stacking images, it can be perfectly recreated in Photoshop because you can work with Layers. Since this is technically easy to do, many photographers have tried it.
Get yourself acquainted with what is out there so you can find your
own style. Try using hashtags like #orton or #ortoneffects on Instagram
and Pinterest.
Choose your image
Although technically speaking, you can apply this technique to any
photo, it doesn’t necessarily look good on all of them. This is mostly
done on landscapes because of the dream-like glow that will result from
it. This image is slightly blurry, it’s mostly a landscape and the man in the bear custom works well with a surreal atmosphere.
Another thing to consider is that it’s not a magical way to save an
image that’s completely out of focus. Because it mixes areas with
different amounts of detail in them, the soft-focus won’t be
distracting. But you do need a certain degree of sharpness in it.
Step by step
In the same way that Michael Orton stacked slides, you’re going to be
stacking layers. There are many ways to achieve this technique, it’s a
matter of experimenting and finding your own. The basic principle is the
same, though; blend different exposures and focus. Here’s my way of
doing it to get you started.
Different exposures
When you open your image in Photoshop, it will be a Background layer
that is locked. Click and drag it into the Duplicate Layer button at the
bottom of the panel to create a copy of it.
Now, change the Blending Mode to Screen. You can do this by opening the menu that you’ll find at the top of the Layers Panel.
The Screen blending mode is one of the different options that allow
you to lighten your image. When this layer blends with the one
underneath, the pure blacks – if any – will be covered. The pure whites
will stay the same and the greyscale will become brighter.
Next, duplicate the original background layer again and drag this copy to the top.
Then, change the blending mode to Multiply. This one does the exact
opposite of the Screen blending mode. As the name indicates, it
multiplies the base color by the blend color resulting in a darker one.
Different focus
Now that you have different exposures, you need to add the different sharpness.
For this, you’ll need to add a filter.
Whenever you do this, it’s a good idea to make it a Smart Filter so
that you can always come back to change it. The first thing to do is to
right-click on the layer and choose Convert to Smart Object.
With this change, you’ll be working non-destructively. So, go to
Menu>Filters>Blur>Gaussian Blur. In the pop-up window, you can
adjust the right amount of blur for your image. Keep the preview option
checked so that you can see what you’re doing.
It’s easy to overdo it, so I recommend that you always come back to
your work and check with fresh eyes. Because you made it a smart filter,
you can just double-click on it and the Gaussian Blur window will
pop-up again so you can make any adjustments you want.
Finishing touches
Because the filter will be on a mask, you can paint black any area
that you may want to keep without the blur. This can help to create a
different effect or direct attention to a specific subject.
You can then crop or add any adjustment layers to finish it off.
There you go, an easy and fun technique that can turn your
not-so-great photo into an artistic project to save the day. Try it and
share the results in the comment section. Share this article. https://bit.ly/2JzXFdk
Tips and Tricks to Achieve a Graffiti Effect in Photoshop
Tags:
Photoshop, Self Portraits, Printing and Framing, Nikon, Travel Photography, How to avoid photography
problems, bad mistakes, photography, video. Photography
tutorial for beginners, photography, photography tips, photography
tricks, photo tips and tricks
Are you a fan of street art? Creating a graffiti effect is a great way to give an urban look to your designs or photos. In this article, I’ll show you some tips and tricks to get more realistic results using Photoshop.
Prep Work
You’ll need to do a little prep work to get you started on your way to making a realistic graffiti effect in your images.
Reference images
Whenever you’re recreating something that’s based on real-life, it is
good practice to have a reference. Create a library from your own
photographs or use online resources like Pinterest. That way, you have a visual guide to make your graffiti effect as realistic as possible. Resources like Pinterest are great for finding graffiti resource images.
Get a photo of a wall
First, photograph the wall you want to use for your graffiti effect.
(If you can’t photograph one yourself, look to stock libraries or
free-use images online.) There are no specific rules to follow, but the
more texture it has, the better the effect will look. For example, you
can use a brick wall, a rough concrete wall, a corrugated iron fence
etc.
Then you need to create a black and white version of your image that is highly contrasted. This will serve as your displacement map.
There are many ways to do this, so feel free to use your own technique.
I like to add adjustment layers. Use the Hue/Saturation to make it
greyscale by moving the saturation slider all the way to the left. Then
add a Brightness/Contrast one to increase the contrast.
Once you’re done, save it as a PSD format for later use.
Create your graffiti
There are many types and styles of graffiti:
Blockbuster, Throw up, Tag, Stencil, Piece, etc. If you want to achieve
a good graffiti effect, you should pick one of them for your work. I
don’t intend for you to be a street art expert, nor do I pretend to be
one, that’s why you can use the reference pictures. That way, the effect
will be more realistic.
1. Blockbuster
This is one of the most common text-based graffiti. In simple words,
it’s the one that has colorful chunky letters with thick borders.
If you want to buy or download a specifically designed graffiti font,
you’re welcome to do it. If you want to make it more unique, you can
also use a default font and modify it.
Using the Text tool, you can choose your font in the Options bar.
Type your text, and it will be created in a separate text layer. If you
right-click on that layer, choose “Convert to Shape.”
Once it’s a shape, you can modify it using the pen tool.
In the toolbar, under the Pen tool, you’ll find the Convert Point
tool. With it, you can drag any of the anchor points to modify the
shape. Select and drag any of the anchor points to change the shape of the letters to what you want.
Note: Using the pen tool, you could create the letters from scratch
too, but unless you’re a painter or a graphic designer, it’s easier to
have something to get you started.
Now, using Layer styles, add the colors, edges, and shadows to mimic the effect from the graffiti you chose.
2. Stencil
Another style of graffiti is Stencil. This can be as easy or complex
as you want it to be. It’s often one color (but can be more) and without
internal details or depth. So, a basic way to do them is by using the
Shape tool. You can use predetermined shapes or create your own with the
Pen tool.
Just like you did for the text, use the Convert Point tool to modify your shapes at any time.
3. Piece
The third choice you have is to use a photograph in order to create a
Piece (as in masterpiece). For this, you just go to File->Place and
select the image of your choice. This will open it as a Smart Object.
A graffiti piece is more of a drawing, so it will be less detailed
than a photograph. To get a better result, you can turn it into a painting or a cartoon before you apply the graffiti effect.
Try using the filter’s gallery to simplify your work. Go to Filter
> Filter Gallery and apply different styles until you find the one
you like. Notice that you can build up many of them if you feel like
experimenting.
Finishing Touches
Once you have chosen the type of graffiti effect you would like to use, there are a few more steps to make it realistic.
1. Displacement Filter
It doesn’t matter if you did a Blockbuster, a Stencil, or a Piece,
you need to integrate it into the wall in order to make a graffiti out
of it. This is where the displacement map you created in the prep work
comes into play.
Just go to Menu->Filters->Distort->Displacement. In the
pop-up window, select the values you want. I’ll use a value of “10” in
both. Click “OK” and it will open a window for you to browse your files.
Choose the grayscale image of the wall you did in the prep work and apply it.
To
fully incorporate this ‘distorted’ image into the wall, right-click on
the empty part of the layer and choose Blending Options from the menu.
Then use the “Blend If” sliders until you’re happy with the results.
2. Adding perspective
This step is completely optional, but if you want to give more depth,
you need to add a vanishing point. For this, make a new layer that
merges all of the other by pressing Shift+Ctrl+Alt+E for PC or
Shift+Command+Option+E for Mac.
Now select it and go to Edit->Transform->Perspective. Pull one
of the corners up and stop when you’re happy with the result. Apply the
transformation and your Graffiti effect is ready. The finished artwork uses Blockbuster, Stencil and Piece graffiti effects.
Graffiti is a very rich and complex art form that is very difficult
to sum-up in just one article. However, I hope these tips and tricks
will help you achieve a real graffiti effect.
There really is a lot of material to get creative in this area, so
try it out, and have fun. Share your results and tips in the comments
section. Share this article.
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Friday, July 17, 2020
Interview with Self Portrait and 365 Photographer – Anna Gay
Tags:
Self Portraits, Printing and Framing, Nikon, Travel Photography, How to avoid photography
problems, bad mistakes, photography, video. Photography
tutorial for beginners, photography, photography tips, photography
tricks, photo tips and tricks
I first came across the photography of Anna Gay on her Flickr Account
when doing some research for a post on self portraiture and the 365
project. I don’t remember which image first grabbed me but do remember
surfing through the work in her 365 day challenge archives and being
impressed by the quality of her photography, the dedication it must take
to take self portraits every day for a year (twice) and being
interested to learn more about her workflow.
So when Anna agreed to take part in an interview here on dPS – and to
talk us through three of her shots – I was over the moon. I hope you
enjoy hearing about how Anna approaches her photography.
How did you get into photography? how long have you been doing it?
I first picked up a camera in November of 2008. At the time, a family
member was working on a 365 project of photos, and I thought it seemed
like a really neat thing to do, so I decided to try my hand at taking a
photo every day for a month as sort of an experiment to see if I would
enjoy photography, and if I had the willpower to stick to something
every day for a month.
I have always really loved to paint and draw, and I have an
undergraduate degree in theatre, so the arts have always been an
important part of my life. Photography was a new medium for me, so I was
curious to explore it further. My first endeavors, though, were not
self-portraits – I started off by shooting urban and rural decay, and
pretty much anything that caught my eye or interested me. It wasn’t
until I had been shooting for a couple of months that I thought, “I
wonder what would happen if I photographed myself?”
Day 106: Descent
This
shot was from my first 365, and I was still learning about composites,
and using stock photos in my own work. In this case, I had an idea for a
shot, but no clue how to execute said idea. So, I took my self-portrait
in my bedroom, and then searched high and low for tutorials on how to
add birds to a photo, and make them look realistic. The main thing I
learned while working this shot was how to adjust the levels on the dove
to match the light in my shot, and also how to add a drop shadow to the
dove in CS4 so that the dove’s shadow would appear on my wall.
The more attention you pay to detail in your photo manipulations, the
more realistic the shot will look. I also adjusted the color curves to
bring out the green shadows on the wall behind me. The lighting in this
shot is from my window, camera right. I also used the “dodge” tool in
CS4 to bring out some of the highlights on my hair.
What kind of gear do you use? (cameras/lenses)
These days, I am shooting primarily with a Nikon D90 and a Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 without fail – I love that setup! When the natural light isn’t quite enough, I have a speedlight SB-600
with a small reflector umbrella. Those are my staples, and if I could
only choose one lens and one lighting setup, those would be all I need. I
try to keep things as simple as possible in terms of gear.
You are on your 2nd 365 challenge. What attracted you to this type of challenge?
Initially, I started my first 365 out of the desire to learn about
photography, but also to learn about myself. However, when I started
that first year, I had no clue how much my personal life was going to
change, so I think I may have, emotionally, ended up getting way more
than I bargained for!
I went through some very dark times, and being able to take and then
process a photo every day gave me some sort of routine, a small amount
of consistency in my life. The thing I really love about a 365 is that
it is what you make of it, and for me, I love to learn new things, so
for 365 days, I felt very fulfilled because, no matter what was going on
in my personal life, I knew that I would learn something new about
photography every single day.
When my first 365 ended, I felt like something was missing from my
life without that pressing need to take at least one shot for the day. I
started a second year on my birthday in March, and have been having a
blast with year two! I post all of my shots on Flickr, and there is
something really rewarding about taking a shot you’re proud of, and then
sharing it with people around the world.
Day 209: Beach or Bust
Another
shot taken during my first 365. When creating a self-portrait, I like
to find elements to add to the photo that people will find relatable. I
took this shot in a junkyard I found on the way to Hilton Head, SC. I
was so excited about going on vacation, and I wanted other people to
share that excitment with me.
I had such a feeling of freedom that day, and I knew that VW’s, the
idea of the open road, cutoff jeans and bare feet would convey to my
viewers that sense of reckless abandon I was feeling on that September
day. Part of being a self-portrait artist, for me, is relating to people
around me, so I love to find elements to add to a photo that are common
ground for all of us.
What’s the most challenging thing about a 365 challenge and how do you manage to keep up with it?
Let’s face it, time is valuable, and none of us seem to have enough
of it these days. So, it can be really tough to find that moment with
myself to take a shot. Sometimes there are distractions. Other times,
I’m tired, or sick, or both. But, I always make the time. I don’t watch
much TV, I don’t play computer games, and when I read, it is usually
photography related, so in my down time, I am able to really focus my
energy on creating an image every day. It is all about priorities, and
creating images daily for myself and others is pretty high on my list.
What tips would you give other aspiring self portrait enthusiasts?
What kind of process do you go through in setting up and taking your
shots?
First, gain an understanding of the basic principles of photography –
composition, lighting, balance, perspective, etc. Then, get to know
your camera. Make an effort to shoot in Manual mode at all times, and
develop a foundation in understanding shutter speed and aperture. If you
can get a grasp on those two things (and they’re quite easy to grasp
with just a little bit of practice and patience) then the sky is the
limit for you not only in your self-portraits, but as a photographer in
general.
Invest in a remote – there is nothing more tiring than running back
and forth when your camera is on a timer! Find other people who are
interested in self-portraits, and get to know them and their work. You
will learn so much from sharing your work with other photographers, and
you will also find a lot of moral support in them, and that is really
important, I think.
Most of all, don’t be too hard on yourself. You’re going to have some
self-portraits that you love more than others, and some of your
self-portraits may be a little embarrassing, but that’s really okay,
because all of us are, hopefully, constantly on a learning curve. Always
push yourself to get better, but never push yourself to the point of
being discouraged. You always want expand your horizons as an artist,
but try not to lose sight of the idea that self-portraiture is supposed
to be something that is good for you – a healthy exploration of self. As
much as you can, be yourself in front of the camera, because that is
what is so beautiful about self-portraits – they show everyone else who
you really are as an individual. Self-portraits have the potential to be
truthful, and all of us appreciate truth.
Day 115: Go With It
This shot is from my current 365, though, I started rotating my shots
in year one. One day, I found that if I rotated my shot, it added a
completely new dimension to the overall feel of the photo. However, as a
general rule of thumb, I never rotate my photos as an afterthought – I
always compose the shot with the final rotation in mind. So, for this
shot, I tossed my scarf straight up in the air, the rotated the shot
counter clockwise so that it would convey that sense of movement to the
right.
Playing
with rotations has been very enjoyable for me, and I find that it can
add a surreal element to an otherwise very simple composition.
I’m also interested in your approach to post production – could you
give us some insight into your workflow and processes in this area?
My process varies a lot from day to day! I try to make each shot
fresh and new, even if I am building on a previous theme – I try not to
do the same thing twice. Most of the time, I will wake up with an idea
in mind for a shot, but sometimes I will let the shot present itself to
me on its own. My camera is always on a tripod, and I always use a
remote. In most cases, I take around 10 shots, load them to my computer,
and pick 2-3 favorites. Then, I process the shots in Lightroom and CS4, and choose my final edit from those 3.
For the majority of my shots, I adjust the exposure and white balance
in Lightroom, and will use presets to adjust the tones and color curves
to fit the overall mood of the look I am going for. If I feel the shot
still needs work, I will sometimes add a texture in CS4, and will do any
necessary skin retouching. Sometimes, I like to process my shot, then
walk away from it for a few hours before posting it online.
I find that putting a shot away for a moment, then returning to it
with fresh eyes before making the final touches, can help me see the
shot more objectively. Everything I know I have learned from either
reading tutorials online, or from talking shop with other photographers,
and have found that my process becomes more free-flowing the more
technical knowledge I gain. I have reached a point where I tailor my
workflow to the shot at hand.
https://bit.ly/2JzXFdk
Self Portraits – 7 Tips for Going Beyond the Basics
by Sherry
Osborne
Tags:
Self Portraits, Printing and Framing, Nikon, Travel Photography, How to avoid photography
problems, bad mistakes, photography, video. Photography
tutorial for beginners, photography, photography tips, photography
tricks, photo tips and tricks
Image by John McNab
A lot of photographers have said that while they love to hold the
camera and take beautiful photos, they aren’t as fond of the idea of
being on the other side of the lens. On the other hand, there’s an
enormous group of people who not only enjoy having their photo taken,
they actually love to take self-portraits.
In fact, if you peruse Flickr you can find a great deal of
self-portrait groups, including 365Days, a place where you can showcase –
you guessed it – one self-portrait a day for a full year.
The problem is, many people consider a self-portrait to mean holding
the camera firmly in your hand, stretching your arm out, and trying to
get your face at a good angle in front of the lens. While that has its
place from time to time, a self-portrait can be thought out just as much
as a portrait you take of someone else.
Thus, here are seven tips for going beyond basics in self-portraits:
1. Use the timer, or better yet, get a remote.
Most cameras now come with a ten-second timer. While this isn’t a lot
of time, it can be enough to manoeuvre yourself accordingly. Just be
sure to either use a stand-in or to focus on something at the proper
distance or you’ll be fuzzy! What beats a timer is a wireless remote
that will allow you to position yourself and then take the picture when
you’re ready. Timers are a lot of fun for things like jumping shots!
Image by craigmdennis
2. Change your focus.
While you might normally assume a good self-portrait must focus on
your face to count, you can make an ordinary shot far more interesting
if you place the primary focus elsewhere.
Image by laszlo-photo
3. Try a silhouette.
A good silhouette tells a story and leaves no doubt in anyone’s mind
as to what it is. A dark, featureless shape against a setting sun won’t
interest anyone, but if viewers can see it’s a person they’ll be
intrigued. It makes people wonder who that is, raises questions, and
makes them want to know more.
Image by zachd1_618
4. Treat your shot like you would for someone else.
Pretend it’s not a self-portrait for a second. Look around your
surroundings and picture what you’d do if you wanted to take a portrait
of a friend. I took my children to the park one day as the sun was
dipping low and the light was incredible. I nearly called them over to
sit in the grass so I could lie down and take a shot of them from a low
vantage point. Instead I decided to take a self-portrait – which is when
tip number 1 comes back into play. My remote was very handy that day!
Image by sherina
5. Get Inspired!
You can use all kind of fun things to inspire yourself beyond the
stereotypical self-portrait. Listen to music and if a line in a song
stands out, try to take a self-portrait that reflects it. Re-enact a
moment from a movie. Browse Flickr or try one of the numerous
inspiration groups that give daily or weekly self-portrait challenges.
It can end up being serious or silly, but you might be amazed at what
comes to mind when you set out with a purpose.
[SP5 image from
Image by It's Holly
]
6. Keep your face out of it!
This is one of those arguments that, much like Mac vs. PC, gets
people up in arms: Is it a real self-portrait if your face isn’t in the
picture? I firmly believe that it can indeed be a self-portrait even if
you’re simply showing your hand or your foot or what have you. If you
don’t feel like having your face in front of the camera, show people
something else!
Image by It's Holly
7. Bring the emotion.
I know that I just told you that a self-portrait can be more than
just your face, but remember too that the face – and especially the eyes
– hold a great deal of emotion and that can make such an incredible
impact on a self-portrait.
Image by Nerboo
Now that you know a self-portrait can be more than just arms’ length
photography, maybe you’ll find your next self-portrait taking shape in
your mind. Do you have a good one that you’re proud of? Share it in the
comments!
https://bit.ly/2JzXFdk
Thursday, July 16, 2020
7 Ideas for Low-Cost Printing and Framing Options for Your Images
Tags:
Printing and Framing, Nikon, Travel Photography, How to avoid photography
problems, bad mistakes, photography, video. Photography
tutorial for beginners, photography, photography tips, photography
tricks, photo tips and tricks
Photography has changed an awful lot over the last 100 years. Heck,
it’s changed immensely over the last 20 years. Who am I kidding? With
the rise of the cell phone, digital photography and social media have
changed the industry in countless ways.
Images matter
I would argue that one thing in photography hasn’t changed. Everyone
loves looking at pictures whether it’s scanning images on Instagram or
flipping through old photo albums, something is mesmerizing about
viewing an image. This simple fact will never change. Everyone loves
looking at pictures.
My kids will sit for an hour and check out an old photo album. They
learn about their family and their history from those images. They like
to share their lives through images on social media. Humans are obsessed
with the visual.
“Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of
loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever… It remembers
little things, long after you have forgotten everything.” — Aaron Siskind
If
this image had not been printed I would have forgotten just how much my
son has grown in 9
years. It doesn’t matter that it’s a little soft.
It’s the memories involved that matter.
So let’s get them off the computer
What could be better than a visual record or our lives? So why then
are people so hesitant to print those images and display them? In the
days of film, people used to take photos and leave the rolls lying
around for years. Today we take photos on our phone and leave them
there. Sure they get shared on Facebook or Instagram, but then we forget
about them. Why? Why do we do this?
One
excuse I’ve heard is, “It’s expensive to print and frame images.” Well
okay, that’s valid. It can be pricey, I agree, but with a little
ingenuity you can print out those images and share them easily. There’s
something wonderful about handling a printed photograph. We shouldn’t
lose that part of the industry. We should always print our photographs.
So without further ado here are some tips and tricks for printing and
framing photographs in a way that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.
1) Print in bulk
Every print company gives discounts for mass amounts of printing.
Save up a whole bunch of images and print them all at once. You can drag
and drop your favorite images into a folder and then when you have
enough to meet their bulk prices you can upload and save (try Shutterfly). Just remember to print all the images at the same size. Even for large art prints, you can find savings by printing in bulk.
If you use an online lab, the shipping can be a real burden, but you
can save money on shipping by ordering a lot at once. The larger the
package, the cheaper it can be to get it shipped. A lot of companies
also offer free shipping over a certain price. Take advantage of these
offers and get your prints delivered in a cost-efficient manner.
2) Buy frames in bulk
If you’re like me and you love to fill your walls with images of your family,
then it’s time you started buying frames in bulk. Go to your local
framing store and talk to them about purchasing large quantities. Most
stores will give a discount if you buy five frames of the same size.
Even for custom built frames, you can get a good discount by ordering
several of the same size and style at one time. I use this strategy for
framing art for galleries. I will print five images the same size and
then frame them in the same way. It saves me a great deal of money, and
the work looks very cohesive hanging on the gallery wall.
You can also check out online framing supply stores. Sites like Matshop offer
great prices on frames, free shipping on orders over a specific amount
and the ability to buy frames in bulk. You can also purchase bulk mat
kits which are very useful. Purchase frames from your local framing
store or pick them up at flea markets and add your mats and images.
Here’s a collection of the frames and mats I purchased through bulk ordering.
3) Recycle old frames
For that crafty look visit garage sales or flea markets and pick up
some old frames. Pop your matted images into these frames, and you’ve
got a truly unique look for your work. It’s easy to find old frames for a
few dollars if you know where to look.
4) Create magazines or photo books
It’s easy to upload your photos and use online printing services like Blurb
to make photo books. Lightroom comes equipped with an interface for
creating photo books and ordering from Blurb. It’s not very hard to
create them and it’s very cost-effective. Plus you get to maintain some
of the nostalgia of flipping through photo albums. Remember those days?
A printed book to show off family pictures from a trip to Iceland. My boys take it off the shelf
and read it occasionally.
5) Buy a cork board
No seriously, purchase a few cork boards and pin prints to them. When
you get tired of the images you’ve displayed, print out a few more and
pin them up. You’ll get lots of comments from friends and family. They
often stop to look at my corkboard. Sometimes I get comments like, “You
know this is a cheap way of showing off pics. I need to do something
like this.”
I usually switch up my images every season. The prints might be
curled a little at the end of four months, but I put them in a labeled
box, and I will recycle images pulling a few from an old box each
season. It’s completely random which images end up on the corkboard.
This cork board sits in my kitchen. I change the images up every few weeks.
6) Subscribe to printing company newsletters
I know it’s annoying to receive promotional emails, but honestly,
most companies send out promo codes in their newsletters, and these
codes can save you loads of money. Take advantage of 40% off codes to
print out large canvases of your travel images.
Sites like Posterjack and 44 Wide
often have sales that reduce the cost of printing. It means you can get
a 100$ canvas for 60$. That makes for a cost-effective gift idea for a
family member.
7) Turn them into coloring pages
My kids love it when I take their photos and turn them into something
they can contribute to. There’s a very simple process using Photoshop
that allows you to create outlines of your images. If you own Topaz you
can use that plugin to create line drawings. There are lots of options
available, give the process a try.
Print
them out and let your kids decorate the fridge. You will always have
the digital print you can use for more serious purposes. So let your
kids go crazy, they can give Grandma orange hair or make your dress
polka dotted. The images will become stronger memories when they can be
seen on a daily basis.
It
only takes a few minutes to turn photos into coloring pages and then
print them out at 8.5 x 11 size.
Perfect for artistic renditions.
There are lots of amazing and cost-effective ways to print and
display your photographs. Be creative, think a little outside the box
and try a few ways to incorporate your images into your daily life.
It doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming. If you’ve got
little kids, you can even find fun ways to create an art project
involving photographs. We’d love to hear your tips and tricks for
printing images. Please share your ideas with us in the comments below.
Let’s all get into the habit of putting photographs on our walls not just our Facebook page. Share this article.
