photo credit: Eduardo Mueses

Ever gone on a field trip and saw breathtaking views of various landforms and the ocean? Or how about the endless view of the freeway, the beauty of the rice fields, an over-looking view of the city while atop the mountains or the vastness of the sky and the magnificent shapes that clouds take?

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photo credit: Symic

In every photograph, the arms carry the responsibility for balance, artistry and supporting expression. Posing arms requires care for they can wander in many directions, while the camera limits them to relatively few usable positions. Read this article to gain a clear insight into the camera’s viewpoint of the arms, and an understanding of the basic positions of the upper arm and forearm. Beautifully posed arms means a beautiful picture!

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Ever heard about a Photo Mosaic Meme before? Well, in case you haven’t rest assured after reading this, you would want to know more about it!

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photo credit: desi.italy 

Digital scrapbooking is becoming so popular that even traditional scrapbook enthusiasts are making the switch. Read why so many are learning to scrapbook on the computer and why you should give it a try.

1. Saves Time

As in all things digital, there are many ways scrapbooking digitally saves you time.

If you’re really lazy or think you can’t even combine two elements without messing something up, you can buy pre-made pages with spaces for your photos and journaling and just drag and drop your pictures onto the page.

Printing your pictures before you put them into your scrapbook pages is no longer necessary. Just download your digital camera pictures to your computer.

No need to spend hours going from one store to another looking for the right color paper to go with your daughter’s Easter dress. Shopping the Web is faster or you can create your own paper. This also eliminates those unwanted 2-year-old tantrums in the paper aisle of the local store.

Everyone I’ve spoken with that’s made the switch to digital says they love how much faster they can complete pages.

2. Saves Space

For some traditional scrappers, the idea was whoever dies with the most supplies wins. Setting aside a permanent corner, room, basement or annex for your supplies was a way to beat your husband at his game of collecting tools.

On the other hand, the only physical space required for digital scrapbooking is for your computer, scanner and printer. The other “space” requirement is the size of your hard drive in your computer. Digitized images do take a lot of megabytes of drive space, but have you seen the price of hard drives lately? You can get a 500 gigabyte drive (that’s 512000 megabytes) for under $100 these days.

Many digital scrappers also like the fact that printed digital scrapbooks are just like any other book. No bulky pages filled with buttons and ribbons.

3. Clean and Tidy

With your supplies on the computer, there’s no need to physically sort through all the punches, paper, ribbon or other embellishments you might have lying around. No worries about leaving a project partially done and laying out where kids can spill a soda on it. No need to get supplies out on the dining room table only to put them away later so you can serve dinner. Just click save and don’t leave your computer screen where someone can accidentally delete your work.

Since you don’t have to worry about the hassle of getting supplies out and cleaning up afterwards, you will find many more opportunities to work on your pages than ever before.

4. Saves Money

You already own a computer, now all you need is the right software. Cost of software such as Adobe Photoshop Elements is $75 – $100.

Digital scrapbook kits usually go for around $5.00 to $7.00 and have lots of paper and embellishments included. The equivalent in physical paper and embellishments costs $20 to $35 and are “consumable” meaning once you use them, they are gone. Digital kits can be used over and over to your heart’s content.

Once you learn how to use your digital scrapbooking software, it’s not hard to create your own supplies if you feel adventurous.

Oh, and saves a lot of gas money too since there’s no need to spend hours going from one store to another looking for the right color paper to go with your daughter’s Easter dress.

5. Waste Proof

This naturally follows number 4 because you can literally re-use any digital scrapbook element as many times as you like. No more buying extra paper to avoid running out of a certain pattern or color. No more keeping piles of leftover paper scraps. Imaging starting each new project with a complete new scrapbook kit. With digital scrapbooking, you can.

6. Mistake Proof

The most precious items in your scrapbooks are your photos. So why take the chance of butchering them with scissors. With digital scrapbooking, there’s no worry of ruining the only photo you have of Great, Great Grandpa. Scan the photo and make as many copies as you need. Resize and crop as many times as you like. Don’t like it? Back up a few steps with the Undo function or start over.

Ever place a sticker on a page and didn’t quite like it? Oh well, it’s stuck on the page now. Digital scrapbooking allows you to experiment with a multitude of possible combinations until you get it just the way you want.

7. Photo Manipulation

Restore vintage photos to make them look just like new. Take current photos and purposely make them looked aged. Remove the red eye in that otherwise perfect candid shot. Get rid of ugly facial blemishes (the proverbial pimple in the Prom portrait) or too much sweat making the face glisten. Crop, enlarge, tint, age — there are so many options to make your photos even more attractive, you’ll be absolutely amazed. Photos you thought were hopeless are given new life.

8. Easier to Share

Ever create a scrapbook page only to duplicate it once again for your mother? Not anymore. In addition to being another time saver, digital scrapbooks can be shared so easily in so many ways. Print multiple copies of your completed books to share with family. Upload pages to your family blog. Email pages to relatives wherever they live. Use the same digital template for multiple photos. Get the idea?

9. Archival Quality

Remember when everything had to be acid free? First it was the paper, then the sheet protectors, the inks, the glue. Then came all the embellishments. Were they acid free too? Wait a sec…with digital scrapbooking, everything is acid free because there is no ink or glue to mix with your photos. Everything is preserved digitally either on your computer hard drive or on CDs or DVDs. Print as many copies as you need as often as you like. Not only is this archival, but keeping extra copies of your photos digitally either in a fire-proof safe or in a second physical location is the best way to ensure against your keepsakes being destroyed by a disaster such as a fire.

10. Unlimited Styles

With traditional scrapbooking, you’re limited by whatever paper you can find in your local store or on the Web. Even then, you might find a pattern you like but sometimes the color isn’t quite right.

Not a problem with digital scrapbooking. It’s so easy to adjust the paper color from one hue to another so you can always match your daughter’s Easter dress perfectly.

11. Trendiest

Scrapbook paper manufacturers use designers to create a new line of products. Then they decide which designs go into production. From there, retail buyers decide how much of the line to carry in their stores. By the time you get around to shopping, you’re lucky if the product is in stock and in the right color.

Digital paper is not limited by any of the above. There’s a multitude of online purveyors of digital scrapbook kits and there’s no waiting for the product to hit the store. New designers don’t have to have a big company behind them to sell their own designs. You get the trendiest designs and they are guaranteed to always be in stock.

12. Makes Anyone an Expert

So what if your handwriting looks as bad as a doctors prescription. That’s what computer fonts are for…to make you look like a professional calligrapher. But the best part is, there’s no commitment, so if you misspelled a word in your journaling, you’re free to go correct it without damaging your layout. Cropped photos always have perfect edges and text is always straight. Using a computer to scrapbook brings out the real artist inside you when you don’t have to worry about making mistakes.

13. Flexibility

Try this exercise: Take a piece of pattern paper and attach a photo. Now add some ribbon and some journaling. Now go back to the pattern paper and change it to another style to see if it will look better. Can’t do it? You can when doing it digitally. That’s what layers are for. It’s like making a big Dagwood sandwich and deciding you want relish instead of pickles after the sandwich is already built. With layers, you can change any element on the page at any time.

14. Professionalism

Sure we like homemade stuff, but if we can make it look professional, it makes us all the more proud we created it. Submit your digital scrapbooks to printers like Viovio to have them professionally printed and bound. Then show everyone how talented you really are.

15. Versatility

Take any design you like and turn it into just about anything you want. Change the opacity to make it look like vellum. Tweak the colors to add a little more blue or red. Increase the color saturation or decrease it. Change it into anything you desire.

16. Endless Supplies

Never, ever run out of the letter “S” when using a sticker set again. And always have it in the right size, color and style. With digital scrapbooking, you will never run out of supplies again.

And who knows, maybe you’ll start designing your own paper lines.

17. Easy on the Furniture

No more hammering eyelets! No more dents in your oak dining table. Enough said.

Paul Lindberg is a freelance writer and co-owner of toNoodle.com where you can learn digital scrapbooking through Adobe Photoshop video tutorials.

photo credit: megabliss 

In any decent auction on Ebay, you will find a photograph of the item. Now as a buyer, upon seeing the item you will sub-consciously start making judgments. “This guys house is a mess, can the item really be in good condition?” So as a seller, you need to capitalize on that and start making sure that your photographs look professional.

I’m going to teach you some basics. It’s not all to do with techy stuff – a lot of it is common sense. If you’re trying to sell something and claim it’s in good condition, don’t take a photo of it lying in the toilet. Common Sense. Firstly, the camera. You don’t have to get a top quality camera, A second-hand 1 or 2 mega pixel camera will do just fine.

Firstly, you need to be aware of the point of having a photo .

- Buyers want to see what they’re buying

- Prove it’s in good condition.

- And, to sell the item.

So, the basics. Firstly, concentrate on the item. Not your pet, not your table, or your carpet, or your neighbour, the item. How many auctions have you seen with a scruffy carpet underneath and a pair of boxers to the side of the item? And when you see those, do you instantly say : “Hey wow, that PSP is in great condition!”? No-one wants to know about your dog if you’re selling your TV, sorry. So put a piece of paper under the item, and zoom in. Get closer. It’s a good idea to try and crop the item in some sort of program on your computer – Photo Editing Software. Now your buyer can see what you’re selling in full, with information and condition visible.

If it’s a large item, photograph it against a clean wall, or wood of some sort. Just something that won’t attract attention and looks clean. Experiment a little. While you’ve got the camera out, try some other shots – for more information for the buyer, and to prove it’s got all round good condition. Try take the photographs during the day – as even using flash in the night can not work. Reflections and such will make you move around in order to get a clean shot – so just do it in the daylight, believe me. Check each picture as you take them. Re-take any blurry or out of focus pictures so the buyer can see all the information. Keep asking yourself, would I be happy with this? That’s the genius of a digital Camera. Don’t waste that awesome preview feature.

If the item is used, you can take it out the box and once again, show it’s good condition. If you’re selling it ‘brand new and sealed’ then that’s not a good idea, is it. Another shot will only take a few seconds, but could earn you a bit of cash. You can put something in with the item – like a key – so that people know the scale of the item. It can be hard to tell from photos.

And after that, it’s really all just common sense. You’ve taken some shots, crop ‘em on your computer and post the best ones up!

Find items quickly at online auctions and search for ebay misspellings by downloading the ebay toolbar

At some point most photographers consider how long their printed pictures will last. As we think about this point we can see how this thought originates at the heart of photography, after all when we take a picture we are trying to preserve a moment in time. We are creating a remembrance of something that will never be exactly the same. In view of this expressed thought when we print our images we want them to keep their visual integrity. Yes, we want them to look as good as they did the day they where printed 100 years from now and longer.  Digital Art is at its best.

Realistically is this possible and how can we determine how long photo’s and specifically in this article photo’s on canvas will last? As a consumer this question becomes important especially when we are parting with money in exchange for prints.

To answer these questions there are a few variables we must consider.

photo credit: Jan the manson {condemns stealing pictures}

We must appreciate that not every one is going to display their images under the same conditions. Some will display their image framed with glass, others will without glass. Some will hang them in rooms with bright lights, some in areas of there home or office that get sunlight for part of the day. Still, others will hang them in areas with high humidity such as bathrooms. All of these scenarios have a bearing on the longevity of a photo on canvas. In light of this we realize that applying “Display Permanence Ratings” to an image that we are going to hang in a given area, will give us not an exact, but general idea of how long that image will last. The determining factors are not just the ink, canvas, sealer, ext. although these are important, equally important is the environment the image will be displayed in.

The company that has really pioneered the most excepted tests for measuring displayed print longevity is Wilhelm Imaging Research Inc. The expression “Display Permanence Ratings” refers to a standard of tests that show the longevity of prints. This company is not a manufacturer of imaging products but is a third party research company which allows them to be more objective and non partial when rating print permanence. Their tests take into consideration such factors as light-fastness humidity-fastness ozone-fastness as well as other factors. Their research has shown that quality inks, combined with quality canvas, printed on a quality printer and finally sealed with a quality sealer can produce photo canvas prints that will last anywhere from 60 to 142 years without “noticeable fading”. Some of the constant features of these test environments are that the light is 12 hours a day at an exposure brightness of 450 Lux The temperature being 75 degrees Fahrenheit and 60% humidity. It is of great value to know that many household display areas are similar to this description of these test environments.

Information like this is invaluable to both Print Professionals and consumers.

No doubt many would agree that it is the responsibility of the print professional to be educated about such things.

The canvas chosen by a print shop should be archival. The company that manufactures the canvas should stand by there product with a guarantee that their canvas will out last the inks used to print on them.

The inks too should be archival, industry tested like Epson Ultra Chrome K3

photo credit: ** Ahimsa ** 

The advancements in digital photography are constantly changing the techniques and standards of photographers. The luxury of digital photography has become more available over recent years, giving people the power to capture special moments and edit them to their personal satisfaction. From the amateurs to the professionals, this ever-evolving technology has had a beautiful influence on the way photos are taken, developed, and presented.

Photographs are no longer limited to the standard, glossy finish. By printing digital photos on canvas, people can give their photographs a natural, artistic quality that traditional printing often lacks. Canvas prints combine the detail and vibrant colors that digital photography allows with the unique look of oil paintings. The quality of the camera itself obviously affects the quality of photo produced, but the medium on which it is printed can determine the artist’s ultimate feel of expression. Unlike ordinary photo paper, canvas has a texture that gives the advantage of minimizing lower-quality resolution.

Another advantage of the canvas is its durability. With the protection of the water-resistant sealer, photos on canvas can survive conditions that regular photographs cannot. Not only are they protected from water damage, but they are less likely to fade when exposed to direct sunlight. Under the proper care, the canvas prints can last up to 100 years! Investing in canvas printing is a great way to display pictures that can be enjoyed by generations.

While it might be assumed to be an expensive process, printing digital photos on canvas is actually quite affordable, with prices starting as low as $30 (depending on customer specifications). Why pay the high price for decorative oil paintings when you can get the same look with your own personal photos?

Canvas prints make great gifts and home accents for both personal and professional settings. The canvas gives a creative touch and will attract attention that a small, framed picture will not. Customers have the option of a gallery wrapped canvas, which wraps the photograph around the edges of the canvas or a standard print that centers the picture on the front. Also, digital technology gives the added options of photo cropping and color enrichment.

With the help of photo editing and enhancement, the quality of pictures can be improved. However there are some guidelines that will allow for a superior canvas product. The clearer the picture and the higher the contrast between colors, the better it will look on canvas. Dark colors on a dark background will be much harder to print clearly than bright, distinguished colors. If a picture is blurry to begin with, it could look even more so when enlarged and stretched to fit the canvas. Pictures that are taken from a distance can be cropped to focus on the subject (whether it be a person or an object), allowing for more detail and better color on the canvas print. Changing the camera’s settings to the highest resolution possible will help the photographer to achieve the best picture.

All in all, printing digital photos on canvas is a unique, high-quality, affordable way to turn everyday photography into displayable artwork for all to appreciate.

ZaZaGallery – Put your photos on canvas and be the buss in your community. Our fine art prints are gallery wrapped using the finest canvas and inks to create a museum grade art piece.Our product is unique so join the buss and visit us by clicking pictures on canvas Thank you, Hugh Parker.

photo credit: peaceandlove197

Everyone loves visiting a museum and appreciating the fine art of a picture gallery. The beautiful paintings seem to have a magical feel, as being almost larger than life. Every detail of paint strokes on the canvas seems to have its own story, all intertwined to create a masterpiece. This is what people mean when they say that a painting speaks to them, as if the art work itself is sending them a personal message. This is possible because of the surface of the painting itself. Only with canvas can paint and ink truly reach its full potential to create a piece of art. For many years it was impossible to convey this same effect with photography. With special paper, the process of getting pictures developed and printed was a long and arduous procedure. The outcome was a photo on paper that usually didn’t capture the full effect of the moment it was intending to immortalize.

Now that has changed. The technology to create a gallery wrapped photo on canvas make it possible for people to have the same feelings about digital photos as they do about those paintings hanging up in museums. Now you don’t have to be an artist to be able to move people, just be ready with a camera to capture that perfect image or moment and transform it into a gallery wrapped photo on canvas, and create works of art that will be suitable for any occasion and appreciated by many.

Creating a gallery wrapped photo on canvas is a reasonably simple process that has become readily available through online shopping and printing technologies. All a customer must do is upload their photo with a website and order their desired frame size. The printers then go through the process of printing your picture onto the canvas using the best canvas and ink the industry has to offer. A gallery wrapped photo on canvas is then stretched large enough to wrap around the sides of a stretched frame that the canvas is mounted on. This gives your picture a nice three-dimensional feel as opposed to two-dimensional photographs. By stretching the canvas around a frame to which it is mounted on, a gallery wrapped photo on canvas is ready to hang on the wall as soon as you receive your order. It is so nice, that in many instances they can be hung or put on display without another outside frame being needed. A great look for any environment!

A gallery wrapped photo on canvas is a perfect way to celebrate past memories, and create great gifts. Some of the most popular photos that are transferred onto canvas are ones with babies, pets, wedding pictures, family pictures, reunion pictures, graduation pictures, vacation pictures, and many other special photos that may either hold a special place in a person’s heart, or be visually pleasing to look at. For these reasons, a gallery wrapped photo on canvas is a great way to liven up any room, and represent cutting edge technology in the art of photography.

ZaZaGallery – Put your photos on canvas and be the buss in your community. Our fine art prints are gallery wrapped using the finest canvas and inks to create a museum grade art piece.Our product is unique so join the buss and visit us by clicking pictures on canvas Thank you, Hugh Parker.

photo credit: bald_eagle89

Throughout recent years, camera film has become somewhat obsolete to the everyday photographer with digital cameras becoming more prominent and widespread. It is not that the disposable cameras and 35mm film of the past have decreased in quality, it is simply that consumers have become accustomed to having everything instantaneously done. Photographers enjoy seeing their photos immediately so they know if they achieved the shot they were trying to get.

Although most people keep their digital pictures on their computer, there are those that still do develop their pictures, and websites have made this easy by allowing users to upload their pictures and mailing their photographs within a day or two. Although these photo sites do produce a consistent quality product, there are alternatives to standard photo paper that can be useful in a number of situations. One of these alternatives is printing digital photos on canvas mediums. Canvas provides a more durable and stronger print while maintaining the same quality as traditional photos.

There are many people who might hold a strong interest in printing digital photos on canvas. Some of the ideal customers for this medium selection are businesses who concentrate on reproducing art prints. This may include museums, museum gift shops, and art vendors. Canvas prints are perfect for these businesses because it is an artist quality material and is able to maintain the eminence and unique look that paintings hold. These reprints are able to hold an oil painting like quality and have a unique look that will leave customers wondering whether they have bought a photograph or an actual painting. People love art, but not everyone is able to afford it and printing recreations of art from digital photos on to canvas is an easy and profitable way to allow everyone to take home a piece of history.

Other businesses that may be interested in printing digital photos on canvas include those that have large exhibits either in their stores, during presentations, or at tradeshows. Exhibits will often include very large prints and normal photo paper simply is not durable enough to withstand the wear and tear of being rolled up and hung up day after day. Canvas comes in a large number or sizes and provides the strength and quality that is needed for a company to look professional and increase their reputation. A canvas picture, which does not only need to hold a photograph, but also computer graphics, allows companies to display their logo, and products in a professional and unique way. Companies that rely on standard prints often learn there are just too many ways that the paper can get torn or ruined and later turn to canvas as a suitable alternative.

Businesses are not the only ones that can enjoy and benefit from printing on canvas. Individuals can enjoy printing digital photos on canvas as well. There are many online vendors that will do this, and canvas provides the ideal medium for landscape or family photos. Canvas provides a unique and art-like quality that will have everyone talking. They make superb gifts and will last through the generations. For individuals looking for an alternative to traditional photos and picture frames, canvas is the ideal solution.

ZaZaGallery – Put your photos on canvas and be the buss in your community. Our fine art prints are gallery wrapped using the finest canvas and inks to create a museum grade art piece.Our product is unique so join the buss and visit us by clicking pictures on canvas. Thank you, Hugh Parker.