Ingenious light box displays

Walls + Forms, a company that specializes in retail display solutions, has come up with a couple of innovative designs for light boxes perfect for point of purchase displays. They recently released their Lights Alive line that include a double sided light box, a super thin single sided light box, and a ceiling mounted electric free "light thief" that utilizes the light from your existing light source.

Like they say on their website: "With over 70% of buying decisions made in store, your advertising message needs to stand out." We couldn't agree more. With these original display options, and our Duratrans printing, your advertising piece will get you noticed.

Arizona State Fair photography competition

The Arizona State Fair will be pulling in to town any day now. All the rides and fun will officially open on October 10th. If you wish to be considered for a prize in photography the deadline is, coming up much sooner, September 10th. There are three large print categories you can enter; color, black and white, and an Arizona landscape category sponsored by Arizona Highways. Check out this link for all of the submission specifications and application form.

One of our Mighty Artist's Christine Taft placed 1st and 2nd in two different categories at last year's fair. Good luck to Christine and all the competitors this year. We can't wait to see who gets the blue ribbon.

Fall Color photo workshop with Colleen Miniuk-Sperry and Arizona Highways

We are in the midst of the long hot dog days of summer here in the Valley of the Sun. I know we are all ready for that break in the weather. Even though it seems like it will never come, fall is right around the corner. Now is the time to start planning your trips to catch the fall color. Fall color? This isn't Vermont, you say. Well, believe it or not, we do get some amazing fall color here in Arizona.

Colleen Miniuk-Sperry will be instructing a photo tour sponsored by Arizona Highways October 3rd through the 5th in Escudilla Arizona. Check out the information below if you wish to attend. Space is limited to 8 students, so sign up early.

JUST ADDED! Arizona Highways "Fall in Escudilla" Weekend Photography Workshop on Oct. 3-5, 2008

Looking for somewhere new and exciting to photograph magnificent fall colors in Arizona?

Join me as your lead instructor on this exciting 3-day weekend workshop on October 3-5 in the Escudilla Wilderness Area on the eastern side of Arizona. Sponsored by the Arizona Highways Photography Workshops, I will act as your guide through expansive groves of aspens, gambel oaks, and evergreens surrounding the 3rd highest peak in Arizona, the Escudilla Mountain. Uncovering my favorite "secret" locations in the remote Escudilla Wilderness, I'll also share special techniques for capturing stunning images of fall colors.

Cost: $925 per person, with a maximum of 8 students

Includes:
Roundtrip transportation from Phoenix, AZ
2 nights Lodging
All meals
Hands-on, individualized field instruction in a small group setting at little-known locations for picturesque fall colors
For more information or to register, please contact the Arizona Highways Photography Workshops office at (602) 712-2004 or toll free at (888) 790-7042. Space is limited, so be sure to call to reserve your spot today!

Hope to see you on October 3rd!

Edward Weston: Mexico

The Phoenix Art Museum (PAM) will be showing the work of Edward Weston that was created in a brief window of time when he lived in Mexico. Weston, along with his lover Tina Modotti, lived in Mexico for approximately three years. Tina was the inspiration for many of the pieces shown at the exhibit. A small portion of the exhibit will be dedicated to Modotti's pictures, as well as Weston's letters, journals, and personal snapshots that help tell the complete story of their experience.

The work, drawn from the collection of the Center for Creative Photography, will be on display at their Norton Photography Gallery until November 15, 2008

Full of striking compositions, dramatic still lifes and exquisitely beautiful landscapes, Phoenix Art Museum presents an artistic exploration of Mexico seen through the lens of one of the twentieth century’s most influential photographers, Edward Weston. Edward Weston: Mexico examines a variety of Weston’s early and rare photographs revealing his devotion to the ideals of art, his progression toward the modernist style and his passion for love and life.

This stunning collection of 60 photographs displays the local culture and scenery of Mexico in the 1920s – a rich period for the arts known as the Mexican Renaissance. Weston used a large camera to create technically accomplished black-and-white photos rich in detail and markedly abstract. Mexico allowed him to experiment with new subject matter, such as still lifes and landscapes, making this period one of the most pivotal of his career.

42 foot HDR image from a 8 megapixel camera

This is a tale of Pete Carr and his quest to create a 42 foot HDR panoramic image for his client off of his 8 mp camera. Here, we are frequently the bearer of bad news, when we have to educate people on the limitations of their file size. You can learn a lot from Pete's process and what it took to get this file to image at full size. Since Pete was also trying to pull of that HDR look, he had to take triple the shots to overlap them. A total of 33 shots were combined to create the final image. Luckily he was able to use Photoshop CS3's panoramic seaming tool. He then used Genuine Fractals to beef up the resolution. It probably also helped that his client used wallpaper application (which has a lower DPI threshold).

Pete is right, "never say never", he was able to create a beautiful image that sets the perfect ambiance for his client's dining room. Found [Via]

The 42 foot wide Liverpool skyline HDR

You always see people discussing megapixels on forums and what you can print to. People saying they have a 8mp camera and it does A3 nicely. Which is fine for family portraits and things but when a client asks you to produce something 13 meters, 42 feet wide from an 8mp camera you of course say yes. I’ve printed to 1 meter before now without issue. The prints look great. So 13m? Easy. Ok so maybe not easy. You read articles about 50mp Hassleblads with sensors the size of TV’s that people use for advertising, for billboards. You never in your right mind think that you can use a simple mid-range DSLR with only 8mp to produce something 42 feet long and 9 feet high. Never say never though.

John Wagner, Tim Lanterman & Bill Timmerman show

John Wagner, Tim Lanterman, and Bill Timmerman will be opening a new show entitled Photographs 3 at the Modified Arts Gallery in downtown Phoenix this Friday the 15th. It is the third year in a row they have done a collaborative show at the Modified Arts Gallery. We were very honored that John and Tim chose us to do printing for them.

We wish all of them the best of luck and great success with their show. Opening reception is August 15th between 6 and 9 PM. The show will run until September 15th.

Jason Youn exhibit

Jason Youn will have 20 pieces of his landscape photography showcased at Salon 3121 for the entire month of August. The images on display were printed on canvas, and are truly works of art. We were honored to be a part of Jason's artistic process.

There will be an artist's reception August 21st at 6:30 PM. Salon 3121 is located at the South West corner of 32nd St. & Lincoln in Phoenix.

A little about me, I began my photographic work in film school. I once thought I wanted to be a movie maker. After working the business for a while I decided it was not for me. I did however come away from motion pictures with a love for still photography. Over time I worked with it as a hobby and took some photo classes in college. Before I knew it people were hiring me for photographic work, and soon photography became my primary work.

My background and training in movies and television influences my work a lot. When I shoot I believe that photo is more just a still frame. It tells a story and conveys emotion. Before the photo was taken something happened to lead up to that moment and after a photo is taken something more will happen that will continue the story. I always strive to capture that story.

In addition to his landscape work, Jason also specializes in weddings, portraits, and school photos.

Judith Faust image placed in Texas Photographic Society comptetition

Judith Faust has done it again. For a second time she has placed in the Texas Photographic Society's national photographic competition. A total of 267 artists submitted 1,872 images for jurying. Entries came from 36 states with artists submitting 1,828 digital files and 44 slides. Judith's image, Mr. Cicconi seen here, will be on display at the Dougherty Art Center in Austin, TX through September. They then move the exhibit of winners to the Center for Contemporary Art in Abilene, TX for the month of December.

Congrats to Judith for being selected for a second time in such a large and prestigious competition.