Big Images Blog

Visit us at our new blog

2009-08-03T11:52:00.000-07:00

Since our merger with Artisan Colour, Inc. we have started a new blog. Please follow us at - Colour Your World.

Thank you for your continued support!

Art Stimulus Silent Auction

2009-07-10T11:47:00.000-07:00

One of many beautiful photography images by award-winning photographer Christine Taft will be auctioned on Saturday, July 11, 2009. The auction will be held in Earth Gallery, 1014 N. Main Street, (928) 451-4495 during the "Artwalk" in the Historical Art District of Old Town Cottonwood, AZ from 1:00 - 8:00 pm. The "Artwalk" will also have entertainment and refreshments.

Christine Taft will be personally available to showcase her work and answer any questions that day. If you are not the lucky winner of the auction, special incentives will be available- i.e.: first purchase will receive reduced pricing.

If you are not able to attend this special event, you can view and purchase a selection of her photography work on her website: www.theperceptivelens.com.

New Artisan Colour website launched

2009-06-23T13:30:00.000-07:00

After several months of fine tuning, we are proud to announce the launch of the newest version of the Artisan Colour website.

Artisan has gone through many changes since the last version of their website. Maybe one of the biggest is the recent addition of the Display Graphics Division with the merger with Mighty Imaging and the purchase of two new pieces of equipment; The Oce Arizona 350 GT U/V curable roll to roll and rigid hybrid printer and Zund router cutter. These machines can do amazing things! The U/V inks on the 350 GT are environmentally friendly (no VOC emissions) that can print a truly Green and sustainable product. The Zund cutter can create custom shapes and packaging to complete a corporate identity or make displays with distinction.

We're not done yet. We do have plans to further expand the site and add more features. Check back soon for the latest additions.

Our thanks to Don Giannatti of SteelID, who designed the site.

Free photography talk at SMoCA

2009-06-11T10:21:00.000-07:00

Everyone is looking for a deal now a days. How about a little education and artistic enrichment too? Arizona State University professor, Betsy Schneider, will be giving a free talk on June 18th 6:30 pm at Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, Stage 2 located in the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts adjacent to the museum. She will be discussing her own work as well as those of photographer Harry Callahan. Much of Betsy's recent work explores themes of childhood, culture, and relationships. Harry also focused on loved ones as his subjects for his photography. Callahan's image scene here "Eleanor and Barbara Lake Michigan, 1953" is taken of his wife and daughter. His wife, Eleanor, was the subject of many of his images. SMoCA currently is running an exhibit of Callahan's work along with the work of Aaron Siskind and Fredrick Sommer (who lived in Prescott, Arizona) entitled At the Crossroads of American Photography: Callahan, Siskind, Sommer. The exhibit of 151 photographs has been extended to August 9, 2009.

SMoCA is also holding a series of free events every Thursday night during the summer. For more information about Betsy Schneider's talk or SMoCA's other events check out their website.

Point of Purchase displays that POP

2009-06-05T12:30:00.000-07:00

The successful promotion of a company’s product line depends on effective marketing and presentation. It is vital for a product to be advertised in such a way that grabs the audience’s attention and also creates brand recall among customers. Most companies are looking for an approach that will give them the best return on their investment.

While there are many methods of advertising, Point of Purchase (or POP) displays are an effective and low cost method that can be used as one component of an overall marketing strategy. POP displays can be found at many different retail applications. They have been in utilized in a basic way ever since man started selling their wears. Used in the simplest form, merchants would hang samples of their product in shop windows to inform potential buyers of what they sold. Nowadays, with technological advancements, samples have been replaced with picturesque depictions of the products.

Point of purchase displays come in variety of forms. They may be backlit signboards, an entire showcase, or a counter top display right at the cash register. An effective piece will have the brand name predominately mentioned. POP fixtures and displays should be colorful and attractive to consumers. The goal is to draw the customer’s attention to the display to entice them to buy your product. They need to be targeted to the demographic you are trying to reach. They should also make a statement about your company and be consistent with your brand image, as it may be the only impression the customer gets of your company.

The machine we recently purchased to create the Artisan Colour Display Graphics Division is ideal to produce this type of marketing. It was recently recognized for its superior print quality at the Euro-Reklama Outdoor Expo. The Océ Arizona® 350 GT won the 2009 Poznan International Fair (PIF) Gold Medal. The first generation of this machine (the 250 GT) was awarded the PIF Gold Medal in 2008.

Océ Wins Double Gold at Euro-Reklama Outdoor Expo 2009

The PIF Gold Medal is awarded to a product that meets a number of criteria, including quality and innovation, and that has been produced using the best technology available. A panel of specialists in each industry judges the entries. The PIF Gold Medal competition jury has a 30-year tradition of recognizing outstanding products in various fields.

The Océ Arizona 350 GT UV curable flatbed printer uses Océ VariaDot™ imaging technology to deliver near-photographic image quality for nearly any application. Designed as a true flatbed system, it can print on a wide variety of rigid substrates and features a Roll Media Option for printing onto flexible media. A White Ink Option is available to enable under-printing on colored media or objects, over-printing for backlit applications on transparent media, and printing white as a spot color. The Océ Arizona 350 GT printer is ideal for producing a wide variety of applications such as event graphics, point-of-purchase displays, limited-term signage, banners, backlit and reflective rigid displays, transit advertising, and directional signage.

Mighty Imaging featured in Digital Output online article series

2009-06-02T13:41:00.000-07:00

We were honored and flattered when Gretchen Peck from Digital Output contacted us to give our perspective in the technological advances that have helped shape our industry and business practices for her four part exclusive online series. Gretchen contacted us as we were in the middle of our merger with Artisan Colour to become their Display Graphics Division. The equipment and technology mentioned in the article are what have become the cornerstone of our new space in the Artisan Colour complex. Here is a portion of her article.

Mighty Imaging; AZ-based Shop Makes the Move to Automation -Gretchen A. Peck for Digital Output online
Mighty Imaging invested in a blend of print technologies in order to manage an array of large format graphics.

"Right now, the equipment line-up is the Océ LightJet for fine art and photographic applications, an Epson Stylus Pro 9800 for giclée output, and a Océ Arizona 350 GT UV flatbed for direct to substrate application," explains Fradin. "While the LightJet is our workhorse, the 350 GT is going to eclipse that rather quickly."

Corporate wall art is a strong market segment for Mighty Imaging. "We produce a fair amount of wallpaper for restaurants and bars, in addition to large prints and fabric graphics for lobbies, conference rooms, board rooms, and call centers. Our attention to detail and ability to manage color allows us to fill the fine art reproduction niche as well," he explains.

With growing volumes and a demanding customer base, it wasn’t enough to simply provide exceptional print. In addition, Mighty Imaging needed to offer sophisticated and stealthy finishing services. Thus, the company recently ordered its first digital cutting solution, a Zünd G3 digital cutter.
"Prior to the G3 I lived in the last century in regards to a cutting solution—panel saw, table saw, and hand cutting. The cost savings in labor and turnaround time should be significant, and of course, having every step in the workflow process under one roof is every print service provider’s goal," admits Fradin.

Fradin expects the G3 to eliminate bottlenecks in finishing by automating cutting and trimming. "Cutting by hand, with its inherent labor costs, potential for human error, and lack of efficiency, should be reduced to nearly zero," he says. "More importantly, unique applications will allow us to set our customers’ display graphics apart from others."

David Spindel, a 50 year overnight success story

2009-05-26T12:00:00.000-07:00

David Spindel is a photographer who has had some amazing opportunities in his career. He has worked with many celebrities, probably the one that has given him the most notoriety is John Lennon. He was given remarkable access to John at his recording studio in New York not long before his untimely death. David's work has been used for multiple album and book covers. We had the opportunity to print some of his images for shows he has had around the world.

David and his wife moved to Arizona 2004 to "retire", although I don't think he has slowed down much. He currently has a showing of his work at The Broadway Palm Dinner Theater in Mesa, Arizona until the end of May. He was also recently interviewed by the Arizona Republic and the Phoenix Magazine. This morning he was interviewed by Scott Pasmore of Channel 3 for their Good Morning Arizona show. If you missed it, here is a link for the interview.

In David's words "My favorite expression is that it has only taken me 50 years to be an overnight success."

Framing that is environmentally friendly

2009-05-20T16:30:00.000-07:00

We have had the privilege to use Larson-Juhl frame molding as part of an order fulfillment program for one of our national clients. It is good to know that not only does Larson-Juhl provide superior looking frames, but also that they care about their environmental impact in harvesting the wood to make their product.

Larson-Juhl Receives Two Environmental Certifications

Larson-Juhl has been awarded chain-of-custody environmental certifications for moulding and matboard products from two worldwide organizations, Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The Biltmore™ Frame Collection by Larson-Juhl® is PEFC certified and The Artique Biltmore™ Collection of Solid Color Core matboards is FSC certified.

...Third party independent auditors oversee harvesting through manufacturing, distribution, and sales to ensure that a product is certified as claimed and validate a chain-of-custody certification. Products that achieve certification can feature the logo and unique certification number designated to the company to prove validation.

Use wallpaper to make your room look bigger

2009-05-18T11:45:00.000-07:00

Much like fashion, interior design trends tend to go in cycles. Many designers are re-discovering the possibilities with wallpaper. It can be used as an accent wall or, as described in this article, use a vertical pattern to help lift and visually make a small room look larger. With the UV Curable printing process on our Arizona 350 GT, not only is the printing process environmentally friendly, but designers also have an opportunity to create and implement a one of a kind custom design.

Wallpaper gives small space character: by Christine Brun

Sometimes a room needs more than just a coat of paint, especially if it is a room that serves a distinct purpose.

It is exactly in smaller spaces such as an entryway or a powder room that we feel most comfortable experimenting with new things. If the result isn't quite what we imagined, it is easier and less expensive to correct.

Other times, however, the emphasis you seek is for an area of greater impact, such as a living-room wall just begging to be treated as a focal point. Maybe you want to do more than just paint it a different color. Fortunately for the wallpaper industry, after what seems like a long drought, many people are turning to wall coverings to achieve that pizzazz.

...The photo shows wallpaper designed by Candice Olsen, host of "Devine Design" on HGTV. The soothing color and subtle vertical-print pattern help "lift" the ceiling height in the room, a good strategy for smaller rooms in general.

Getting color right - all the time

2009-05-15T12:31:00.000-07:00

Today's display graphics are no longer considered just a sign. Very often the graphics we print for our customers in the Retail Market are thought of as art by their shoppers.

Here at Artisan Colour, color management is religion! The two pillars that we live by are accuracy and consistency. Our ability to replicate colors to the highest standard is a daily task. So often Retail Graphics Buyers demand that product colors in the graphics match the merchandise. Easier said than done, eh? A number of our readers have expressed frustration when trying to produce a certain color to match a brand or product where the slightest shift spells disaster. In the print graphics field we spell disaster W-A-S-T-E!

The other pillar of color management is consistency. Have you ever had a job come in where the client is requesting different applications for the same campaign? Using multiple printers on different substrates can seem like an insurmountable task when the goal is to be consistent through out the entire campaign.

In this month's edition of Wide-Format Imaging Marc Welch describes how science has aided color management in image editing and producing uniform and precise color output no matter what devise is used.

How it's Done

The workflow is quite simple:

The first step shuts off color management on all RIPs. The RIPs will receive color-managed files, so they do not need to perform this function. However, the RIP still performs basic printer to media calibration for each media type. This involves printing a tone scale for each color, and making adjustments to optimize the match between requested and printed values. Once calibration is complete, the device is linearized.

The final step is creating a reference or “fingerprint” of the printer or press. A reference chart is printed and ‘read’ with a spectrophotometer. This allows the software to understand both what colors your printer can reproduce as well as how it produces them. Good color management software takes the printer color output, compares it to a preferred standard (GRACoL, for example) and creates a link to correlate the printer’s color capabilities to the color standard. Printers with a broader range of colors (gamut) support a better match to the color standard or original color being matched.

With the right software and training, you can deal with special circumstances. For example, some customers print the backside of polycarbonate then laminated over the print with a white film. The resulting color gamut is considerably smaller than GRACoL. In this type of case it is possible to compress the input color range to fit the available gamut.

....What once required a time-consuming, difficult to teach, and often inconsistent skill has become an efficient, productive process. Both you and your customers will take notice.

Need inspiration? Get Ignited!

2009-05-08T19:55:00.000-07:00

Well the temperature has broken 100 degrees for three straight days and that can only mean that summer has arrived in the Valley of the Sun. So, between the economy and the weather, it's not easy for creative folks like us to get inspired.

Since we're spending gobs of time trying social media as a way to drum up some business we here at Artisan Colour / Display Graphics have found a cool site where creative minds can present ideas. You know that many times it just takes a thought or an idea from someone to ignite the passion within. The site we found is appropriately named Ignite-Phoenix.com.

Ignite Phoenix is an information exchange aimed at fostering and inspiring Phoenix's creative community. On Tuesday, June 16th. Ignite Phoenix will be having it's fourth event at the Tempe Center for the Arts. While that event is more than a month away these folks are opening up submissions for the event right now. so get fired up and ignite the creative passions from within.

We are excited to announce that Ignite Phoenix will be returning to the gorgeous Tempe Center for the Arts for our fourth event on Tuesday, June 16th. The overwhelming turnout for Ignite #3 in February forced us to alter our plans, as we needed a venue that could hold 400+ people. Thanks to support from the City of Tempe and some generous sponsors, we will be in the TCA’s gorgeous 600 seat theater!

Ignite Phoenix has come a long way since the the first “I Wonder If Anyone Will Show Up” event last August, and from now on our goal is have the next Ignite scheduled and posted as soon as a previous event wraps up. We will also open up submissions immediately, so you can submit an idea any time it strikes you. The only time submissions will be closed will be during the judging period right before an event.
If you have an idea you would like to submit for Ignite Phoenix #4, just visit our Submission Page .

Help Rick D'Elia, and in turn help the children of Uganda

2009-05-07T12:00:00.000-07:00

Rick D'Elia is donating his time to a very worthy cause by documenting the day to day struggle of survival in Uganda. Rick is trying to head up a trip that will benefit 4 charitable organizations by allowing them to use his images as part of their education and fund raising efforts. What Rick needs is help to raise the funds to make his trip to Uganda possible. I will let Rick tell the story.

STREEETCH and help some kids.

Help three small organizations that focus on education and other necessities mostly for kids in Uganda keep their programs running.

Let me explain.

As it is, small orgs must use whatever resources they have available not only in keeping the lights on but in trying to draw donations from a diminishing pool of donors in a increasingly competitive arena.

They draw donor attention through their communications tools, websites and mailers. Powerful photographs help make those tools successful. If the photographs are compelling, they convey the importance and strength of an organization. They motivate donors.

Small organizations, however, often can’t afford to bring an experienced, skilled photographer to their site. Their photographs are taken by staff-members whose expertise lies in education and social work. Those staffers are not trained in finding telling and emotional moments that make powerful photographs from which a viewer cannot look away.

Many of these organizations wish they could have work done by a pro.

With a little help, a little funding, a pro could be put into place without cost to an organization.

Wouldn’t it be even better if there were three or four organizations in the same area in Uganda with a similar need, the photographer is already in place to help out not just one, but several organizations accomplish the same goal?

Three for the price of one?

Just by pure coincidence (!?) atleast four organizations have expressed excitement at the prospect of getting great photographs of and for their programs:

Teach a Child to Fish http://www.teachachildtofish.org

Bega Kwa Bega (Shoulder to Shoulder) http://begakwabegaugandaorphans.org

Uganda Community School Project, Nawantale http://www.nawantale.org

Kirabo http://www.kirabocanada.ca

My plan is to spend about two weeks photographing these projects as a volunteer, as well as another five or six days of post production time. Travel expenses for two weeks, which would include, transportation, food and lodging, etc., will range between $3,000 and $3,600 depending upon the cost of the airfare. Departure depends upon how quickly these expenses are raised.

Teach a Child to Fish, will collect the funds, so, just fill out a check, and send with one of those “forever stamps” (remember the price is going up very soon) to:

Teach A Child to Fish
P.O. Box 491
Downers Grove, IL 60515
Enter in the notations, "NGO photo project."

TCF is 501(c)3 so, donations are deductible.

Once the expenses are covered, the rest of the donated funds will help TCF with their program.

Big news! Mighty Imaging merges with Artisan Colour

2009-04-21T14:15:00.000-07:00

We are very excited to announce the expansion of our services with the acquisition of a new Océ Arizona GT350 UV curable flatbed printer, and our merger with Artisan Colour to form their new Display Graphics Division.

Our website and current phone number (602.977.1234) will remain active during and after the transition. Please come by and visit our new facility. We will have the same great service and personnel you were used to at Mighty Imaging, as well as the addition of new equipment and highly trained staff to serve all of our printing needs!

Press Release

Experts in color management now offering high - end display graphics and museum quality photographic printing. Artisan Colour acquires Mighty Imaging to add Display Graphics division

Phoenix, April 21, 2009:

Artisan Colour announced today an expansion of their product offerings with the purchase of Mighty Imaging to create a new Display Graphics print division. With the acquisition, Artisan Colour will be adding superior print technology and precision custom finishing to its award winning color management, providing a seamless workflow to its customers nationwide.

The strategy at Artisan Colour is to focus on capture, creation, output and finishing by identifying the Gold Standard in imaging technology and bringing it all under one roof. Utilizing the “Best in Class” Océ Arizona GT350 UV curable flatbed printer, a state of the art Zund G3 digital router/cutter, as well as the finest photographic printing device, the Océ LightJet. Artisan’s line-up will provide their customers superior display graphics with an exceptional mix of equipment. This will enable Artisan’s clientele to take their message beyond the norm by providing exotic applications such as wood, metals, fabrics, wallpaper, glasswork, custom furniture and fine art to name a few.

According to Doug Bondon, President of Artisan Colour and one of its founding members, “The addition of the Mighty Imaging print division made sense for our customers. It is consistent with our mission of providing the very best in pre-press color separation. We can now offer the marketplace large format printed display and marketing material that will have the most accurate color output and highest degree of quality no matter what application from the project’s conception to installation.” Doug also adds, “We now have the freedom to work directly with our clients to create nearly anything that their imagination can conceive.”

Mighty Imaging for the past four years has had a store front location at 32nd St & Indian School Rd in Central Phoenix. In May 2009 they will move in to a newly remodeled 9,300 + square foot facility within the Artisan Colour complex located in North Scottsdale.

Artisan currently services a national clientele by consistently meeting the highest quality standards in their profession. Mighty Imaging has been the preferred choice of professional photographers and fine artists from around the world to produce their images. With the combination of the two companies, the new Artisan Colour Display Graphics division will deliver extraordinary value to their clientele through efficiently executed superior quality display solutions.
___________________________________________________________
Artisan Colour is an industry leading pre-press color separation and digital imaging resource in Scottsdale, Arizona, providing large format printing, scanning, and design. For more information visit us at www.artisancolour.com or call 480-948-0009.

Contact:
Doug Bondon: db@artisancolour.com
Peter Fradin: peter@artisancolour.com
Artisan Colour
8970 E. Bahia Drive.
Ste. 104
Scottsdale, AZ 85260

David Mehrer BFA Exhibition

2009-04-14T15:15:00.000-07:00

David Mehrer is an artist completing the photography program at Minnesota State University Moorhead. You probably remember seeing Moorhead and Fargo on the news in the past couple of weeks with the Red River cresting and subsequently flooding the surrounding area. Because of that situation, the University's BFA Exhibition had to get rescheduled. The show will go on, and is opening on April 27th.

David uses light almost like sculptural aspects in his photography. His mixture of the media creates new elements to traditional themes. We were happy to help out an emerging artist across the country. We wish David the best of luck with the upcoming exhibition and his career in the arts.

If you will be in the Moorhead area in late April, you can visit the Roland Dille Center for the Arts to see the show.

Chris Adams at Winfield's Cafe

2009-04-02T12:00:00.000-07:00

We recently printed some work for Chris Adams for his show Urban Landscapes at the Winfield's Cafe in Old Town Scottsdale. The Winfield's Cafe is a different kind of coffee house. It is run by the First Baptist Church of Scottsdale and located in their campus. Their mission at the cafe is not only to offer good coffee, but to also build community relations through their services.

There is a opening reception for Chris' work April 2nd from 6 pm to 8 pm. The show will be on display until April 13th. To learn more about the Winfield's Cafe or their events visit their website.

Creating a panoramic image using Photomerge

2009-03-31T11:20:00.000-07:00

Large printed panoramic images are amazing. The days of spending hours manually blending and combing your photos are over. Photomerge is a powerful tool available in Photoshop CS4 that will do just as advertised, merge your photos together in a matter of seconds. This tutorial posted by Jay Kinhorn on Layers Magazine gives a great overview on how to use the action and get the best result. I really like his tip about zooming in and making sure your seams do not have any soft spots or aberrations, those are very apparent when printed large.

Photoshop CS4 Photomerge

In the new CS4, there are some minor improvements to the Photomerge function, including the new collage option. Jay Kinghorn goes over the different ways of bringing your images into photomerge, the layout options, and some quick tips for creating better quality panoramas.

Tempe Festival of the Arts this weekend

2009-03-26T08:41:00.001-07:00

If it is spring time in Arizona that can only mean one thing, festivals. The 32nd annual Spring Tempe Festival of the Arts will be held this weekend off of Mill Avenue in downtown Tempe. Starting at 6 pm tonight, they will shut down Mill Avenue and the artists will start setting up their booths for the event. Admission is free, and the event is even dog friendly. The weather promises to be beautiful this weekend. Bring the whole family down to view and buy some original art!

SPRING FESTIVAL 2009 March 27-29/ 10am to Dusk

The Tempe Festival of the Arts consistently ranks among the Top 20 art festivals in the nation by Sunshine Artist and has received the Pinnacle Award from the International Festival and Events Association. The spring and fall events each attract nearly 250,000 visitors to the Mill Avenue District over the course of a 3-day weekend.

Quality artists are fundamental to the success of the event. Each year, the Festival receives more than 1,000 applications from artists across the country. From these applicants, a jury comprised of members of the local art community selects the top artisans in each category to participate in the Festival. During the Festival, a new jury then selects the best overall artist and the top artist in each category.

Participants are separated into 18 different artistic categories for judging, ranging from woodwork to photography to ceramics and even wearable art. More than 400 artist booths line Mill Avenue and the surrounding streets presenting unique, and hand-made artwork that offers visitors a distinctive shopping experience.

How to hang a picture frame

2009-03-20T15:36:00.000-07:00

For many hanging picture frames can be a frustrating and daunting task. There are several methods to achieve the look you would like for your decor. This one posted on Instructables takes in to consideration the average eye level of most viewers, and then uses that magical number 66" from the floor to find the sweet spot on where to hang your nail. There is some other math involved too, but we will let them explain.

Hang a Picture Frame

Here is my method for measuring and hanging framed pictures. Your art will end up at the correct viewing height and will be even with other frames in the room, even if they are different sizes. This is my own preferred method; there are others, like some folks will hang pictures with the tops or bottoms at the same height; others so that the middles are all level. My method places the two-thirds point uniformly at eye level, which I think looks best....

step 6 Make a sketch

On a piece of paper make a diagram (this helps me). Make these calculations:
Take frame height ( H ), divide by three. This is ( E )
Measured down from the top of the frame, ( E ) is going to end up being eye level ( L, or 66" ), two thirds up the frame.
The difference between the 66 inch mark and where the hanger will go is ( D ).
Picture hanger is placed at ( X ).

So we have:
H divided by 3 = E ( Thirds )
E minus V = D ( Difference between wire and top third point )
66 plus D = X ( Eye level plus difference is where the hanger goes )
V corresponds to X ( The wire hangs on the hanger. Duh. )

It gets easier when you've done it once or twice.
(Tell me if I've made this stupidly complicated.)

Check out the link to see all of the steps. You will be hanging pictures like a pro in no time.

8 steps to a better computer workspace

2009-03-18T11:00:00.000-07:00

Our friend Scott Condray of Visualville offers some sage advice on the best way to set up your system for optimum viewing and color correcting conditions, as well as some tips that can help increase your computer speed. Scott has spent years teaching Photoshop classes, calibrating workstations, and creating printer profiles for output. Suffice it to say, he knows his stuff.

8 Easy Things You Can Do To Improve Your Workplace & Workflow

Making improvements to your “workplace” also improves your "workflow".

The following will improve the quality of the product you produce and make your life a little easier at the same time.

1. Always have your monitor desktop set to a neutral color. Preferably a medium gray. Screen Savers don’t really “save” your monitor. If you are concerned about extending the usable life of your monitor simply turn it off when you are not using it.

2. Consistent subdued lighting in your workplace is a must. Avoid strong directional light whether artificial or natural.

3. Use neutral colors in the workplace. No bright yellow, (red, blue, green, etc.), colored walls. They may look cool but will definitely impact your ability to accurately color adjust images.

4. Wear neutral colored clothing when processing images. Your clothes reflect color onto your monitor screen.

5. Use monitor hoods. Monitor hoods block directional light and help improve the consistent subdued light environment mentioned in step two. In a perfect world, a monitor hood would come with every monitor.

6. Always view your print outputs in the same viewing area. This area should be as close as possible to your monitor. What is the correct light source for your viewing area? In a perfect world you would view your print outputs under the same light source they will be displayed under. Obviously that isn't practical.

A good all around color temperature for a viewing source is 5000 degrees Kelvin. There are several manufacturers who make lamps in this color temperature.

7. If you don’t do anything else on this list, CALIBRATE YOUR MONITOR! Adjusting Images using an uncalibrated monitor is like shooting a film camera without knowing what kind of film you’ve loaded.

As the old Chinese Proverb warns, “ If you don’t know where you're going any road will take you there.”

You can purchase a very accurate Calibration System (Hardware and Software) for about $250. It will pay for itself very quickly.

8. Work on the most powerful workstation you can afford. A powerful computer, properly configured, is the heart of any successful digital workflow.

Interview with Art Holeman Part 2

2009-03-13T13:00:00.000-07:00

We last left off in our discussion with Art as he was beginning to tell us more about the Through Each Other's Eyes organization and his experiences on this most recent trip to Mexico.

MI: How important is it to have the right translator and guide? Or did you get by with common sense and lots of smiles?

"Before my trips I purchased some CD's for language which taught me key phrases. I learned enough to get me in hot water pretty quick." he jokes. "The native people are very understanding and courteous. If you show them that you are trying to communicate in their own language, that goes a long way. Communication in Japan was not difficult at all. Many people spoke fluent or basic English and we were able to come to an understanding. In Mexico we were fortunate to have excellent guides that spoke English and could translate for us."

MI: What made the experience unique?

"The unique thing is that everyone tells you don't go down there (to Mexico) because it is dangerous. What you have to understand is that it is their country, with their own way of doing things. I found this myth to simply not be true. You can get in to trouble anywhere." Art adds, "The foods were unbelievable!"

MI: What cameras and lenses did you use for the trip?

"I brought two camera bodies; a Canon 5D and a Canon 20D, and two lenses; a 24-70mm and a 70-200mm for increased range. I also brought a Lensbaby," but admits "Every time I bring one on an exchange the local photographer would want to keep it. There is now one in Japan and one in Mexico, and I need to order a new one for myself."

MI: Was there a particular shot that you captured that you felt really connected to?

"I got one that I shot the very first day. I saw these horse trainers running back and forth exercising their horses. Everything was dusty and the trainer was riding a white horse. As soon as I took the shot, the guide told us no to take images of the horse trainers. I later found out that there is apparently a lot of competition between the horse trainers for their races, and they do not want their methods to be exposed. It still remains one of my favorite shots from the trip." Art goes on to say, "I try to go in to an exchange with an open mind and not have a preconceived concept of the end product. I try to let it flow and let the locations and people speak to me. Otherwise, I would end up ignoring a lot of what surrounds me."

We would like to thank Art for taking time to meet with us for this interview. Look for a show of Art and Colleen's Mexico images coming up in September of 2009. When the specifics of the show are announced we will post them here.

Christine Taft at Earth Gallery

2009-03-11T09:50:00.000-07:00

Earth Gallery is located in Old Town Cottonwood in Northern Arizona off of Historic Route 89A. The Old Town Association of Cottonwood is holding a Second Saturday Art & Antique Walk every 2nd Saturday of the month, starting this weekend. Christine Taft has been asked to display her work at the Earth Gallery for the on-going event. We printed some gorgeous Metallic prints of her award winning images available for purchase at the gallery.

The art walk starts this weekend March 14th from 1-8 pm. Come and play!

The Art District in Old Town features art in all mediums, from antiques and galleries to artisan breads and fine food fusions.

From 1-8pm, come stroll the sidewalks and enjoy our beautiful climate, incredible food choices, large array of shopping options and Old West atmosphere of Historic 89A, as you meander through the wonderful spectrum of galleries and shops. Chances are good that music will be playing and the sun will be shining.

Every second Saturday there will be events to stir your artistic soul, and a new show at each gallery, every month, whose work you can newly appreciate.

Go West exhibit at Tucson Airport

2009-03-09T12:27:00.000-07:00

If you happen to find yourself with some time to spare at the Tucson Airport there is more for you to do than just read a magazine while you are waiting for your flight. James Cowlin along with photographer Tom Kiefer currently have an exhibit at the airport gallery entitled Go West: One Road, Two Visions. Both artists tell the a story of the West from very different viewpoints. While Jim focuses on vast sweeping iconic Western landscapes, Tom concentrates how man altered and changed these locations.

The show is on display through the end of March 2009. If you won't be flying out of Tucson during that time you can still 'visit' the exhibit on line. We were happy to lend a hand by printing Jim's Historic Route 89 images used for the exhibit.

As story tellers with cameras, Tom Kiefer and I may seem to be worlds apart. The paradoxical juxtaposition you see in this exhibition should not hide the passion we each bring to our work and the commitment to truth and beauty as we see it.

Through Each Other's Eyes show this weekend

2009-03-05T10:24:00.000-08:00

Another event taking place this weekend is a show from the Through Each Other's Eyes organization. The latest show features four photographers from two countries. Dennis Scully and Maurice Sartirana traveled to Japan in a culture exchange with two Japanese photographers Haruhiko Shimauchi and Noriyoshi Kanda. Their resulting images will be on display this weekend at the Historic Southwest Cotton Company Building. The show will be part of the First Friday events as well as a reception with the artists on Saturday night. We were honored that they selected us to do some Metallic printing for the show.

The Historic Southwest Cotton Co. Bldg. is located at 605 E. Grant St. in downtown Phoenix. The March 6th First Friday event starts at 6 pm, and the artist reception on Saturday March 7th is from 5-8 pm. Hope to see you there!

The 16th exchange between photographers in Phoenix and Himeji, sister cities since 1976, began with the visit of Haruhiko Shimauchi and Noriyoshi Kanda to Arizona in February, 2008. Hosted by TEOE Photographers Dennis Scully and Maurice Sartirana, their shooting schedule included Super Bowl activities at West Gate, a Chocolate festival and fire cadet training in Glendale.

Sartirana and Scully will complete the exchange by traveling to Japan. The participants stay at each other's homes while traveling abroad, making the experience a rich cultural exchange that was about far more than making pictures. Each photographer will feature 20 prints in the resulting exhibit, presenting images of how two cultures perceive one another.

The pictures of Dennis and Maurice seen here were taken during their trip to Japan in 2008.

"3" Artshow at Jordre Studio

2009-03-03T09:35:00.000-08:00

This Friday is shaping up to be a big night for art in Phoenix. As usual, the first Friday of every month is part of the First Friday art walks in the downtown galleries. March is also the 20th anniversary of Art Detour, a two day event with thousands of attendees experiencing hundreds of artists’ work in more than 100 galleries and studios. Both events are brought to you by the non-profit volunteer organization Artlink.

There are several shows scheduled on Friday and continuing in to Saturday. Some of which we were able to play a part in by helping the artists produce their work, one of them being 3 at the Jordre Studio. It is a collaborative show of three artists; Jennie Ignaszewski, Tyson Crosbie, and Kyle Jordre. We worked with both Tyson and Kyle for the show.

Tyson will be debuting the second edition of his annual series of fine art photographs, Phoenix 21. On Thursday March 5th from 6-8pm there is also a chance for you to preview the work before it is open to the public on Friday. It is a great opportunity to interact with the artists and see the work up close and personal.

Group Show highlights talents of three artists during Art Detour

Simply titled, "3," this year during Artlink's Art Detour Jordre Studio will be hosting a show of three diverse artists, Jennie Ignaszewski, Tyson Crosbie and Kyle Jordre (owner of Jordre Studio). The opening reception is being held on March 6, 2009 during First Friday, 6PM-10PM. The studio will also be open during regular Detour hours, Saturday, March 7, 10AM - 6PM; Sunday, March 8, noon - 6PM.

Documenting urban beauty - as each is committed to and loves the Valley/Phoenix urban environment. Jennie has lived here longest and has created many images of the community and the local population; Tyson is deeply embedded in the social networking arena and is the creator of #pfn (phoenix friday nights) a group that you can find on twitter/facebook; and Kyle's studio is in the heart of the Grand Avenue arts district and he is active in the Grand Ave. merchants association. Each of these valley artists is committed to our downtown community and through their work, they document urban beauty quite uniquely.

Interview with Art Holeman Part 1

2009-02-25T10:50:00.000-08:00

We have worked with Art Holeman for years. We have always admired, not only his photography, but also his work with Through Each Other's Eyes. TEOE is a not-for-profit organization celebrating their 20th anniversary in Arizona. Their goal is to promote international understanding through photography. A very dedicated group of volunteer photographers will take trips in a cultural exchange with a pair of photographers from that native country. Art recently came back from a trip in Mexico and sat down with us to share some of his experiences as well as his inspiration and background in photography.

MI: How did you decide to become a photographer?

Art laughs. "I wanted to be a photographer after seeing the ads in Playboy. When I first subscribed it truly was because of the ads. The lighting and composition intrigued me. When I started photography, I didn't shot people for years. It was the commercial side of photography that inspired me."

MI: Did you have any formal training?

"Yes, I completed a two year program at the Hawkeye Institute of Technology. Prior to that I had life experience shooting what was around me living in Michigan. I wrote to Kodak to inquire if they had a photo school I could attend. They did not, but were kind enough to send me back a booklet of every photo program in the country at the time. I chose Hawkeye Inst. and focused on commercial photography."

MI: Tell us about Through Each Other's Eyes

"I feel fortunate to be a part of that group. There is a board of 20 photographers. I have been a member for 2 years. I, along with Colleen Miniuk-Sperry, just completed our cultural exchange to both Japan and Mexico." Art adds, " One of the most important things that is required is if you can live with your fellow photographer on the road for a week. Colleen is very easy to get along with. I would travel with Colleen any time." He then smiles as he divulges, "Colleen loves to get up for sunrise shots."

Check back for part two of the interview where Art talks more about his experience traveling to Mexico and Japan for TEOE.

Wallpaper is back - and you may not recognize it

2009-02-19T14:10:00.000-08:00

We have seen a resurgence in the usage in wallpaper lately. With the ability to print directly from a digital file, interior designers, photographers, or any creative soul can now see their vision realized in a big way. Many designers are using this technique with an accent wall of a custom motif created specifically for that space. Although this article highlights ready to sell wallpaper designed by specific artisans, anyone can achieve a similar look and get it printed for about half the price as a prefabricated product.

Wallpaper is back and design-forward: Distributed by McClatchy Newspapers

Wallpaper was a booming industry for years until the late 1990s, when it fell out of fashion as faux paint finishes came roaring onto the interior-decorating scene. Floral patterns and fruit borders were no longer innovative.

Wallpaper looked tired.

But fear not, people: Wallpaper is back. But it's different -- so different, you might not recognize it. (Full disclosure: My husband is a wallpaper hanger, so some of my evidence is firsthand.)

Accent Design Studio in Fort Worth, Texas, has seen a big increase in the use of wallpaper in its interior designs in the past two years. And it's because the new papers really complement the faux-paint walls. "It may cost 40 percent more to wallpaper a room than paint it, but the impact is worth it," Accent co-owner Cindy Peck says.

Popular TV designer Candice Olson, host of HGTV's "Divine Design," wallpapers an accent wall in many of her designs and is helping to make wallpaper hip again. She started her own line of wallpaper, available through York Wallcoverings, a year and a half ago. Olson's new collection comes out in December.

Consider these emerging trends:

PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGERY

When I saw this wallpaper, it took my breath away. It's absolutely a piece of art. Trove is a wallpaper studio based in New York. It uses photographic imagery to create depth in large-scale prints. This pattern, Indi, inspired by Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds," is simply stunning. Roll width is 35.5 inches, $16 per square foot. The image featured is 12 feet high by 6 feet wide.

Trove, under the direction of Jee Levin and Randall Buck, began with images inspired by the 100-year-old flower market in the middle of Manhattan. The studio uses natural elements as the basis of its designs. Serendipitous, too, that the paper itself is eco-friendly and recyclable. Learn more at www.troveline.com.

Lighting Essentials' photo contest

2009-02-13T09:00:00.000-08:00

Don Giannatti at Lighting Essentials is starting up a monthly photo contest. This is the first month, and it looks like there are already some great submissions. This month's assignment is portraits in an environment; "Show the subject’s relationship to the environment". We are one of the sponsors by offering the second place winner with a free 16x20 glossy print. We are excited to see who wins!

You have until February 28th to submit images if you are interested. Please check out Lighting Essentials for all of the contest rules and details.

We have a wonderful sponsor, BorrowLenses.com and they will be awarding a grand prize of a weeks rental of any of their great photographic gear. Our wonderful sponsor, Mighty Imaging will be presenting a free 16×20 for second place and our third place will receive the Lighting Essentials 1 DVD.

Mighty Imaging featured in The Big Picture Magazine

2009-02-10T11:20:00.000-08:00

In the February 2009 issue of The Big Picture Magazine, their feature article focused on the 'art' of fine-art printing. Mighty Imaging was honored to be asked to share some of our ideas and techniques that have made fine-art printing a successful venture for us. Our many thanks to Clare Baker, who wrote the article, and to The Big Picture Magazine for asking us to participate.

The Big Picture does not post their magazine on line. Here are some excerpt from the article.

Fine Art from All Angles - Clare Baker

It's safe to say that fine-art printing is not for everyone, regardless of whether you've been in the business of wide-format printing for just months or you've spent dozens of years in the output arena. Besides the printer, media, and inks required for fine-art printmaking, the print provider must devise and accurate proofing process, be sensitive to the needs of fine-artists, and, of course, cultivate a viable client base, all of which can be a pricey and time-consuming undertaking. Fine-art printing, one might say, is an art within itself.

Mighty Imaging (mightyimaging.com), in Phoenix, also serves a more commercial demographic. Owner Peter Fradin says that his shop, which opened in 2005, serves those "who need the very best imaging on a large scale." He elaborates, "I felt that the large-format channel was being filled by sign shops and repro houses rather than true masters of color and printing, to detriment of fine art, high-end retail display, and interior design." His clients range from graphic designers "whose passion and vision get lost without high-quality output"; national Web-based companies with products that require printing and shipping; corporate wall-art programs that produce artwork and murals for lobbies, offices, conference rooms, and board rooms; architects and interior designers; and rounding out his client base, photographers and fine-artists. "I try to be solution-based when making a sale," says Fradin. "We are constantly bringing fresh ideas to market...At the end of the day [our shop is prepared] to produce all types of graphics and prints."

Looking Ahead

If you're still only in the deciding or planning stages of adding fine-art printing capabilities to your shop, it would not be surprising if you're hesitant to do so given the current economic climate. Even the most successful print providers are probably feeling their business soften as the economy continues to slow. While only you can judge what is best for your shop, the shops we spoke with are finding unique ways to keep as well as find business during these times.

Mighty Imaging's Fradin, for instance, has settled on an arguably bullish way to deal with the slowing markets: "We have decided not to participate in the recession," he jokes. Despite what he acknowledges as trying times, he's doubling the shop's marketing efforts in hopes of identifying those artists and businesses that are looking for a higher level of quality from their current large-format fine-art print provider. "We're in the process of acquiring the best technology and latest equipment to make those folks' vision a reality," he says. "I know I'm incurring a great risk right now in trying to grow my business in the current economic environment-but as I see it, if our efforts here don't make our customers money, then we really haven't done our job."

We were also flattered that they selected an image of work we have done for Stuart Anthony Black of the PANGEA Gallery to illustrate their point for the article.

Try and Find a Battery It Can’t Charge

2009-02-06T14:45:00.000-08:00

Since there is no more football, you may decide to grab the digital camera and head up North to get some cool winter shots. Unless your digital camera is fully charged you could be left “out in the cold”.

What really is a drag is whether it’s your camcorder, cell phone or digital camera each of the batteries differ in shape and size and require their own dedicated charger. Well, the good folks at Lenmar have addressed this multiple charger dilemma with its PowerPort Clip universal charger.

The small charger uses adjustable contact points that can adapt itself to almost any battery. After the contacts have been set, users slide the battery under the clasp and plug the PowerPort Clip into any standard USB port using the built in, swiveling conector. And since it’s self contained there are no wires to untangle.

It is very simple to use and features technology that not only extends the stand time and durability of your batteries but since it uses less power than all other alternatives, you can be “Green” while doing so. To learn more about this outstanding product just check them out at lenmar.com.

Sometimes I dig being out in nature alone, but this is one travel companion that’s coming along for the ride!

2009 Arizona Fine Art Expo

2009-02-03T09:50:00.000-08:00

Springtime in Arizona means there are lots of events to attend. We just finished the Barrett Jackson Car Auction, the FBR Open, and in a couple weeks Phoenix will be hosting the NBA All-Star Game. If cars and sports are not your thing, there is also the 5th annual Arizona Fine Art Expo being held in Scottsdale.

The 44,000 square foot tented event features 100 artists, from photographers, painters, jewelry makers, woodworkers, and sculptors. You can get up close and personal to the artists and their process. Many will be creating pieces at the event as well as offering classes that you can attend for an extra fee. They also have a 2 acre sculpture garden with a koi pond and a butterfly exhibit. Dogs are even welcome to come along! It sounds like a great time. The Expo will be open until March 29, 2009. For more information check out their site.

Meet 100 nationally acclaimed and award-winning artists passionately creating artwork inside or in the outdoor working cabanas. The Arizona Fine Art EXPO brings you seventy-four continuous days of spectacular art adventure!

Linda Connor exhibit at the PAM

2009-01-26T08:36:00.000-08:00

Since their remodel in 2006, the Norton Gallery at the Phoenix Art Museum has been home to some fantastic photographic exhibits. Their latest installment is the photography of Linda Connor. Linda uses a large format 8x10 view camera to capture her images and then does a direct contact print exposing them with sunlight in her garden. The prints are also toned with gold chloride that adds an inherent luminosity.

If you visit the museum on Tuesday evenings you can get in to see it for free! The museum offers free general admission every Tuesday from 3-9 PM as well as every First Friday from 6-10 PM. Odyssey: The Photography of Linda Connor will be open until March 8, 2009.

Traveling around the world, contemporary photographer Linda Connor seeks places and traditions that convey such intangible qualities as time, faith, and spirituality. Her photographs connect these ethereal concepts to specific locales and to the natural world. She has worked extensively in India, Indonesia, Turkey, Cambodia, Egypt, Tibet, and the American Southwest. Included in the exhibition of more than 70 photographs are some of Connor’s best known images from the past three decades, along with more recent works that have had little public exposure.

Advertising in slower economic times

2009-01-21T12:27:00.000-08:00

It is seems to be all anyone can talk about now, the economy. Many companies have made hard decisions and sacrifices to tighten their finances. However, tightening the belt on your advertising budget may be the wrong move. Companies that keep their advertising dollars consistent during a slower economy are the ones that come out ahead when the tide turns. Alternatively, in slower economic times consumers tend to stay close to home. That includes where they spend their money. Consumers may be more likely to spend their dollars with a neighboring business to help stimulate their local economy.

What strategies can you utilize to help maximize your advertising dollar? Here are a couple of suggestions:

Use eye-level graphics in your environment by printing large format photos, backlit signage, or window graphics. Sandwich boards printed direct to a variety of substrates is another great option. Customers are pretty much guaranteed to notice advertising placed at eye-level.
Look up. Space above eye-level can be utilized with banners, fabric flags, or wallpaper murals. This type of marketing can reinforce your main marketing imagery and attract a broader audience to your business. The trick with any these options is to create unique graphics to set your marketing message apart from your competition.

Effectively executed, your company can position itself to stand out and become more memorable in a less crowded advertising environment. It is important to keep looking ahead and use this time as a great opportunity to communicate your message. Contact a Mighty Imaging representative to find out how we can help.

Obama's People in New York Times Magazine

2009-01-19T09:40:00.000-08:00

In honor of Obama's historic inauguration tomorrow, the New York Times Magazine asked Nadav Kander to take on an ambitious project of photographing portraits of Obama's new cabinet appointees and members of his staff that played a vital role in his election and transition in to office. Their goal was to go beyond the usual formal portrait shoot and integrate aspects in to the images that speak to the true nature of the subjects. From Senator Robert P. Casey Jr. holding a basketball to Ken Salazar's cowboy hat, the final 52 images will make up the largest collection by one photographer that the New York Times has ever published. Many people are holding the now infamous Blackberries that have been widely reported as being such an integral part of Obama's communication through out his campaign and transition.

Go here to see all of the images, and to listen to a the photographer Nadav Kander and Times Magazine Director of Photography Kathy Ryan discuss the project.

Behind Obama's People - Editor's Letter by Gerald Marzoratti

EARLY IN 1976, with both the post-Watergate presidential election and the bicentennial celebration in mind, Rolling Stone approached Richard Avedon, America’s most celebrated portrait photographer of the time, with the idea of spending the year shooting pictures on the campaign trail. Avedon had other ideas, or, better, a bigger idea: To photograph the men and women he understood to constitute the political leadership of the United States. The result, published in Rolling Stone’s Oct. 21, 1976, issue and taking up the entire feature well of the magazine, was a portfolio of 73 black-and-white portraits — formal, frank in a stylized way and, page after page after page, thoroughly absorbing.

It was with that project very much in mind that The Times Magazine asked Nadav Kander — one of the more original and highly regarded portraitists at work just now — if he would like to photograph the administration of Barack Obama as it was being assembled. We, like many of our readers — like most Americans, it seems fair to say — sensed something eventful and potentially far-reaching about the election and the challenges the new president and his team would immediately face. Why not take account of this with portraits of those whose character and temperament and bearing may well prove consequential in the coming months and years?

The result is what we have titled “Obama’s People” — 52 full-page color portraits of the vice president-elect and the incoming president’s advisers, aides and cabinet secretaries-designate (some of whom may have been confirmed or may have withdrawn by the time you read this), along with those legislators who are likely to prove influential in helping to usher into law what the new administration sets out to do. (President-elect Obama declined to pose for a formal picture.) The portraits were taken in mid-December and earlier this month in Chicago and Washington. The magazine’s editor of photography, Kathy Ryan, along with two members of her staff, Kira Pollack and Stacey Baker, organized and oversaw the sessions. (To get a glimpse behind the camera, see the magazine’s back page.) Matt Bai, who has been the magazine’s chief political writer through the last two presidential-election cycles, drew up the list of whom to photograph and also wrote the elegant essay that serves as an overture to the issue and the moment. But Kander’s portfolio was never intended to be any sort of definitive representation of who mattered in and around the White House at the dawn of the Obama era. That will be the job of history. Kander was shooting in the conditional.

Interview with Tyson Crosbie

2009-01-15T11:55:00.000-08:00

Tyson Crosbie was recently interviewed by MyArtSpace, a premier site dedicated to contemporary art and artisans. Tyson reveals some of the motivations behind why he became a fine art photographer, his influences, and his process. He also provides some great insight on the power and potential pitfalls associated with online marketing for artists. Below is a sampling of the interview.

#3 of Tyson's Phoenix 20 series

Art Space Talk: Tyson Crosbie

BS: Tell us more about the thoughts behind your work. For example, do you adhere to a specific school of psychology or philosophy as far as your practice is concerned?

TC: Nearly ten years is not enough time to develop any clear understanding of the meaning of anything. I am not so sure I'll ever reach any clear understanding, I can speak to where I am now.

I view my work as an evolution, the most important image I've ever made is the next one. It is my goal to create a lifetime body of work that evolves as I do that is recognizable visually as a journey of a life. The first abstracts that I took in school were exercises in composition and theory. What I call the Mexico series was when I became self aware as an artist. Following that the early work is when my language really starts to develop and refine. My most recent work is confined by rules and language and far more complex and yet the subtleties of information that I can contain in the imagery fascinates me.

Of course it is my obsession to observe the world, this ties me to the medium of photography intimately. Still I am drawn to contradictions like; Creating work as a purist, a traditionalist and using digital media. Loving observation and information as a scientist and an artist. Believing that I am solipsistic and an existentialist and an egoist at times.

More resolution = less noise

2009-01-13T10:18:00.000-08:00

Most photographers realize that the more resolution your camera captures, the better. How does that relate to noise in your image? Especially when it goes to print. DxO Labs has the answer. They did an independent complete analysis of signal-to-noise ratio (aka SNR) with two Canon model cameras. The results might surprise some people.

DxO is a free resource that offers non-biased in-depth technical analysis of RAW-based image quality. There is a wealth of data on their site. They are highly recommended by places like Popular Photography.

Contrary to conventional wisdom, higher resolution actually compensates for noise

This Insight uses currently-available DSLRs to demonstrate the technique for objectively comparing noise for cameras with different levels of resolution. Such comparisons conclusively show better results overall for high-resolution sensors, despite the increase in noise.

You like the look and feel of your old camera, but you want to upgrade it to a higher resolution. If you keep the same optics, the same sensor size (and therefore the same field of view), what will be the result? Basically, the same amount of light captured by the optics will be shared by more pixels, and since each individual pixel will receive less light, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) will be lower. In short, you will end up taking photos with more noise.

Two questions naturally arise:
How can the noise from two cameras with different levels of resolution be fairly compared?
Which is better, a low-resolution camera with less noise, or a high-resolution camera with more noise?

...Suppose now that the images have exactly the same field of view (by changing the lens focal length) and are printed on 30x20cm paper with the same 300dpi printer. Because of the very high resolution of the 1Ds Mark III, the printer will downsample the image and decrease the noise, giving a clear advantage (about 3dB) to the 1Ds Mark III.

Imagine a low-resolution sensor. A higher-resolution sensor can be obtained by cutting each pixel of the low-resolution sensor into four smaller pixels.

For a given exposure time, each smaller pixel receives four times less light than a large pixel-the equivalent of reducing exposure time by a factor of four. So to get the same sensor response, exposure time needs to be multiplied by four, which means that the ISO sensitivity of the high-resolution sensor is four times less than the low-resolution sensor.

Imaging USA Convention & Expo this weekend

2009-01-09T15:21:00.000-08:00

The PPA, SEPCON, EPIC, and CPI jointly are hosting Imaging USA Convention and Expo this year right here in Phoenix. Besides the numerous educational classes that they offer, they are also holding one of the largest photo industry tradeshows of the year. Over 223,000 square feet of floorspace will be dedicated to the event at the newly re-built Phoenix Convention Center. Classes start tomorrow, and the Imaging Expo tradeshow starts on Sunday. The entire event runs through Tuesday January 13th. World-renowned photographer Anne Geddes will be giving the keynote talk on the evening of January 12th.

There is still time to sign up if you would like to see the latest and greatest in photo world. Hope to see you there!

We're not just serious about photography; we're serious about your business. Start your year off right at Imaging USA - it's the best place for you to ignite the energy and passion for doing what you love, while learning how to grow your business, push the boundaries, and gain an edge over the competition. Don't miss:
An Evening with Anne Geddes
Unbeatable Pre-Convention Classes
World-Class Instructors, 5 Program Tracks + 3 Conferences
223,000 sq. ft. Tradeshow

Watson Lake workshop with Colleen Miniuk-Sperry

2009-01-05T10:36:00.000-08:00

Colleen Miniuk-Sperry will be leading an Arizona Highways workshop at the end of January. Her latest workshop will be on location at Watson Lake near Prescott, Arizona. It is a weekend workshop January 31-February 1. The groups are kept small so that each attendee can receive personal attention. There are only two more spots left for this workshop. If you are interested, sign up today!

Join photographer Colleen Miniuk-Sperry on an exciting weekend workshop, as she guides you around the sparkling blue waters & impressive jumbo rocks of Watson Lake near Prescott, Arizona. While Colleen uncovers her favorite locations around Watson Lake & the Granite Dells, learn special techniques for capturing stunning nature photographs.

The cost is $380 per person, which includes:
o 1 night lodging in Prescott, AZ
o Lunches, dinner, and snacks
o Hands-on, individualized field instruction for all skill levels at scenic locations around Watson Lake

For more information, visit http://friendsofazhighways.com/calendar.htm & select the “Watson Lake” workshop listing.

Happy New Year!

2008-12-31T11:30:00.000-08:00

From all of us at Mighty Imaging, thank you for your business in 2008! We would like to extend our best wishes for a peaceful and prosperous New Year. We look forward to fulfilling your printing needs in 2009.

Timm Chapman exhibit at Boyce Thompson Arboretum

2008-12-30T08:20:00.000-08:00

Boyce Thompson Arboretum is a 32 acre oasis located due East of Phoenix in Superior, Arizona. Their goal is to instill an appreciation for plants through research, conservation, and education. They also have an active art program in their visitor center. Each month they feature the work of a new artist. In January, it will be the photography of Timm Chapman.

Timm's polar bear images entitled Lords of the Arctic will be on display the entire month of January. His shots are gorgeous, and also thought provoking. They highlight the beauty of these majestic creatures, and also their struggle for survival in a shrinking environment. Timm generously donates a portion of each sale from this collection to Polar Bears International.

Timm will also be leading a 3 hour 'texture walk' at the arboretum on January 17th. He will be talking about photography techniques and offering tips on how to improve composition and utilize the natural textures of desert plant life. Contact Boyce Thompson Arboretum if you wish to attend.

This month marks the first official start of Winter -- how appropriate that images of polar bears and stark landscapes will grace the walls of the visitor center gallery at Boyce Thompson Arboretum during January. Pinal County resident and professional photographer Timm Chapman will be featured with a solo exhibition, and he'll also teach a class January 17 for a dozen pre-registered students.

"The Arboretum show will feature a variety of my images including shots from the Lords of the Arctic series which captures the great Polar Bear on the tundra of Northern Canada," said Chapman, whose photography manages to encompass dramatic landscapes -- and also intimate spaces.

Happy holidays!

2008-12-24T11:20:00.000-08:00

No matter what you celebrate, this time of year is a chance to reflect and appreciate the good things in life. From all of us at Mighty Imaging we wish you a happy, healthy, and safe holiday!

If you are in need of something to do over the weekend, Arizona Central has a listing of holiday light displays through out the Valley. Make sure to bring your camera!

Tony Blei featured in Southwest Graphics Magazine

2008-12-22T11:13:00.000-08:00

We have known for some time that Tony Blei is an amazing photographer. Tony was one of the first artists in our Shop for Art gallery. We were happy to see that in the Winter 2008 addition of Southwest Graphics Magazine, they gave Tony the chance to talk about his passion for photography and some of the reasons behind his success. Tony has had a extensive career shooting a variety of subjects, including six U.S. presidents.

Southwest Graphics does not publish their magazine on their website. Excerpts of the article are available here.

High on Blei

Tony Blei of Tony Blei Photography has been in business for three years, but he's actually been photographing people for more than 20. Tony previously was a photojournalist, and he says that experience helped to shape his creativity.

"There's a beauty to photojournalism that often gets missed. The beauty is that you have a steady stream of people to photograph, but very little time to plan. It requires that you think on your feet and be creative," Tony says. "Photojournalists are incredibly creative people who have to solve huge problems on a moment's notice - with no budget."

..."I'll run through walls for my clients. I do whatever it takes to get them what they need. Period." Tony says, "I see my photography as an investment for my clients. The pictures they're hiring me to produce will be used to attract business or sell their products. They deserve a high return on their investment."

When he was a young photographer, Tony photographed an author. "I don't remember his name, but I remember the lesson he taught me: Unless you're at the J.C. Penny Portrait Studio, nobody wants their picture to look like everyone else's. I ended up putting a computer keyboard in the author's hands and posed him as if he were a rock star playing lead guitar. It was great! We each ended up with a picture we loved, and I ended up with a lesson that served me well for more than 20 years."

Gus Koernig's art added to Mighty Imaging

2008-12-18T09:20:00.000-08:00

Gus Koernig started out his career working in front of a camera as a TV journalist. He now enjoys his time behind a camera as a photographer. He has some beautiful images of the West as well as from his journeys around the globe. All of which are now available in his gallery as part of our Shop for Art program. We are pleased to be able to offer Gus' prints to the collection.

Living in the western United States I am always surrounded by breathtaking images, just waiting to be photographed. I also have the opportunity to travel and take pictures in places I never dreamed I would visit. I spent several weeks in Australia, photographing the big cities and small towns, the seashores and the rainforests that are brimming with some of the most awe-inspiring images I have ever seen.

I was raised in a very big city and have lived in some very small, remote rural towns. These experiences give me a deep appreciation for the variety the world offers and my photographs reflect that variety. My galleries are filled with pictures of sweeping vistas of unspoiled wide-open spaces, as well as close-up photos of nature's most delicate handiwork. You'll find images taken in some of the world's great cities, along with photographs that capture the uniqueness of tiny towns in out-of-the-way places, and pictures of wide spots in the road where abandoned buildings silently hint at their history.

Add a little colour to your design

2008-12-16T15:33:00.000-08:00

Colour Lovers is a site dedicated to color and its use in design, marketing trends, and art. They have over 160,000 users who post color palettes dissected and extracted from such subjects as crayons, national brand logos, and even fall leaves. They watch market trends of popular color usage in logo, web design, fashion, you name it. They even have a post that shows a side by side comparison of what a color blind person sees next to the original artwork.

Users post patterns and palettes inspired by vintage fabric, masterpieces by famous artists, or just a season of the year. Each provides the RGB number equivalent to be able to easily utilize it yourself. Many of the patterns available for download could be a great start in designing your own personal digital fabric or wallpaper.

It is a wealth of information and inspiration for any designer. Likewise, people in the marketing and advertising industry can learn what colors have been successful for other big name companies when developing their campaign or brand. A great site, worth spending some time exploring.

Vegetable art by Ju Duoqi

2008-12-11T10:09:00.000-08:00

Ju Duoqi is a Chinese artist who uses vegetables as her models to recreate recognizable masterpieces by artists like Van Gogh, Picasso, and Warhol. She uses digital photography, with a little help from Photoshop, to recreate each scene. Her images are printed large to allow the viewer to examine the amazing effort and detail put in to each recreation.

Ju can be seen here with her work "Vincent Van Gogh Made of Leek". Her show entitled "The Vegetable Museum" is on exhibition at Paris-Beijing Photo Gallery II in Beijing until January of 2009. To see more of Duoqi's exhibit, take a look at this slide show.

Do you want peas with your Picasso? -Celine Chen

Her works, the Vegetable museum series, are on show at the Paris Beijing Photo Gallery in the 798 art district from November 23, 2008 until January 24, 2009.

Mixing everyday vegetables such as tofu, cabbage, ginger, lotus roots, coriander and sweet potato, and adding a dash of digital manipulation, Ju presents a puzzling series of vegetable compositions representing world famous paintings like the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper by Leonard Da Vinci, The Dream by Pablo Picasso and Marilyn Monroe by Andy Warhol.

"In the summer of 2006, I bought a few kilograms of peas, and sat there quietly for two days peeling them, before stringing them on a wire and turning them into a skirt, a top, a headdress and a magic wand. I used a remote control to take a photo of myself in them, and named it Pea Beauty Pageant. That was my first work of vegetable art," Ju Duoqi said, recalling her first vegetable composition.

She began to find vegetables, normally associated with household drudgery, more and more interesting. The different types, shapes and colors of the vegetables, with a bit of rearranging, can make for a rich source of imagery. Fresh, withered, rotting, dried, pickled, boiled, fried, they all come out different.

Then she realized that as a photographer, she no longer needed models – she arranged her legumes and took photos of them. "I have found a way of life for women who love the home," Ju said, explaining the theme of her works. Anne Cooper Chen, an American visitor, commented, "These carry a great sense of humor."

Phoenix Art Museum showcases large photographs

2008-12-05T07:38:00.000-08:00

The Phoenix Art Museum recently add Sara Cochran as their new modern art curator. As one of her first tasks in the position, the museum reinvented the contemporary galleries in the Katz Wing. One room of the five part installation is a gallery featuring wall sized photographs. Including this image "Untitled (House on the Road)" by Gregory Crewdson. It is exciting to see the museum recognize the power of these large scale photographs and introduce more of them to the collection.

To learn more about Crewdson's work, read this previous post.

Art museum galleries reinstalled - Richard Nilsen

The Phoenix Art Museum has reinstalled its contemporary galleries in the first-floor Katz Wing with a series of "mini-shows."

The large paintings and photographs from the museum's collection, with some loans from some local collectors make this 5-part installation a must-see.

Third gallery features monumental photographs. Unlike the snapshots you are used to, these photos are wall-sized. German artist Thomas Struth is the king of this genre. This is his "Pergamon Museum, Berlin" from 2001. Notice how in the gallery it takes up a good chunk of wall. These giant photos are something of a current fad.

Another giant photo is Candida Hofer's "Palacio Nacional de Ajuda Lisboa VII" from 2005. The genre favors images of large public spaces and incredibly sharp detail, so your eye can wander through them, fixing on this or that.

Another large photo is Gregory Crewdson's "Untitled (House on the Road)" from 2002. Although it is a photo, the subject is oddly mysterious and unreal. What is that house doing on that street?

Tim Lanterman goes to the dogs

2008-12-02T07:57:00.000-08:00

They say never work with children or animals. Tim Lanterman decided to buck the system and ignore conventional wisdom. I would have to say he did an excellent job of proving them all wrong. Tim's latest exhibit aptly entitled Woof is all about dogs. Tim did an amazing job capturing the individual personalities of over 20 dogs he photographed for his series.

Whether you are an dog lover or just a lover of fine art photography, then you should be at the After Hours Gallery this Friday December 5th. The show starts at 7 PM and is part of the First Friday Art Walk in downtown Phoenix.

René Payán added to Mighty Imaging

2008-11-26T09:49:00.000-08:00

René Payán's work is a departure from many of the artists in our Shop for Art gallery. At first glance you may think you are looking at a shot of Phoenix at sunset or Monument Valley on a pristine day. What may take you a second to register is that these images are digitally created. Many of Rene's images are so photo realistic that part of you thinks you may have been there before. Other images are definitely part of a world created solely by Rene's design. They are imaginative, captivating, and look amazing when printed.

The artistic components of color, form and composition dominate his images, which combine Arizona’s natural beauty with the height of computer technology. As the volcanoes imposed their magnificence in the midst of modern life in the busy city of Puebla, home of his youth, so does René Payán propose to blend the natural beauty of the Arizona desert with the image making methods available through high tech design. The result is over 300 virtual landscapes inspired by the awesome vistas of our amazing Arizona countryside and desert.

Take better pictures with your phone

2008-11-24T14:10:00.000-08:00

Many people have already converted to one unit for all their audio and visual communication needs. Cameraphones have improved dramatically over the past couple of years. Companies consistently add cameras with larger megapixels and better lenses to their latest models. I recently saw an image by an amateur astronomer of Jupiter taken with an iPhone. Granted, it is not the most detailed shot, but still a big leap for the capabilities of a cameraphone.

If your phone has also become your camera Photo Industry Reporter has some tips on how to capture better shots.

10 Tips for Taking Better Cameraphone Photos:

Middletown, CT— Wireless Zone reports that cameraphones are increasingly becoming the picture-taking device of choice. According to a recently published study, the company says about 1 in 5 consumers already use a cameraphone as their primary camera.

Mark Asnes, vice president and COO of Wireless Zone (wirelesszone.com), shared some wireless wisdom that can help consumers take better cameraphone pictures.

1. Good lighting is key. The ideal is natural light, but you can still get good results inside by turning on a few lights.

2. Adjust the white balance. Select your setting based on the type of lighting. If the lighting is mixed, stick with the auto setting.

3. Just say no to digital zoom. The picture quality will be reduced drastically. Optical zoom is OK if the phone has it.

4. Get ready for your close-up. In place of digital zoom, get the cameraphone closer to whatever you’re taking a picture of.

5. Stay very, very still. To prevent blurring, hold the cameraphone with both hands and brace your arms against your sides or lean your elbows on a stable object.

6. Get accustomed to the shutter lag. For better timing, get a feel for how long it takes between the moment you press the button and the moment the picture is captured.

7. Don’t get trigger-happy with the delete button. An image that looks grainy on your phone could look just fine on your computer screen.

8. A clean lens takes clean pictures. Use a glasses or lens cleaning cloth to avoid scratching the lens.

9. Turn up the resolution unless the sole purpose is for picture messaging.

10. If at first you don’t succeed . . . just keep experimenting with different angles, lighting and settings.

Jeffrey Welcker at Pita Jungle

2008-11-20T08:00:00.000-08:00

Jeffrey Welcker takes a unique perspective on desert landscape photography. The result becomes a surrealistic abstract of design and form. Jeffrey prints his work on Metallic paper and then second surface mounts them to Plexiglas. The effect is stunning. Viewers get lost in the gorgeous detail, and can't help but examine all the intricacies of the image. His current exhibition will be on display at Pita Jungle's Scottsdale location until January 1, 2009.

Jeffrey Welcker native to Arizona has been photographing "the Desert Rocks" in the North Scottsdale and surrounding areas for close to a decade. The project started out as an attempt to capture the desert before it would no longer be accessible. Shooting in the Monsoons, the heat and the Chill of a desert snow. The results are, vibrant color photographs of sculpted granite, printed on metallics, that stir the imagination and bring out the desert mystic.

Vermillion Studios grand re-opening

2008-11-18T08:34:00.000-08:00

Dan Vermillion is a internationally renowned commercial photographer located right here in Phoenix. Dan heads up the studio space that he shares with three other very talented photographers; Mark Peterman, Nicky Hedayat-Zadeh and Jesse Rieser. They recently updated their studio space and are throwing a party to celebrate the grand re-opening. We had the privilege of printing some really beautiful large murals of Dan's work to adorn the walls in their newly remodeled space.

Come by the studio Friday November 21st starting at 5 PM for the festivities. Hope to see you there!

Clients and friends: The Photographers at 124 W McDowell Rd
(Dan Vermillion, Mark Peterman, Nicky Hedayat-Zadeh and Jesse Rieser)
would like to invite you to a Studio Party on Friday night November 21, 2008.

Festivities will begin around 5pm with food, drink and music. We hope to see you here. Feel free to bring co-workers who want to start the weekend on a good note, drop by after work or come by a bit later.

Jim Cowlin's US Route 89 exhibit

2008-11-13T07:48:00.000-08:00

Jim Cowlin is a diligent evangelist for his project, the US Route 89 Appreciation Society. Nothing tells the story better of the beauty along this historic stretch of road than Jim's photography. Jim recently had a show of his new portfolio of work at the Saans Downtown Fine Art Photography Gallery in Salt Lake City, Utah. Although it was a little too far away for us to attend the event, we were happy to help Jim out with the prints.

Last August when we were in Salt Lake City we were introduced to Shalee Cooper, the curator for Saans Gallery. In the course of the conversation I mentioned that I had a new portfolio of prints from the US Route 89 project. Her response was enthusiastic and we immediately started planning for the show.

As of October 17th, it is a reality. There are twelve limited-edition prints now hanging in the Saans Gallery as well as a group of smaller prints of scenes on the highway. The opening was held during the monthly Salt Lake City Gallery Stroll. I had a good time meeting people and talking about our travels on the highway. One of the gallery strollers even joined the US Route 89 Appreciation Society.

The Saans Gallery is located at 173 East Broadway in Salt Lake City. For more information about Jim's work or the Route 89 Appreciation Society you can visit the project website.

Photoshop classes for photographers

2008-11-07T07:44:00.000-08:00

Scott Condray of Visualville teaches Photoshop classes specifically designed for photographers. Since Photoshop is such a complex software, many new users become overwhelmed and do not know where to begin. Scott focuses on the tools that are specific to image editing. He keeps his class sizes small to ensure that every student fully grasps each session. Past students have told me they learned a great deal from Scott's instruction.

Scott has a 5 week course starting next Tuesday night, with spots still available. You can go to the Visualville's website for more information on how you can attend.

Our classes are designed for photographers, but are not limited to photographers. They are open to all who need to learn how to incorporate the power of this amazing software into their creative process.
All of our classes are designed to meet the needs of photographers, both professional and amateur.
Each class is designed to introduce students to key features of the program that can benefit both their creativity and productivity.

Students learn at their own Visualville computer . In person instruction is supported by a class workbook of step by step exercises, and real world example images.

Teri Terasaki at Gallery 8

2008-11-04T09:55:00.000-08:00

This Friday will be the second to last First Friday art walk of '08. A perfect opportunity to check out the Phoenix art scene and perhaps purchase some artwork as a one of a kind holiday gift.

Teri Terasaki will be showing a collection of her work at Gallery 8 along with Craig Wactor. Teri's work is a unique combination of collage and photography. She created a series of 'outfits' out of plastic molding of a female form, each one contains a different themed collage. The series is entitled Waste Reform. As you can see from the image displayed, it is a play on words and content.

Gallery 8 is located on 3rd Street and McDowell in downtown Phoenix. The opening will be from 6-10 PM Friday November 7th.

MacBook vs MacBook Pro

2008-10-30T11:30:00.001-07:00

If you are like me, you covet any new product that Apple releases. Unless you truly have expendable income, you have to wonder sometimes if it is worth the hefty price tag that some of their products carry.

The folks at Gizmodo did some independent testing to compare the graphic capabilities of the new MacBook Pro vs the standard MacBook. It looks like MacBook Pro blew away the processing time of the standard MacBook. As all you creative people know, nothing can stifle productivity better than slow graphics rendering.

MacBook vs MacBook Pro: Hardcore Graphics Death Match

Here they are, the MacBook and MacBook Pro graphics benchmarks you've been waiting for. Our basic Mac-only benchmarks used in our dual review were great at showing how close the CPU performance was, but not great at illustrating the disparity between chunky-hunky 9600 GT and the comparatively weak integrated 9400M that we saw firsthand while playing Spore. With a little time, we've been able to:
• Install Windows XP and run 3D Mark
• Play a little Crysis—yeah, Crysis
• Get ahold of Adobe CS4 and run some rendering jobs
The conclusion? If you're a serious gamer or work with graphics of any kind and you need an Apple laptop, you're gonna want the MacBook Pro. Here are the raw numbers to prove it.

Vinyl banners: High impact, low cost advertising

2008-10-27T12:07:00.000-07:00

Large format vinyl banners are a great way of advertising just about any news you would like announce to a large audience. They are a versatile solution for creating an ad campaign that can convey a big message at a low price.

Banners can be customized any way you would like. With digital output, you have the option of creating your own graphics and layout design. Advances in printing technology now gives you the opportunity to use images with photo-like print quality, as well as text, to convey your message.

Many banners are used for indoor advertising or trade booth graphics, and may never see the light of day. Vinyl is a very durable and flexible material that can withstand heavy exposure from the elements, making them perfect for outdoor use. They can last for a very long time spanning from several months to up to few a years. One of the best features about vinyl banners is that they can be mobile billboards for your business - just roll it up and hit the road. They also do not require much space for storage, and can be easily kept on a shelf for future use at trade shows or for seasonal events.

In order to make your advertising more effective, consider using some of these printing strategies when designing your banner;

Where will your banner be displayed?

This is one of the first thing that you should ask yourself when you are creating your banner. It will tell you how large you can create the banner to maximize your given space, it will also help you effectively plan the right design to complement that space. For example, if you are placing your banner outside make sure the colors of your banner do not blend with the background. You need to use colors that will stand out and are easy to read.

You should also make use of the size of your banners. The bigger you banner, the farther your audience reach will be, and the more people you will be able to broadcast your message to. You can maximize this trait by making your banners carry a very large headline. A large headline plus the big size of the banners means that your banners can appear bigger than it really is.

Is your message is easily recognized?

Keep your layout simple. Your marketing materials need to be easily understood. They should be grasped while the prospective customer is just passing by your advertisement. Since banners are usually large materials, you can exploit this characteristic by using bold colors, large images, or large headlines that will attract and hold attention.

Text or graphics?

Speaking of large headlines, while fonts are an important advertising tool, there are times when using the right image can grab your audience's attention and be just as influential. Imagery can also help convey and establish your company's brand. This should be considered during the planning stage of your banner creation. You may need to hire a photographer to shoot your product, or search through stock image agencies to find the right look for your ad. Keep in mind the target audience that you are trying to reach. If you do choose to use graphics, make sure that it helps the message to be more effective. Everything on your ad must help the message be understood clearly by your target market.

Will the call to action be heard?

Your call to action is extremely important in your every marketing tool, including this one. Tell your audience what you want them to do. Tell them how they can help in fulfilling the goals of your ads.

Most importantly, once you have grabbed their attention and motivated them to take action, be sure that your contact information is clearly displayed. Give them various ways to reach you. They must be able to contact you by whatever means that are available to them.

So if you have not yet utilized vinyl banners as part of your marketing strategies, now is the time to start. A well designed banner has a small impact on your marketing budget, and a big impact for your marketing message. Please contact a Mighty Imaging representative for more information on vinyl banner printing.

And the winner is...Christine Taft

2008-10-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

Third time is a charm for Christine Taft. For the third year in a row, Christine has placed in the Arizona State Fair photography competition. This year, continuing the three theme, three of her images were selected. First Light, Living Water, and Signature Rose (seen here) each placed. The annual competition receives hundreds of submissions from all over the state. For Christine to have multiple pictures accepted three years in a row is a quite an accomplishment. Congratulations Christine! Your ribbon wall has to be getting full.

Christine's award winning photos will be on display at the Arizona State Fair Grounds through November 2nd (closed Mondays). You can own one of these winning pictures yourself, all the images seen here are also available for purchase on Christine's gallery.

Rick Scuteri Goes Nationwide...Again!

2008-10-23T08:50:00.000-07:00

Hats off (or should we say helmets) to one of our favorite customers, Rick Scuteri; for his amazing shot of Georgia tailback, Knowshon Moreno. And, if you think we’re biased, just ask Sports Illustrated.

S.I. ran with Rick’s image, instead of their own, for a multi-page spread on the Univ. of Georgia football team as they defeated our ASU Sun Devils this past month. Rick captured the shot using the world class Canon Mark 2N with a 70 to 200mm lens. As the local Reuters photographer here in Phoenix, Rick doesn’t just pick a spot and stay there. Oh no, he is always on the move, going from end zone to end zone up and down the sideline, always near the action with a nose for the ball. In fact, his performance is no different than the athletes he’s covering.

This hundred percent effort has allowed Rick to capture images that often times are wished for but rarely photographed. If you’d like to see what real talent looks like then click on to Rick’s website and see the best of the best in front of, and behind the camera.

Way to go Rick!

Fall art festivals

2008-10-21T12:04:00.000-07:00

Since the weather is thankfully out of the what feels like eternal triple digit heat here in Arizona, there are numerous art festivals popping up across the Valley. A perfect opportunity to get out and support the local art scene, and possibly find an excellent one of a kind gift for the holiday season that is rapidly approaching. AZcentral.com posted a listing of some of the upcoming festivals through December.

Valley art festivals: Kellie Hwang
Shopping for holiday gifts is not always an easy task, which is one reason generic gift cards are often seen as a solution.

But if you really want to find something unique for your sweetheart or your mother (or yourself), while also enjoying a day out with the family, take in one of these Valley arts festivals:

Film ain't dead yet!

2008-10-17T16:37:00.000-07:00

This month Eastman Kodak is doing the unthinkable; bringing to market a new and improved professional film. Now we all agree that digital photography is the coolest thing since canned beer, but there was a time when if you wanted to capture unprecedented detail with remarkably vivid color you just grabbed a roll of Ektar film from the fridge.

According to Mary Jane Hellyar an executive vice president with Eastman Kodak,

“This new film with ISO 100 speed, high saturation and ultra-vivid colors offers the finest, smoothest grain of any color negative film available today.”

We here at Mighty Imaging agree with Mary Jane when she says that photography has always been about capturing a moment or story and sharing it with just a few or with the world. However we have learned that when it comes to big prints or fine art it is often the smallest details that mark the difference between a good photograph and one that stands out and becomes memorable and more importantly sell able.

Ektar 100, scheduled for October availability, is geared for commercial photographers and advanced armatures for applications such as nature, travel, fashion and product photography where the emphasis is often on color and for photographers who need extraordinary enlargement capability when scanning and printing.

So the next time that you see a big print that seems to jump off the wall and capture your attention ask yourself, what’s film got to do with it? You just might be surprised.

Custom wall coverings make a big impact

2008-10-15T12:04:00.000-07:00

Savvy designers are discovering the potential in custom wall coverings. Not only for corporate users, but also for home decor. The versatility of the product combined with the designer's vision make the possibilities endless.

This wall covering was designed by LA Digital Graphics for a Paul Mitchell salon studio in San Francisco. They used a self adhesive vinyl product for this installation.

Digital wallpaper also offers the same freedom for customization. Designers are able to work directly with their client to create a one of a kind setting that is unique to their taste.

Excerpt from the November issue of Digital Graphics magazine article by Sharla Sikes

Why Not Wallpaper?

Digitally printed wall coverings offer a lot of advantages over traditional wallpaper, which helps to drive their growing popularity.

"You can offer short-run customization without the huge expense of setup. Machine printing is extremely expensive in that world, and they have to do larger runs. It's more cost effective to do it digitally. With new technology we now have permanent inks and eco-friendly products - that's a big thing now," says Kirsh...[Aaron Kirsch of Aztek Wallcoverings Inc. uses a UV curable printer similar to ours at Mighty Imaging.]

Traditional wallpaper is more limited in terms of design. With digitally produced murals or wall coverings, the customer and designer can work together to create not just a design but an environment that reflects the look and feel the customer wants.

James Cowlin hits the road

2008-10-13T08:39:00.001-07:00

For anyone who has had the pleasure of seeing James Cowlin's images of Historic US Route 89, then you know why Jim dedicates so much of his time to preserve the beauty and wonder that this 1800 mile stretch of road has to offer. James has spent countless hours bringing awareness to his project through his website, lectures, but perhaps most effectively through his stunning pictures. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then these speak volumes.

A new show featuring images taken during his 2007 trip will be on display in Salt Lake City beginning this Friday. Good luck to James! We were happy to help out.

I am please to announce that I will be exhibiting recent photographs from the US Route 89 project at Saans Gallery in Salt Lake City. The opening of the show is Friday, October 17th, during the Salt Lake City Gallery Stroll from 6 to 9 pm. Included in the exhibit are eight large prints of the 2007 Pictures of the Year and four large prints from my travels in 2008. The show continues through November 15th.

If you live in the Salt Lake City area or are planning to be there next week, I would also like to invite you as a member of the US Route 89 Appreciation Society to a pre-opening event on Thursday, October 16th. I will be in the gallery to talk about the photographs and the US Route 89 project from 7 to 8 pm. I would enjoy meeting any of you who can be there.

Here are links to websites for more information:

James Cowlin's US Route 89 2007 Pictures of the Year: <http://tinyurl.com/2n2tx5>

Saans Downtown: <http://www.saansdowntown.com>

Salt Lake City Gallery Stroll: <http://www.gallerystroll.org>

As always, take the slow road and enjoy your journey as much as the destination.

Jim Cowlin

To see more of Jim's images you can also check out his gallery on our Shop for Art page.

Terry Connett and Michael Greene added to Shop for Art Gallery

2008-10-10T10:50:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to announce the addition of two more very talented photographers to our Shop for Art Gallery.

Terry Connett has a background in real estate and commercial photography, but also found time to create some beautiful fine art photography on a variety of subjects.

After leaving the real estate industry a couple of years ago he formed Terry Connett Photography to continue his passion for photographing commercial and residential real estate properties, as well as corporate executives, brokers, and employees, for assignments that include magazine articles, advertising, brochures, company functions, and just about anything in the business world requiring a photograph.

Michael Greene has a passion for landscape photography. He captures the raw beauty that nature has to offer.

My motive as a photographer is to capture a fleeting moment in the mysteries of the wilds – when nature is at its most intimate and precious state – exposing it for its imperfections, complexities, and rugged power – all while embellishing it for its serenity and incredible beauty.

Both artists have beautiful pictures available for purchase. There are so many amazing images to choose from, any of them would be a great addition to your decor. Check them out!

Neschen doubles down!

2008-10-09T15:31:00.000-07:00

The Neschen brand name has been known as much for its innovation as it has for its quality products. If you have been interested in big prints, graphics for retail display, or fine art, then you surely are aware of their superior mounting and laminating products.

Neschen has just introduced an improved PVC-coated media for banners, trade-show exhibits and double-sided graphics applications. The new SolvoTex PVC Standard Blockout is a 100 percent polyester media with a PVC coating on both sides.

What’s really cool about this product is that it has a true 100 percent opaque block-out liner that allows for double-sided printing with none of the shadows or bleed through that we’ve all come to expect. Best of all, that disappointing washed out look is a thing of the past.

The next time you want your graphics to go BIG, double down with Neschen products. Exclusively found at only the best large format printers like Mighty Imaging.

Photographer's survival guide

2008-10-06T10:54:00.000-07:00

The local ASMP chapter will be holding a seminar this Thursday that could not be more timely. The 3 hour seminar entitled The Photographer's Survival Guide (for Today's Market) will be given by portfolio and marketing consultants Suzanne Sease and Amanda Sosa Stone. They will touch on many aspects of what can make your photographic business flourish, even in times like these.

The seminar will be held at Legend City Studios at 521 West Van Buren Street in downtown Phoenix, this Thursday October 9th. Registration and social hour is at 5:30 PM, with the seminar beginning at 6:30 PM. If you wish to attend, you can see all the details for the event here.

This program is for all levels of photographers — those who are just starting and those who have been in the business for years and want to take it to the next level. The program is a 2-hour presentation and each participant will receive a "Survivor's Guide." The Guide covers everyday photography business basics to those uncomfortable "what do I do" moments in our industry.

Steve Ferguson's art at the Herberger Theater

2008-10-02T10:04:00.000-07:00

The Herberger Theater in downtown Phoenix, besides being a haven for preforming arts, also promotes visual art through their Steel Pavilion Art Gallery. We had a small part in the latest exhibit Imprimatur opening up tomorrow evening. Steve Ferguson is one of the artists featured in the show. We made a large print of his image Restrained and then mounted it to plexiglas. The small thumbnail here does not do it justice. It is an impressive piece. The Steel Pavilion Art Gallery is open during the week, even if there is not a performance being held. Steve's piece will be on display until January 4th of 2009. Stop by the Herberger to see a great show, or just to see the art.

Arrive early for a performance and visit our Art Gallery. Each quarter we feature the creative and inspiring work of Arizona artists. A portion of the proceeds from each piece sold benefits the Herberger Theater Center.
The Art Gallery is open for viewing: 10am - 5pm, Monday through Friday through the Box Office, one hour before and during performances (including weekends), by appointment.
For information or to purchase a piece of artwork, contact Laurene Austin at (602) 254-7399 x105

Mama, please don't take my Kodachrome away!

2008-09-29T10:42:00.001-07:00

I can't say I am too surprised to learn this news, but it is still sad. Although Kodak has not completely stopped production yet, it sounds like they may soon. It will be the end of an era.

Is the rich-hued Kodachrome era fading to black? - Ben Dobbin, Associated Press

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - It is an elaborately crafted photographic film, extolled for its sharpness, vivid colors and archival durability. Yet die-hard fan Alex Webb is convinced the digital age soon will take his Kodachrome away.

...Only one commercial lab in the world, Dwayne's Photo in Parsons, Kan., still develops Kodachrome, a once ubiquitous brand that has freeze-framed the world in rich but authentic hues since it was introduced in the Great Depression.

Eastman Kodak Co. now makes the slide and motion-picture film in just one 35mm format, and production runs — in which a master sheet nearly a mile long is cut up into more than 20,000 rolls — fall at least a year apart.

Kodak won't say when the last one occurred nor hint at Kodachrome's prospects. Kodachrome stocks currently on sale have a 2009 expiration date. If the machines aren't fired up again, the company might just sell out the remaining supplies, and that would be the end.

PANGEA gallery opening

2008-09-26T12:20:00.000-07:00

Stuart Black is an amazing artist. He specializes in satellite image art. Although Stuart may start with an image created by NASA, he then applies color and dimension that turns the it in to modern art. Worlds apart from the typical satellite image.

We print Stuart's images on metallic paper. Some of his pieces also get second surface mounted to Plexiglas. It is an amazing presentation that wows everyone who sees it.

Please join Stuart at the grand opening of his new gallery PANGEA October 2nd at 6 PM. The gallery is located at 4222 N. Marshall Way in Scottsdale. Please RSVP at 480-946-4696 if you wish to attend opening night.

Stuart is regarded as the worlds first satellite image artist. His trademark brand of art is instantly recognizable. Two collections form his truly unique body of work. Signatures of Earth are color prints created from visible, infrared, and radar data acquired by NASA's Space Shuttle and the LANDSAT satellite program over the past 20 years.

Stuart's satellite image art goes a step further than maps and photos by adding the aesthetic dimension. His work is modern art at its finest, combining an original theme with the best printing technologies.

Harrison Hurwitz at Fluid 5.six gallery

2008-09-24T13:19:00.000-07:00

Harrison Hurwitz has over 20 years of experience shooting people. He has a background shooting fashion photography in New York. He now applies that same artistic eye to wedding and portrait work here in Phoenix. Although Harrison is not limited to shooting just people. The subject of the latest exhibit that Harrison is part of is all about dogs. K9 is a collaborative show of 5 photographers being held at the grand opening of the Fluid 5.six gallery (get it - f:5.6) this Friday from 7-10 PM. Fluid 5.six is located at 1105 W. Grand Ave. in downtown Phoenix. It is part of the First Friday events. Just "look for the dogs on the wall".

Photography connects us with the world

2008-09-22T09:11:00.000-07:00

At the TED convention earlier this year David Griffin, the photo director for National Geographic, gave a talk about the what makes a great photojournalist, what type of images tell a compelling story, some of the lengths their photographers go to capture those images, and the power of photography to connect us to our world. David uses some iconic images from the magazine to illustrate his point. Found [Via]

Tyson Crosbie donates piece to Young Collectors

2008-09-19T10:42:00.000-07:00

Young Collectors is a volunteer organization that helps support the Phoenix Art Museum. They are in their own words 'Dedicated to enriching the social and cultural environment of Phoenix by providing social networking opportunities that help build a flourishing art community.' They will be holding their first fund raising gala tonight at the museum. The event entitled Murder at the Museum starts tonight at 6:30, flapper and zuit suit attire encouraged.

Tyson Crosbie dedicated one of his Phoenix 20 pieces to the silent auction that is part of the event. The piece that Tyson donated (seen here) is a 1 of 1 24"x36" FujiFlex print mounted to 1/8" Plexiglas. This thumbnail doesn't do it justice. It looks absolutely gorgeous! They normally retail for a little over $2800, so it is an incredible value. Cheers to Tyson, for helping support the museum and the local art community!

Go to this site if you wish to purchase tickets for the event. We wish everyone the best of luck with the event!

Zak Saenz added to Shop for Art gallery

2008-09-17T09:07:00.000-07:00

Zak Saenz is another amazing artist that proves you don't need to have a degree in photography to capture stunning images. What you do need is passion, and Zak has lots of that. His passion for life shows through his photography. We are pleased to add Zak to the list of artist's work available on our Shop for Art gallery. Please check out Zak's art. I know you will be moved by the form and color of his images.

Zak Saenz grew up in Westport, Connecticut where he had found a love for photography in his late teens. Being drawn by color and the flow of the objects in his lens he was determined to recreate not only the objects as he saw them, but also the feelings that those objects instilled in him as he captured them.

Effectively using color in marketing

2008-09-12T09:39:00.000-07:00

The holiday season is just around the corner. In fact, the Halloween merchandise has been on the shelves for weeks now. In a time when retail spending is down, what tools can you use to boost sales? Think color. Choosing the right color scheme in your store design and marketing material can subconsciously stimulate and attract customer attention.

Jeff Grant from Trio Display offers some great tips on how to effectively use color to design an environment that not only helps you build your brand and promote your product, but also generate more sales.

The Retailer's Guide to Color in Store Design

Color is often underestimated as a marketing tool. That’s right, I said “marketing” tool. Think about it for a second: some of more powerful brand associations you can think of connect through color. UPS: “What Can Brown Do for You?” IBM is “Big Blue.” Home Depot and orange are forever linked.

Coloring Between the Lines

Marketers are merely taking advantage of the fact that we respond strongly to color on a visceral level, reacting and making judgments almost instantly without being aware of it. Here are a couple common associations…

• White: Cleanliness, purity, honesty.
• Red: Vitality, passion, love.
• Blue: Calm, stability, peacefulness.
• Brown: Open, reliable, grounded.
• Orange: Energetic, warm, happy.

Blue vs. Pink

Gender plays a part in color choice. Darker colors or brighter colors seem to appeal more to men than women, while softer or more “ambiguous” colors find a better reception with female clientele. Which particular colors are preferred tend to be tied to culture. It is worth noting that a standard blue is favored by both genders. If your retail space is heavily weighted toward one sex or the other, scheme appropriately.

Photoshop tutorials for beauty retouching

2008-09-04T10:37:00.000-07:00

Smashing Magazine posted a great list of 70 beauty retouching tutorials for Photoshop. Anything from how to smooth out wrinkles and skin tone to how to change someone's hair color. Many of them are video tutorials, so they are easy to follow along. They are also nicely organized by category to easily locate the problem area where you would like to improve your skills.

Beauty retouching is probably one of the most popular application areas in which Adobe Photoshop is used extensively. There are two simple reasons for that. First, Photoshop offers a variety of advanced tools to smooth out skin and hair, optimize body proportions and emphasize some beautiful details. And second, if you have some experience with Photoshop it is easy to learn the basics and quickly produce very impressive and beautiful results.

Of course, beauty-retouching is a quite deceptive art. The masters of Photoshop create illusions which are hard to tell apart — unless you have both a genuine photo and the final result in Photoshop and can directly compare them. In fact, every day we consume perfectly retouched stars and models online and offline which just look different in the real life.

Still, it is not the reason to avoid learning advanced Photoshop techniques for beauty-retouching and study examples of how it is done in practice. The list below presents both image-tutorials as well as video-tutorials. Most examples have a before-vs.-after-comparison and you can follow the modifications with Photoshop step-by-step.

Ingenious light box displays

2008-08-28T12:20:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-26T09:35:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-22T10:30:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-20T12:25:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-18T11:20:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-14T10:12:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-12T15:30:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-07T12:00:00.000-07:00

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.

Printable privacy window films

2008-07-28T12:25:00.000-07:00

LexJet recently introduced a new line of window films that can be used in all types of commercial and private home design applications. The film allows light to pass through, but the texture of the material provides privacy. They developed three distinct looks, from a three-dimensional stained glass look, to a pebbled matte texture, to rice paper, they have a look that will fit your decor.

LexJet Introduces Printable Décor & Privacy Window Films

The new SUV-compatible window film line includes Glacier, Velvet, and Rice Paper Window Films. Each film was specially-developed based on customer requests for a window imaging solution that can be used in a wide range of environments, from residential to high-end commercial, retail, and corporate décor.

"We used LexJet Rice Paper in a custom showcase home and it generated a great deal of interest from people touring the home," says Lance Licciardi, Licciardi Design, Sarasota, Fla. "I plan to use the printable privacy window films in future projects because they allow me to create a range of custom window effects without having to specify costly custom glass."

Using the power of 9 to create wall art

2008-07-25T09:44:00.000-07:00

Sets of 3 image repeated or grouped together is a common theme in decorating and art. When you multiply that by 3 you get the power of 9. A set of 9 images can really make a big impact on a room. If you have a large wall and are unsure what to do to bring it to life, consider using this decorating rule to create an art installation that will accentuate your space and make a bold statement.

Using the Power of Nine to Decorate: Blissfully Domestic

Much has been said in the decorating world about the power of three. Repeating an element three times is very effective. I love three so much that I often find myself decorating in three to the third power. I love nine!

Why nine?

1. Today's homes often have vast amount of wall space.

Many of the homes constructed in the last 15 years have large walls. Often these walls extend up 1 1/2 to 2 stories. That is a lot of wall space. Placing a picture or a series of three pictures on a vast wall can dwarf the artwork or arrangement.

Underexposure correction

2008-07-22T11:25:00.000-07:00

You can spend lots of time and money planning out your trip, but sometimes you just can't plan for the sun being behind the shot of the site you have been dying to visit. Making for an impossible lighting situation. A poorly exposed image can ruin what would be a picture perfect postcard shot. What can make it worse, is if the adjustments made in Photoshop to correct it are noticeable. Especially when making it in to a large print.

This tutorial posted by Sean Dugan on Layers magazine shows you how to correct your underexposed images with a combination of processing the raw file and Photoshop CS3. One very useful tip is where he shows you how to eliminate the halo or "blooming" you can get around the edge of an object where it meets the sky.

Photoshop CS3: Underexposure S.O.S.

Let’s face it, even though you should always try to get the best exposure in the camera so you don’t have to spend a lot of time fixing it in Photoshop, every once in a while you end up with a badly underexposed image. In this tutorial, we’ll focus on ways to improve a severely underexposed RAW file using both the controls in Adobe Camera Raw and Photoshop....

3 CHECK FOR ARTIFACTS AT 100% VIEW
Double-click the Zoom tool to zoom in to 100% and check for artifacts caused by the Fill Light adjustment. Use the Hand tool to scroll over to the far left side of the image. Dramatically lightening the image with Fill Light has produced an unnatural outline fringe around the temple roof. There’s also a noticeable purple coloration along the roof edges. This is called “blooming,” a digital capture phenomenon created by the overly bright sky behind the darker temple. The brightness of the sky pixels has “spilled over” onto the pixels of the roof edge. We’ll address the noise later.

The Commons on Flickr

2008-07-17T15:10:00.000-07:00

The Commons is a division of Flickr set up to share public domain archives with the world. They have partnered with archive powerhouses like the Library of Congress, the Brooklyn Museum, and the Smithsonian Institute to name a few.

The project was launched at the beginning of the year and has been wildly successful. Within 24 hours of their appearance, there had been 650,000 viewings of the images, and comments were added to more than 500 pictures. Some 4,000 unique tags were also added. It also lead to the discovery that negatives from Lincoln's inauguration had been previously mislabeled.

There are thousands of interesting images offered on the site. Like this image of Ty Cobb and Christy Mathewson at the 1911 World Series. Many of them large enough to make big prints if you wanted.

The key goals of The Commons on Flickr are to firstly show you hidden treasures in the world's public photography archives, and secondly to show how your input and knowledge can help make these collections even richer.

The program has two main objectives:
To increase access to publicly-held photography collections, and
To provide a way for the general public to contribute information and knowledge. (Then watch what happens when they do!)

Film is not dead

2008-07-15T10:51:00.000-07:00

Just ask the members of Analog Photography Users Group, APUG for short. It is an online haven for photographers who did not want to make the switch to digital and still love to use photographic silver-based materials for their work. Discussions of digital cameras and inkjet printers are forbidden on the site unless they are in addition to traditional processes.

The site started by Sean Ross in 2002 is dedicated to maintaining the "art" of photography in its traditional form. They now have over 27,000 members, and have grown so much that Sean left his position at IBM to run the site full-time.

Perhaps, even more important than passing along their message of devotion to traditional photographic techniques, is the power of the Internet and the fact it has allowed this community of film lovers to revel in their passion together and spread the word - not every picture need be captured on a chip. - Picture Business Magazine

Over in a second

2008-07-10T11:40:00.000-07:00

Barbara Probst takes a unique approach to her photography. She shoots one location or studio set up simultaneously with up to 12 different cameras at a time. The resulting series of diptych and triptych images compares and contrasts what the "reality" of a photograph can tell us by combining completely different angles of the same scene. Each set or group is printed on a large scale to involve the viewer in each perspective of that split second in time.

Nicole Pasulka of The Morning News wrote a great interview with Barbara furthering exploring the concepts of her photographic process. Found Via.

Split Second

How do you set up these shots?

When I photograph there are always at least two and sometimes as many as 12 cameras involved. There is no way for me to look through the viewfinder during shooting, since all cameras release at the same time. Therefore, I have to set up the cameras and instruct the models very deliberately to get every camera to frame the scene in the right way. Needless to say, there is “accidentiality” involved, which I enjoy working with. The results are never quite as planned, but usually there’s something I can work with. I am not interested in manipulating images on the computer. My work is based on an investigation of the conditions of photography and its relationship to reality.

When I look at some of your work—like Exposure #35, for example—it doesn’t seem possible that the photos could be the same shot. Do you consider your diptychs or triptychs to be photographs of the same thing? What’s each panel’s relationship to the other or others?

The images of each series are always shot in exactly the same instant. Each series show at least two simultaneous views on one and the same thing from different angles, distances, and contexts. This simultaneity is essential to my work. The relationship of the images is based on it. The simultaneity makes the images comparable. The viewer gets involved in the work by shifting his or her view from image to image —back and forth—and by comparing the images and bundling up the different points of view the images are made from in his or her own point of view. This analytical way of looking leads to questions about perception and raises of doubts about our ability to recognize truth.

Correct barrel distortion with Fisheye-Hemi

2008-07-07T15:22:00.000-07:00

Image Trends recently released their Fisheye-Hemi plug in for Aperture 2.1 (Apple's photo-editing software). The plug in helps you correct barrel distortion created when shooting with a fish eye lens. Mac users who would like to purchase the plug-in for both Photoshop and Aperture, or customers who already own the Photoshop plug in and would now like to add the Aperture plug-in, will receive a 50% discount on the second copy.

The plug in is also available for Windows users.

For more about Image Trends and another of their great products, PearlyWhites, you can read one of our earlier posts here.

Fisheye-Hemi is a set of plug-in filters for Photoshop, Photoshop plug-in compatible applications, and Apple Aperture which provide correction for hemispheric fisheye lens distortion.
Fisheye Hemispheric lenses in the hands of a photographer provide an expanded view of the world across approximately a 180 degree diagonal field. Until now, the primary option available to the photographer was to render these fisheye images using rectilinear mapping techniques. These methods have many drawbacks, such as distortion of people near the perimeter and loss of resolution and data. Although the image is similar to what is seen by the eye, printed, the images appear distorted.

Tips for shooting fireworks

2008-07-03T12:09:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is July 4th. From coast to coast there will be fireworks displays to commemorate our nation's 232nd birthday. If you are planning on bringing your camera along with you to catch one of the shows, here are some great resources with tips on how to get the perfect fireworks shot.

Smithsonian Photographers (like Nicholas Parrella whose image is seen here) share their experiences and offer some technical notes on what lens and exposure settings they used to get their shots.

DPhoto Journal offers a check list of things needed to position yourself for the best shot.

1. You must arrive early

This is the first important thing to do if you want to get the best spot in the venue. It is even better if you spend some times to scout the location and have a little talk to the event crews to determine where the fireworks will be launched. Once you’ve got all the information needed, try to position yourself wisely. Find a clear, unobstructed view that meets your compositional requirements based on the terrain. Also try to find a place where people won’t be able to wondering around in front of the camera or worse kicking your tripod in the mid-exposure

TFC - The Fireworks Channel is all things fireworks. Not only for the 4th of July, but also New Year's Eve, carnivals, and celebrations all around the world. They also have their own list of tips on how to get the best shot.

Most of all enjoy yourself and have a safe and happy holiday!

Get the "big" shot in a big crowd

2008-06-30T12:16:00.001-07:00

Unless you are a press photographer with clearance, most likely when attending a sporting event your seats are not front row. Or say a parade, graduation, red carpet, really any situation where you are trying to photograph around something blocking your view. Sure you can use a monopod to elevate your camera above the what is obstructing your shot, but how do you know what you are getting? The Argraph Corporation launched a product called Zigview that can help. It is a real time digital viewfinder for DSLRs that allows for a lot more freedom when shooting. The company also has a site where fans of the product can share their images of once "impossible to get shots" called How Do You Zigview? Now you don't have to miss the "big" shot when stuck in a big crowd.

"Impossible" Becomes Possible with Zigview: Picture Business Magazine May '08 issue

Talk about having fun with a product launch – Argraph Corporation has never stopped having a blast with their unique Zigview product, launched last year. The product, rotating, tilting real-time digital viewfinder for DSLRs, was well received in the imaging industry and the company has run several interesting promos around the p[product since its launch. The most recent marketing commotion is the response Argraph has gotten from asking Zigview users to send in some of the more interesting images the product is allowing to capture. The company claims, “Photos are pouring in from enthusiastic photographers around the world. They’re taking shots they never thought were possible. And they’re posting the incredible results on the “How Do You Zigview?” page of the Argraph Corp. website.”

Write your name with pictures

2008-06-27T12:26:00.000-07:00

This is real cute and creative way to make a wall art piece that is all about you. This would be great for a kid's bedroom or playroom. No need to limit it to just a name. Spell out any word to fit the area you are designing.

Creative Wall Art: Your Name in Pictures: Design Talk

Here’s a creative idea for your walls that displays a name in a unique and artistic way. Because a picture (or 10 pictures, in our case) is worth a thousand words, why don’t we just show you the example first:What we did. We chose photos of each of the letters in “DesignTalk,” then framed and hung them together to make a personalized photo arrangement.

How we did it. You can go so many directions with this idea. For example:
Pick your word:

a family last name for a living room, kitchen, or entryway
a child’s name for a bedroom
a teen’s nickname for a teen room
a word to coordinate with a theme room (for example, “kick” for a soccer room, “fashion” for a fashion bedroom, “princess” for a little girl’s room, etc.)
a sports team name for a basement, den, or game room (choose pictures from sports venues to complete the look)
a business name for an office
an inspirational word for a home office, home gym, homeschool room, or classroom
Pick your photos:

Take your own pictures of shapes around your home or town that form the letters in your name (see an example here).
Enlist your children to help you seek out letters they like to create a name for their room.
Visit a photo site like istockphoto to search out photos in colors or themes you’re looking for.

Print your photos:
Use your favorite photo printer [We are assuming this means Mighty Imaging] to order the photos in the sizes you’re looking for. If you have the wall space, an easy arrangement would be to order 8×10″ photos and hang them in coordinating frames.

Barbara Bosworth retropsective at PAM

2008-06-25T12:23:00.000-07:00

The Phoenix Art Museum (PAM) will be showing the work of Barbara Bosworth in the show entitled Human Nature: The Photographs of Barbara Bosworth at their Norton Photography Gallery until July 27, 2008. It is Bosworth's first exhibition in the American Southwest. The show includes more than 40 photographs, spanning nearly 20 years of the photographer's career.

It looks like Barbara also likes to use big prints to accentuate the impact of her work. One of the images debuting at the show is of a meadow that was printed to a 'commanding scale' designed to envelop the viewer.

It is that time of year here in Phoenix where people are looking for any way to beat the heat. Spend the day at the museum and see some great art to boot.

Human Nature presents the contemporary landscape photographs of Barbara Bosworth. Drawing together nearly twenty years of work, the exhibition demonstrates Bosworth's ongoing interest in people's presence in nature. She focuses on points of contact: bird-banders and their fragile catch, rifle hunters and their prey, lush green meadows marked by tire tracks, and the magic of natural phenomena easily overlooked: birds' nests, soap bubbles, an eclipse. Her photographs reflect the beauty she finds all around her, from a tiny bass swimming in a jar to the dramatic power of a pounding waterfall.

This is Bosworth's first exhibition in the American Southwest and features more than 40 prints, including both color and exquisitely printed gelatin silver photographs.

In addition, Human Nature will debut a monumental print of an overgrown meadow; shown on such a commanding scale, its deep green foliage immerses viewers in another world.

Creating custom repeating patterns

2008-06-23T11:23:00.000-07:00

PS Hero is a site dedicated to Photoshop tutorials. In this tutorial they give a simple step by step on how to create your own custom repeating pattern by using the Custom Shape Tool. If you would like more choices than what is standard in Photoshop, they even have links posted for free custom shapes available for download.

Although the tutorial was not written with this in mind, we thought another great use of this technique would be to create your own wallpaper design for your home, office, or studio. The possibilities are endless, and what a great way to add a subtle touch and personalize your space.

Creating Custom Patterns

In this Photoshop tutorial we will explore the wonderful world of repeating patterns while creating one from scratch using a Photoshop Custom Shape.

Lighting Essentials Workshops

2008-06-20T09:42:00.000-07:00

For many of us weekend warriors trying blend the correct exposure with the proper lighting technique is as much about understanding principles as it is mastering the knowledge.

Our friend Don Giannatti has been a bit of a local legend when it comes to addressing the unique challenges that come when you have a passion for photography. Well it appears that Don’s legend has gone nationwide as he has taken his knowledge (and his muse) on the road for a series of workshops that cover everything from the technical to the creative.

From Houston Texas to Chicago, from Boston to Portland Maine the lighting essentials workshops have been packing them in. I think the reason for his success is the fact that Don’s "not interested in auto settings or sticking a flash on your camera and clicking away. At the workshops you will learn to do it with manual strobes, manual settings and attention to detail that is the mark of a professional photographer."

At Lighting-Essentials.com you will find not just the workshop info, but all kinds of cool ideas and tons of inspiration.

So, as you sit around surfing the net all summer ask yourself; are you ready to redefine your photography? Do you want to beat the heat and learn to invest in yourself not just in equipment? If so grab your digital SLR and all the lenses that you can find, head out to San Diego on the 12th. of July to catch Don and his crew and learn how to see the light that only you can create!

Lindsay Palmer & Rebekah Brems collaboration

2008-06-18T15:50:00.000-07:00

The GREENBELT is a show opening this weekend at the eye lounge that is a collaboration of two very talented fine art photographers Lindsay Palmer and Rebekah Brems. We were honored to do the printing for the show. The concept for the show is a new take on what is considered 'traditional' landscape photography. The images looked amazing, I know the final installation of the work will bring all the aspects together in a truly unique way.

This is also the last show before Lindsay embarks on her grand adventure to the Big Apple for graduate school. We wish her all the best in her endeavors!

Local photographers, Rebekah Brems and Lindsay Palmer, present a collaborative exhibition of contemporary, large-scale photographic works at eye lounge: a contemporary art space in downtown Phoenix. This photographic installation pushes the conceptual boundaries of landscape photography by physically and symbolically deconstructing popular subjects of the traditional landscape in visual art. The G R E E N B E L T reassembles natural imagery in provocative ways, focusing on an ongoing narrative mankind maintains with our environment.

The G R E E N B E L T is on display from June 20, through July 12, 2008.

A FREE, PUBLIC reception will be held at eye lounge on June 20, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

First Friday art-walk will take place the Friday, July 4, 2008.

eye lounge: a contemporary art space, is located at 419 East Roosevelt Street in the heart of the Roosevelt Row Arts district in downtown Phoenix. Regular gallery hours are Fridays from 5-9 pm and Saturdays from 1-5 p.m. Eye lounge is a collective, artist-run, contemporary art space committed to fostering local emerging and established visual artists.

Arizona Game and Fish photo contest

2008-06-16T10:27:00.000-07:00

The Arizona Game and Fish Department is now accepting photos for their 3rd annual calendar photo contest. Thirteen winning photos will receive a cash prize and will also be used for their 2009 Arizona Wildlife Calendar. All photos must be taken in Arizona. No more than 2 photos from one photographer are eligible to win.

Last year 630 photos were entered. One of our Mighty Artists, Leon Ritchie, won first place in the fish category for their 2007 calendar, see post here. Submissions of 8x10 photo prints or digital images must be received by 5 PM on July 7th. Each contestant may submit up to 12 entries.

For more information and entry forms visit the Arizona Game and Fish website. Good luck!

How to recover deleted files

2008-06-12T13:04:00.000-07:00

What do you do if your computer crashes or you accidentally delete a file you need? Years worth of information could be lost in an instant. There are file recovery services that will try to salvage the lost information. The outcome is not guaranteed and it often comes with a hefty price tag. Lifehacker has shared some free softwares available for PC's that you might want to try before you spend hundreds at an outside service. There is also have a link for a Mac software for a nominal fee. It's better than crying on the keyboard.

How to Recover Deleted Files with Free Software

Ack! The computer ate my term paper! We've all been there at some point. You delete an important file, somehow it skips your Recycle Bin altogether, and for all practical purposes, it's disappeared into the ether. But before you hit the big red panic button, there's a very good chance that your file is still alive and kicking somewhere on your hard drive—you just need to know how to find it. With the right tools, finding and recovering that deleted file can be as simple as a few clicks of your mouse.

How to save money and have eye catching trade booth graphics

2008-06-10T10:42:00.000-07:00

When designing a trade show booth it is all about attracting interest. When faced with so much information and so many choices what will make you stand out from the rest? One way is with killer graphics that will grab the attention of your audience. Unless you are big corporation that can afford to hire your own photographer; how do you find images that will motivate, and also be big enough to create high quality graphics needed for your booth? That is where stock photos can help. This article by Evan D. Owen of A Smash Hit! explains the different types of stock photos, and which will work best for your needs. You don't necessarily need to spend thousands of dollars to get an image that will draw in the crowds. Found [Via].

A picture is worth a thousand.....dollars! How to Save Big Bucks in Purchasing High Quality Stock Photos by Evan D. Owen president of A Smash Hit! Trade Show Displays

Pictures and graphics are one of the most important elements that a company uses to create brand awareness and communicate its message. Ever wonder where those images come from? The general term for these images is “stock photos” and the evolution of digital photography has caused a revolution within the stock photo industry. In our business of selling trade show displays and designing graphics for these displays we are constantly challenged with how to develop a graphical message that is suitable for trade show graphics. Trade show graphics are considered large format printing and it has its own set of challenges, especially when it comes to finding high resolution photos that when printed look presentable.

Tyson Crosbie book signing

2008-06-06T12:33:00.001-07:00

Tyson Crosbie is one prolific artist. On May 15th he released his latest series of fine art photography focusing on his new home, Phoenix. He has now published a book to correspond with the Phoenix series entitled Phoenix 20. Tyson will be having a book signing party at his house on Saturday June 14th. Details about the event are posted here. If you wish to attend, please RSVP Tyson.

If you cannot attend the event, and would like to purchase a book, they are available through the link below on Tyson's blog.

Tyson Crosbie "Phoenix 20" Book Signing

This is as much a celebration of an personal accomplishment as it is a gathering of community. Tyson Crosbie published “Phoenix 20″ on May 15th and will be having an open house signing party. All who enjoy art, culture and downtown #phx are welcome to attend.

The tell tale signs of Photoshop work

2008-06-03T12:44:00.000-07:00

Call me jaded, but I assume any image seen in advertising these days has had some 'work' done to it. If the Photoshop work is done well, it is almost like reading fiction, you can suspend disbelief long enough to imagine a world where no one has wrinkles and even super models can stand to have thinner thighs. Even at first glance you may not notice some tell tale signs of Photoshop work. Boing Boing in their post shared an article written by Scientific American that points out some ways to spot a Photoshop job. Also check out this page: Photo Tampering Throughout History.

HOWTO spot a photoshop job

Scientific American has a nice article listing the top five mistakes that photo-fakers make when they use photoshop to doctor piccies.

Surrounding lights reflect in eyes to form small white dots called specular highlights. The shape, color and location of these highlights tell us quite a bit about the lighting.

In 2006 a photo editor contacted me about a picture of American Idol stars that was scheduled for publication in his magazine (above). The specular highlights were quite different (insets).

The highlight position indicates where the light source is located (above left). As the direction to the light source (yellow arrow) moves from left to right, so do the specular highlights.

The highlights in the American Idol picture are so inconsistent that visual inspection is enough to infer the photograph has been doctored. Many cases, however, require a mathematical analysis. To determine light position precisely requires taking into account the shape of the eye and the relative orientation between the eye, camera and light. The orientation matters because eyes are not perfect spheres: the clear covering of the iris, or cornea, protrudes, which we model in software as a sphere whose center is offset from the center of the whites of the eye, or sclera (above right).