Mama, please don't take my Kodachrome away!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Arizona State Fair photography competition

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hope to see you on October 3rd!

Edward Weston: Mexico

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

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

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

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

42 foot HDR image from a 8 megapixel camera

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

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

The 42 foot wide Liverpool skyline HDR

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

John Wagner, Tim Lanterman & Bill Timmerman show

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

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

Jason Youn exhibit

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

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

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

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

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

Judith Faust image placed in Texas Photographic Society comptetition

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

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

Printable privacy window films

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."

Contact us for more details if you are interested in using this unique material for your next project.

Using the power of 9 to create wall art

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

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

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:

1. To increase access to publicly-held photography collections, and
2. To provide a way for the general public to contribute information and knowledge. (Then watch what happens when they do!)

Film is not dead

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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).

Patrick Rummans show in Pasadena

One of our favorite artists Patrick Rummans will have another show opening this week. This time in sunny Pasadena, California. Patrick has some beautiful new work he will be debuting at the show. He is one of three photographers in the Au Naturel show opening this Saturday May 31st at the San Marino Gallery in Pasadena. Good luck, Patrick!

Keyboard shortcut cheat sheet

Using keyboard shortcuts in Photoshop can help you save valuable time. Who can remember all of them? Sometimes I am doing good to remember my cell phone number.

Photojojo found a great tool to help. These skins are available for Mac laptop and desktop keyboards. They are color coded for quick and easy identification. There are versions for Photoshop as well as other software packages.

Now you can free up some brain space for more important information...like that cell phone number.

The Fastest Way to Learn Keyboard Shortcuts for Photoshop, Aperture, FCP, and more

You know that Photoshop whiz kid friend of yours? The one that plays his keyboard like a Steinway as he dodges and burns his way to photographic perfection?

That could be you.

When we saw these custom-fitted keyboard skins for Macs*, we knew we had to have ‘em.

The color-coded covers show you all the hard-to-remember shortcuts for your favorite apps and are available for Photoshop, Aperture, Final Cut Pro, Pro Tools, After Effects, and Logic Pro.

You wouldn’t learn how to type with a keyboard with no letters on it.

So why learn key commands without seeing them right on your keys?

All resampling is not the same

With the powerful technology built in our LightJet 5000, we are able to take smaller files and make big prints out of them. The capabilities of the machine have amazed me more than once. I should learn to not be so surprised when I see a beautiful 24x36 print made from a 8x12 sized file, but I can't help but be impressed every time.

What if you are trying to take your file even larger, and need to (gasp) resample your file. Not all ways of resizing in Photoshop will produce the same results. The method you choose to use when resampling your image can have a big impact on the final quality of the output. Especially when you are making a big print.

It is a question I get from customers all the time, so I am pleased to be able to share this information. Stephen Romaniello teaches digital art for Pima Community College in Tucson, AZ. He wrote this article for the June issue of Digital Graphics magazine. A lot of great information on the best way to prep a file for large format output. Too much to post it all here, I urge you to read the whole article. Here are some excerpts.

The Bigger the Better

When an image is enlarged by resampling in Photoshop, the colors of the new pixels are determined by one of the five interpolation algorithms chosen from the Image Size dialog box....

Bicubic is a more precise method that assesses the values of the eight pixels that surround each pixel in the image. With these calculations, Bicubic produces even tonal variations. It's recommended for images that have smooth gradients. Bicubic Smoother is recommended for enlarging raster images. The core algorithm is bicubic interpolation, but it smoothes edge pixels and reduces softening by adding pixels of higher contrast in the inner areas. Bicubic Sharper is used for reducing the size of an image, and works by eliminating pixels. It too is based on bicubic interpolation, but it enhances the image by increasing the contrast of the edge pixels.

Studio Lighting in a Flash

While surfing the net in the hopes of finding a solution for getting a custom white balance for a customers digital camera we’ve stumbled upon a company that has developed a portable, lightweight adapter that is designed to replicate the lighting effect produced by those heavy, tethered, powered studio ring flash units.

Whether you’re shooting fashion or portrait on the fly, have you ever wanted that three dimensional shadow – wrapped look that seems to come from around the subject? Well the folks at ExpoImaging have developed the Ray Flash.

The devise relies on the hot-shoe flash to generate its light and automatically takes advantage of your camera’s TTL metering. Because the ring flash light originates from a circle around the lens, it produces a virtually shadowless look on the front of your subject, while producing a soft even shadow around the edges. For you “gonzo” wedding shooters this adapter can be used as either a main or fill in light.

According to Erik Sowder, president of ExpoImaging, “It’s a great accessory tool for your strobe because it enables the photographer to easily achieve a high fashion studio portrait while on location. We here at Mighty Imaging think its cool because it has no electronics, batteries or flash tubes and best of all it does not require any cables.

Polor bear added to threatened species list

This week the US Department of Interior announced that polar bears will be added to the threatened species list. The dramatic loss of sea ice over the last 30 years has disrupted their environment, contributing to a sharp drop in population.

US Lists polar bear as threatened species: By H. JOSEF HEBERT, Associated Press Writer on Yahoo! Green

Kempthorne (US Interior Department Secretary), at a news conference, was armed with slides and charts showing the dramatic decline in sea ice over the last 30 years and projections that the melting of ice — a key habitat for the bear — would continue and may even quicken.

He cited conclusions by department scientists that sea ice loss will likely result in two-thirds of the polar bears disappearing by mid-century. The bear population across the Arctic from Alaska to Greenland doubled from about 12,000 to 25,000 since 1960, but he noted that scientists now predict a significant population decline. Studies last year by the U.S. Geological Survey suggested 15,000 bears would be lost in coming decades with those in the western Hudson Bay area of Alaska and Canada under the greatest stress.

The plight of the polar bear is perfectly illustrated in the Save Our Home images presented by Steve Barbour and Alastair Firkin. It is heartbreaking to see the mother polar bear clinging to her cub on a tiny piece of ice surrounded by miles of water. You can do your part to help the polar bear. A portion of each sale is donated to the Nature Conservancy.

Gregory Crewdson photography

One thing I love about the CBS Sunday Morning News is that every week they will run a feature on an artist. It could be a musician, a painter, or in this case a photographer; Gregory Crewdson.

You have probably seen Gregory's work even if you did not realize it was his. If Gregory's work looks like an out take of a movie you may have seen, or a dream that you can't quite recall, that is not an accident. Crewdon's shoots take on epic proportions. A crew of 40 people spend hours composing each shot in order to capture that one surreal glimpse in to the imaginary world Crewdson has created. Most of his shots are taken at twilight to add to the eerie dream like feel.

Crewdson shoots his scenes on 8x10 sheet film which are then scanned so it can be refined digitally. He then makes 7 foot prints out of the image, "We print them this size because it's like...well to me it's like a picture window". When faced with a 7 foot print there is nothing to get in between the viewer and the art. It allows the viewer to construct the story themselves. Since more questions than answers are presented in Crewdson's work, in many ways they are like ink blots, each image can have thousands of different interpretations depending the individual viewer.

Just Showin' Up

If you're new to the Valley of the Sun, or have been here awhile, you might have found it a bit difficult to find one resource that offers a comprehensive list of art events that are going on here in town.

Well, look no more, just click on to Showup.com and prepare yourself to become fully immersed in the cultural action going on in and around the Valley. The goal of Showup is to supply a comprehensive calendar of events, bringing together into a single convenient online site; information that was previously scattered or not readily available at all. According to the Showup.com website, Showup is the signature enterprise of Alliance for Audience, which is a non profit corporation that exists to unite, strengthen and promote the arts and cultural community within the Greater Phoenix Region. "Props" to Lynn Ducey with the Phoenix Business Journal for alerting us to Showup's redesigned website and it's current listing of more than 3,000 art events here in the Valley.

From Artist profiles to the venues in which they appear - from rave reviews to nearby ideas for food, drink and fun to Wrap Your Night, then the resource for you is Showup.com...It's all you gotta do!

Tyson Crosbie now on Mighty Imaging

Tyson Crosbie recently relocated to the Phoenix area. He had previously resided in Austin, Texas. We are excited to have his talent added to our growing metropolis. Tyson's style of photography is unique. He takes abstractions from the urban landscape and creates a new interpretation of the object. You can get lost in some of the colors and textures.

His new Phoenix series was just released on May 1st. I love how he was able to tie in the feel of the southwest in to the subjects he chose to use for his images. His art is available for purchase through our Shop for Art program. One really cool feature about Tyson's art is that each image is a one off edition. Meaning that once it is sold that is the only time it will ever be printed. You will truly be buying an original and one of a kind piece of art.

A stunningly beautiful new series of 20 abstract photographs from Phoenix artist and commercial photographer Tyson Crosbie. Created within the City of Phoenix and capturing the unseen beauty of urban living. In essence he creates a portrait of the City of Phoenix that is both hopeful and truthful. He utilizes digital technology in a traditional process to create straight images of object found through observation. With allusions to the abstract expressionist movement and such painters as Motherwell, Rothko, Reinhardt, Johns, Pollack and Stills they will complement any design. Produced with the intent of large format display you could easily build a room around one of these or complement a current theme. Read what the critics say here:

http://phoenixartspace.com/articles/173

And then order your print today.