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.