Didn’t the invention of digital cameras change the way we take photographs? Automatic settings on the camera means that decent photos can be taken without a steep learning curve although one day I would love to unravel the mysteries of ‘f’ settings and all the other mind blowing things mentioned in the user instructions.
When I last checked, the pictures folder on my hard disk held 21,114 files. Hardly surprising as I always take my camera with me to the plot – well I take it virtually anywhere else that I go too. I often return home to find that I have hundreds - (literally) - of photographs to download. Some are deleted immediately, some I am really pleased with and others can be improved by using photo-editing software and a few clicks of the mouse.
So what to do with all these photos? – Well one option is to use the photo to do something creative like making greetings cards or manipulating the images to create arty effects like this. Actually I really enjoy doing both of these things.You can also have a photo turned into a unique canvas to either offer as a gift or keep for yourself! I decided I’d have one of my photographs made into a canvas to pop on my bedroom wall.
Choosing a photograph from the 21,114 on my computer was in fact the most difficult part of the process. I managed to whittle the number down to the latest close-up flower photographs and then drew up a shortlist:
Pear blossom – just a bit dark and I didn’t want to mess around editing it. I wanted to use as good a qulaity image as I could as I thought this would give me the best quality canvas print.
Tulip – the background was a bit fussy and the colours not really right for my bedroom.
Cornflower – a close contender but I didn’t really want blue. Maybe if I decide on one for my other bedroom which is bluer!
Poppy – again the colour wasn’t right for the bedroom decor.
The photograph that I settled on was this one of a quince flower.
The photo was sent off last Thursday evening to Canvas Dezign. My work done I could sit back and eagerly anticipate the arrival of my canvas.
Yesterday I had an email from the company saying my canvas would be delivered bewteen 10:32 and 11:32 that day and impressively a delivery van turned up with my canvas at 10:40.
Here's a short video so you can share the grand unwrapping with me
The canvas was well packaged and I was very pleased with the efficient service and the quality of the materials used by the company Canvas Dezign. If you want to know more about them their website is here.
All that remains now is to hang the canvas on our bedroom wall.
So what do YOU do with all YOUR photos?
So what do YOU do with all YOUR photos?
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My photos tend to get saved in files and then put onto disk...I have to admit I'm not as camera happy as i used to be and i have a cupboard full of photos from the old days when you paid for printing upstairs all labeled and dated....I really should think about taking my camera out more now that it is free....Maybe I will even end up with a picture that I would like to hang on my wall too....I have to confess I have seriously thought about scanning all my hard copies of photographs into the computer and saving them onto memory cards as I have a digital photo frame which can show many pictures...mmmm...now you've given me something else I want to do and can't fit into my day!!!
ReplyDeleteThe print looked great by the way!!
I love the photo you have chosen for a print!
ReplyDeleteI keep photos on my computer for current year. Then I burn them on a DVD (a CD is too small space to have them all).
I love taking photos, like you, and some of them will be deleted instantly, some later. But I never (so far) have more than 1 DVD of photos per year.
I was also thinking of enlarging some of my photos and framing them. But I’m always worried that the pictures would look blurred if the camera is not one with a lot of MegaPixels. Mine had 8MP, so I’m not sure if that is good enough.
Hi Tanya, We used to take slides too and have digitised all our slides and photos now. Maybe a winter activity?
ReplyDeleteAn 8Mpx photo would work just fine Vrtlarica - but choose a very well focused sharp photo I can set my camera to various MPX and have a general setting of 5MPX as otherwise the photos are huge. Also the higher the MPX setting the less you can telephoto on my camera. My original photo was 2560 x 1920 2.15Mb but I cropped it to remove some of the background to 1784 x 1468 1.65Mb The website advises 500KB for larger sizes of print but I guessed the bigger file size would produce a more detailed image. My print is 50cm x 41cm. The company do say you can send in a photo and they will advise on suitability.
I bet you were really excited opening that package. I think you chose a lovely photo, and it looks fantastic on canvas. I too like the cornflower one. All my photos are just in files on the pc. I delete the rubbish ones, and I get my favourite ones developed and put in to photo albums, just like the old days. I'm so old fashioned, but I like to have something there to hold and look at.
ReplyDeleteFantastic shots i'll say :) In fact you reminded me, I started doing a blog on the subject a while back.
ReplyDeleteTake a peeky if you like :) www.textureideas.blogspot.com/
Hi Jo, Part excited and part worried that it wouldn't turn out as I wanted it - I did have another canvas done by another company which I liked but this is a better quality and if I remember rightly the other company was more expensive. The other is in the same bedroom and of a wild rose - pinkish and white too - partly why I chose this photo as the two went together well.
ReplyDeleteBy the way have a great holiday.
Hi Craig - I'll certainly visit your other blog. I used to do a lot of digital photography and manipulating images when I was teaching and also when I was an ICT consultant. Children and adults get quite giddy with excitement at what they can achieve.
Had a quick look Craig - why did you stop? Did you make any designs into textiles? Have you tried popping objects under a scanner too? I got some weird looks from the guy in the shop who asked me what I scanned. My husband said - you name it and she'll scan it. Leaves are great especially if you play about with the setting and it gives quite a different effect to taking a photo. I've done fruit and veg cut in half but you do need to protect the scanner bed with acetate or clingfilm.
ReplyDeletePlease don't leave comments whose aim appears to be to link to a commercial website - any that do so will be removed.
ReplyDeleteDo like the sound of cutting fruit and veg in half, thanks for that suggestion would not have thought of it myself. It can all get a bit arty can't it. All for inspiration me, have been thinking of what to take a pic of next.
ReplyDeleteNote, my websites are not commercial lol. Googleads might just buy me a few packets of seeds next year if i'm lucky! :)
Cheers, Craig.
Hi Craig
ReplyDeleteOranges are good and so are things like cabbages and peppers and tomatoes and pomegranates - the list is endless. If you protect the scanner using acetate then it gives a different effect from clingfilm - you can use coloured acetate as well.
It wasn't you - I removed the comment that I was referring to about advertising. You ought to develop your textile ideas though.
By the way Craig did you visit my ideas page on my website http://glallotments.co.uk/NaturalDeisgns.aspx
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing the effects you can get by posterising and tiling. For lots of those images I used a school image package called Colour Magic. Easy and creates some great effects - the more luminous ones used Photoshop.
I may get some seeds from my links too!
Thanks for the information. I think that I will do one large print and then see how it will turn out. Just have to choose a photo...
ReplyDeleteLove the canvas, I don't do anything as exciting with my photos, must give that a go.
ReplyDeleteYou are right, I should unlock my creativity, I am a graphic designer by trade so should use it more. Your inspiration is proving useful. I will check out those pages when fresh headed in the morning. Had one of those days today, 3 hours on the plot turned into 6 hours if you know what I mean :D My bed is looking great, and so does the free apple tree I got today ;)
ReplyDeleteVrtlarica - choosing a photo can be really difficult!
ReplyDeleteDamo - Maybe I'll do a bit more arty stuff in winter
Craig - I know exactly what you mean