Monday, August 24, 2009

IN THIS ISSUE

TESTIMONIAL OF THE WEEK

GET YOUR OWN WEB SITE: IT'S EASY!

Our Deluxe and Pro BetterPholios are great ways to show - or sell - your photography. Plus, our monthly newsletter for BetterPholio owners offers tips and updates. Compare the options...

WHAT'S NEW AT BETTERPHOTO?

Check out our What's New page for links to photos, announcements, etc.

ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS IN SNAPSHOT

THIS WEEK'S TIP

Look for Different Angles by Rob Sheppard

Top Ten Tips
All Tips
Add Your Own Tip

Featured Gallery

© - Marcel Eni

Updates From BetterPhoto

Photo Q&A

1: Displying Pictures for Sale

I would like to sell my work at my parents' jewelry shop. The area is fairly well-to-do, and I believe there could be a market for my work. I would like to know how best to display my images. I could frame them and hang them on the wall with my father's paintings. Someone also suggested I sell them unframed. There's not any room for easels, and I'm trying to do this on the cheap. So what do you suggest?

ANSWER 1:

Since it is a jewelry shop and is an upmarket area, I would hang framed works, being careful of frame selection. You could make price tags the size of business cards which note that the print is also available matted and unframed, and has your contact info on it. That way you are showing high end work, but also giving your customers an option to select their own frames. The unframed images could possibly be stored on site, eliminating the possibility of someone rethinking their purchase.
I have been using black frames and white mats for all of my work, but I am thinking that keeping it simple doesn't always translate well to the customer. There are so many different theories regarding frame and mat types it is hard to know what will work best for you.
Jeff

2: Yellow in Studio

Yikes! All the photos I shot last night have a yellowish tint to them on the white background. I didn't change anything in my studio set-up or camera that I know of, so why would this be? Sometimes, I get a slightly bluish tint, but never so much yellow.

ANSWER 1:

I don’t think the background comes across as very yellow in the sample, but uploads aren’t the same as real files. I would set the lighting and then take a shot with a gray card in the set. Then I do the white balance after the shoot in Adobe Raw or the proprietary program from the camera manufacturer. This is easy and quick. The reason you have a problem is that your camera is on auto color. Unfortunately, this is not always right, no auto system is always right. So the skin tones of the subject may have caused the shift in color. This is a good reason to always shoot in raw, as you could fix this easier and quicker when you convert from raw file to whatever file type you need. On many occasions, I shoot with my camera at a specific setting, as Carlton suggests. Then I use the computer to create pleasing color, which works well. If I need accurate color, as with coping artwork, I will always use a gray card.

3: Shooting Through Glass

Is there anything I should do to eleiminate reflections when shooting a subject through glass (i.e., art work)? Thanks.

ANSWER 1:

The lights need to be at an angle from the subject so the light doesn't reflect back into the lens. Check out this article: www.betterphoto.com/article.asp?id=170
Hope this helps!

ANSWER 2:

(a) Don't use direct flash. You need diffused light to avoid reflections from a strobe.
(b) To avoid reflections from room or window lighting, try a polarizer - though be prepared to boost the ISO or use a tripod to cope with the longer shutter speed.

4: Printing with CMYK

I have been asked to work on a project with a graphic designer. I have taken images that will be sent for printing to a company that prints in CMYK. I work on images in Photoshop in Adobe RGB. Should I now convert these saved RGB images to CMYK prior to sending them on disc to the designer? Or do I have to start from the beginning working on them in PS as CMYK images? Help appreciated!!

ANSWER 1:

Ask the designer what they want. Generally, you will correct in RGB...and sometimes make small CMYK adjustments but only if you really know what you are doing. With workflows and processes as they are now, you can likely just submit RGB files ... but check with the designer.