Sheets PhotographyPrinting Photos from your Phone
Posted on March 9, 2015
As a photographer I carry my Nikon D600 with me frequently, but I don’t have it all the time. I always have my phone on me. Have you ever looked at how many photos you have on your phone? How many of those pictures are priceless photos of your children, parents, grandparents? Have you ever lost or damaged your phone and lost all those memories? (that question just made me cringe!) So many people fail to migrate their photos from their cell phone to another location and even fewer people ever print these photos…okay I’m guilty of this too!
I have found an easy way to print photos from your cell phone. I have an iphone and recently downloaded The Meijer Ap. Last year I did a test on several different printing companies because I started offering a high resolution disk to my customers and wanted a good photo printing company to recommend. Compared to my professional printing company, to my surprise, Meijer’s matte photos were the next best and looked really good. My test portraits were printed from the Meijer in Fort Wayne, IN on Illinois Road.
Downloading the Ap was easy. Setting up an account was a little time consuming, but the effort is worth it! Once your account is setup, the Ap is easy to use and they have the option to pick up your prints in the store or have them shipped.
First, download the Ap. Once you have downloaded the Ap, open it, and you will be asked to login or join mPerks. If you already have an account then login, if not click “Join mPerks Today” to create an account. After filling out all of your information click “Activate by text” or “Activate by phone”.
Now that you have an account go to the settings drop down menu in the top left corner.
Click on the “Photo” option. You will be taken to a screen where you simply select the “+” symbol and start selecting photos from your gallery to print.
Once you select your photos and click next, you will be given an option to “Custom Print” or “Quick Print”. I always select Custom Print because I like to do all of my own cropping and I may want to print different sizes of the same photo. I also always print my photos on matte paper. This option is not a default option so you will have to select it each time.
After you have gone through each image and selected the size and quantity your will be able to review your order and the final step is “Send Photos to Printers”.
Don’t let your memories just sit on your phone or float around in cyber space PRINT THEM! For more information on printing photos from your cell phone or to book a portrait session contact Sheets Photography.
Photo Restoration Before/After
Posted on March 2, 2015
Old portraits have always fascinated me…and there is a charm that comes from the tattered edges of an old portrait that gives it a rustic old feel. Heck these days people spend countless hours and use all sorts of tools and techniques to beat up furniture to achieve a rustic appearance. Home decor and art are made to look old and worn to achieve that “shabby chic” feel. However, there is a fine line between rustic looking and damaged.
My husbands aunt found an old portrait of her self when she was a little girl. She brought it to me because there was a huge crease that ran the entire length of the photo going right through her face. I was excited to get started on the restoration of the old portrait and surprise her with the results.
When restoring a photo I don’t make any edits to the original. The original photo is scanned with a high quality scanner. This scan creates a digital copy of the original. The scanned digital copy is where I do all of my edits. Once the edits are made I can print copies, save them onto a disk as a digital negative or both. In Aunt Sue’s case we saved the image onto a disk and I had a fresh copy printed for her to display in a frame. Contact me today to get a quote on your photo restoration project.
Okay…Okay I have made you wait long enough…not like you didn’t already scroll to the bottom to look at the Before/After of the restored portrait…
In Home Newborn Sessions
Posted on February 23, 2015
Newborn pictures are probably one of my favorite portrait sessions. However, they are the most unpredictable because you are at the mercy of the baby. There is a lot of adjusting that goes on in the first month a newborn is home. Getting dressed and keeping up with laundry become difficult; leaving the house becomes unimaginable :). Couples have every intention of getting newborn portraits done, but 1 week turns into 4 weeks quickly and before you know it, you have missed the window to get newborn pictures taken. That is why I offer “In Home Newborn Sessions”. Most of the newborn sessions I have done in the past 2 years have been in the comfort of the babies home. I bring tons of gender appropriate outfits, props, and blankets to incorporate into your newborns first photo shoot. I give the family tips on how to have a smooth newborn photo session.
Contact me today to get your newborn session scheduled!
Family Portrait Outfit Ideas
Posted on February 16, 2015
A beautiful location and experienced photographer can all be ruined by an outfit choice. That is why I discuss what theme or feel the family envisions for their family portraits before the photo session. After having this conversation I can pick out a suitable location in the Columbia City or Ft. Wayne area and bring appropriate props. However, one thing that I don’t have control over is what the family decides to wear to their appointment. So here are some tips on what to wear for your next family portrait session.
What not to wear for your next family portrait session:
- No Tennis Shoes
- Do Not Wear Lots of Patterns
- No Sleeveless Tops
- No White Socks
What clothing to wear for your next family picture:
- One or two people (usually children) with a pattern and everyone else coordinate with solid colors
- Dark shoes and socks
- Something that you are comfortable in
- Outfits that reflect your families character and style (if your family is relaxed then wear jeans!)
Another great tip is to lay out several combinations of clothing about 2 weeks prior to your family portrait appointment. You will tend to gravitate towards one and that should be your choice.
As a photographer it is my responsibility to fix hair, jewelry, and some clothing. However, my main focus is to get you to smile naturally and look great. If I have to worry about hiding your dirty tennis shoes or white socks every frame, then it takes away from me being able to focus on the more important stuff like your face! Contact me today to book your next Family Portrait Session.
Newborn Session Preparation
Posted on February 2, 2015
Newborn sessions are some of the most unpredictable photo sessions. You are at the mercy of the baby and the sooner you accept that, the better :). I plan for 2 hours for every newborn session. There are very important steps that parents can do to ensure a smooth newborn photo shoot.
To the Parents of all Newborns…Follow These Tips:
- Contact me and book a session the week after your due date. IF NOT BOOKED BEFORE BIRTH, BOOK SESSION IN THE FIRST 2 WEEKS OF BABIES BIRTH
- Stay calm…haha easier said than done right…Seriously, the baby can sense if you are uneasy or rushed and they will mimic your behavior.
- Have one other person there if daddy can’t be. Mother or Mother-in-law if your are brave:).
- Lotion baby up before session to minimize dry,flaky skin.
- Start feeding the baby 15-20 minutes before the portrait appointment is scheduled to start. That way you will be finishing up when I have all my props and backgrounds set up. Remember, stay calm. I’m not going anywhere.
- Undress baby down to diaper prior to feeding. When he falls asleep soon after or during feeding we won’t have to disturb him by undressing.
- Turn your thermostat up a couple degrees 1 hour before session. I will bring a small heater, but it never hurts to have the house a bit warmer.
- Have wipes, extra diapers, and extra receiving blankets readily available.
- Have special blankets, clothes, or toys that you want to use in the babies portraits laid out so you don’t have to search for them during the session.
- Don’t worry about anything! I have never left a newborn session without getting some great portraits!
Here are some of my favorite newborn portrait sessions from this past year.
