LARGE CANVAS PRINTS

Dear reader, if this entry or my other blog entries don't answer your specific photography questions, you can call me on the phone anytime for advice by clicking here.


Canvas on Demand sent me a free 16x20 for me to do a review. I sent one of my photos of Budapest (Buda Castle at Sunrise), and I was very impressed. The colors are excellent, the frame is thick wood, and the canvas material is substantial.

The above stretched canvas print is of a photo that I took in my studio leaning against an easel with a white backdrop (more on that to follow). Here are some more images of the canvas print:

I have no complaints, it arrived quickly, and the photo looks like a painting! The canvas was well packaged for shipping, and it will find a nice home in our new photo studio that we are opening next month in Saint John. Here is their website: http://www.canvasondemand.com


So . . . perfect time for a quick and useful tip on how to photograph artwork the easy way. Here is the set up, using the 16x20 large canvas print:

1. Place two strobes or normal flashes in front and to the side of the artwork.
2. Place the artwork at an angle so that it will be facing you straight on when you take the picture.
3. Don't worry about using an easel or stool to lean the artwork on, this will be cut out later.
4. Choose f8 for your shutter speed, and around 1/200 for your shutter.
5. Take the photo with the flashes bouncing off the white ceiling (as shown in the photo).
6. The bounce will create a soft light, and the angle of light hitting in the artwork will keep reflections at bay.
7. If the photo is too light or dark, adjust the flash power, or your f-stop accordingly.
8. Take the image in photoshop or another editing program, cut out the background so that only pure white is behind the artwork.


Have fun!

Mark's photographic prints for your wall can be purchased at www.markhemmings.com
Mark can be hired as a photographer or filmmaker via www.hemmingshouse.com

STILL/MOTION DSLR SHOOTING

Dear reader, if this entry or my other blog entries don't answer your specific photography questions, you can call me on the phone anytime for advice by clicking here.

While filming some scenes for a client in Mexico, I came across a stunning view that would be tough to replicate:

When filming with a Video DSLR camera, you can usually (depending on the brand) take a printable still photo at any time during your filming. For example, I was shooting this scene on video, but realized that I would want it as a high resolution RAW still photo as well. I simply clicked the shutter button, the camera immediately switched to still photography mode, and I got my shot. The only downside to this process is a break in your filming, but it is worth that minor inconvenience, especially when fleeting moments happen before your camera.

Mark's photographic prints for your wall can be purchased at www.markhemmings.com
Mark can be hired as a photographer or filmmaker via www.hemmingshouse.com

SUBWAY STREET PHOTOGRAPHY

Dear reader, if this entry or my other blog entries don't answer your specific photography questions, you can call me on the phone anytime for advice by clicking here.

Whenever I am in Tokyo I always enjoy walking through the mad rush of humanity in Shinjuku, Shibuya, and Tokyo subway/train stations. A fun and often intriguing street photography technique is to look for the large ad signage on the walls, and wait for the right people to walk by.

Sometimes this works, sometime it doesn't. The ones that do work, however, make the waiting worth it!

Mark's photographic prints for your wall can be purchased at www.markhemmings.com
Mark can be hired as a photographer or filmmaker via www.hemmingshouse.com