A panoramic photo captures an image that is at least twice as long as high.  Usually a photograph with an aspect ratio* of 2:1 or higher would be considered a panorama. For example, 10×20 or 8×16 inch prints would be considered panoramic, with a view that is twice as wide as high.  An image that is as great as or greater than the viewing field of the human eye would be panoramic. A higher aspect ratio, of 4:1 or even 10:1 would be panoramic.

Quabin Panorama Photo

There are cameras which will create a panoramic image with a single shot. There are multiple lens and software to help create panoramic photographs as well as 360° photographic images. But for most of us, our usual still digital cameras using a standard lens along with some stitching software will be more than adequate for pano creation.

There are a number of software stitching programs on the market. One of the most popular is PTgui. (www.ptgui.com ).  Adobe Photoshop and Photoshop Elements have Photomerge feature and does an excellent job for most panoramic stitching.  More recent versions (CS4 or better) do a much better job than earlier versions.

No matter what you use to create the final image, it is the photographic process that will determine how good your final image is.  It is possible to hand hold the camera and still create a panorama but it is much easier to use a tripod. You can purchase specific heads for your tripod to create panoramas, from the inexpensive LensPen Pananic head for about $20 to a Manfrotto Spherical Panoramic Head Kit at $650.

If you chose to forgo the expense of a special head for your tripod there are a few rules to keep in mind. If you are shooting without a tripod, try to use your body as the center point. Plant your feet firmly and turn from your waist. As with any shot, take a breath and hold it before depressing the shutter button.  If you are shooting with a tripod, it is best to level the head if you can before shooting.  The most important rule, however, is to overlap your shots by at least 1/3 of the scene you are shooting. I usually pick out a land mark in the shot about 1/3 from the edge and make that opposite edge on the next shot.

It is also important to keep the settings the same in the camera. If you have auto focus turned on be careful with the focus. It could shift based on the image and it would destroy your panorama.  You may want to shoot in Manuel Mode in order to avoid that from happening. A shift in meter reading could also make the creation difficult, although the software will do some blending of edges.

Try re-positioning yourself and trying the shot from a slightly different angle.  Take several multiple shots from different perspectives. Your first perspective might not work as expected when you start to turn the camera.  The number of shots you use to create your panorama is dependent on the scene you are shooting. I find that for a 180° shot that I will need 5-7 shots.

Creating a panorama photo is fun and rewarding. Going beyond the limits of the lens and camera opens up a whole new way of seeing through your lens. Capturing a wide view makes the scene more memorable and closer to what the “mind sees”.  Try turning the camera for a vertical shot. This will make your panorama wider and capture more of the scene. Good luck and keep shooting!

*Aspect ratio is a measure comparing width to height. Most digital cameras will produce a 3:2 aspect ratio.  The resulting print size of 4×6 or 8×12 is an example of 3:2 aspect ratio.

As a giclée printer, I often see confusion about color mode.   For this discussion I will focus on RGB and CMYK, although there are other color modes with different functions and uses.

RGB (red, green and blue) refers to the additive or “light” color process.  When these three colors of light are combined; white light results. The absence of these colors of light appears as black. This is the idea behind display devices, like your TV or Computer Monitor.

CMYK (cyan, magenta, and yellow) are subtractive colors. These colors reflect light back. Theoretically when combined the three colors should produce black. Because the resulting color is not a “pure” black, printers add black (K) to the combination resulting in CMYK.

RGB refers to light (additive) while CMYK refers to pigment, inks or paint (subtractive). Because all printers, be it inkjet, laser, or offset use the subtractive process to produce color it seems reasonable that when creating files for printing one would work in the CMYK mode. This is true for traditional color printing often called offset or 4-color process. The technology behind this printing process is to create 4 separate printing plates. Each plate was originally created by photographing the image to be printed four times using a filter for each color.  The resulting separations representing red, green and blue were then reversed to create the negatives for its color opposite.  For example red is opposite cyan on the color wheel, because cyan is the result of mixing blue and green light and the absence of red light.

Although the inkjet printers and devices that are used today by many professional printers use pigmented inks that are CMYK or variations of CMYK, the file mode format should be RGB.  This is because the files are converted by the print driver or RIP (raster image processor, fancy name for print drivers), into CMYK.  If the files are not in the RGB mode, this process still happens but sometimes with unwanted results because CMYK has a smaller color gamut.

So should you produce files in RGB mode or CMYK mode? The answer is it depends. If your files will be sent to a printer who uses an offset or 4-color process press then you should convert your files to CMYK.  If your printer uses a digital process and prints on an inkjet printer, you should keep your files in RGB mode. If you are unsure what process your printer uses, ask.  If you want the best possible color for your image, be aware of how it will be produced.

Western Mass Tornado Photo Show Fund Raiser

So many incredible photos have been taken of this devastating event. Many photographers have felt the need to record and preserve the images of the profound change that has happened in our region. Giclée of New England, Inc Gallery will be sponsoring a Photo Show as a fund raiser for the victims of the June 1 tornado. We would also like to see before and after photos in this show. Photos of rebuilding and clean-up efforts will be welcome as well as those that document the massive destruction.

There is a $10 donation fee  for two images. You can enter as many times as you like. We will find space to hang all entries. All entry fees will be donated to the Disaster Fund at the Monson Savings Bank. Giclée of New England, Inc. will offer printing, framing or mounting of photos for this show at deeply discounted rates.  Videos can also be entered for showing.

There will be awards (prizes if we can get donations) for :

Last week I had the great opportunity to attend the NEFA’s (New England Foundation for the Arts) Creative Community Exchange in North Adams. This event, hosted by Mass MoCA and Berkshire Creative, focused on how development of creative spaces and creative economies has benefited towns and regions throughout New England.

The event was made up of workshops presented by cultural and creative community leaders.  The presenters focused on the successful implementation of developing the creative economy in their towns, cities or regions. With four different workshops in each session time slot, it was a difficult choice to decide which workshops to attend.

On Wednesday, May 18 the activities began with a tour of Mass MoCA lead by Joe Thompson, Director of Mass MoCA.  This was an intimate look behind the scenes.  It was wonderful to hear the story of space and exhibit development from such a knowledgeable person.

Thursday, May 19 was the start of the actual event.  A marvelous breakfast was served to attendees.  After a brief welcome we went to our chosen workshops.  The first one I attended was the Rockingham Arts and Museum Project (RAMP). It was about the art challenges of a rural community and how developing the arts in Rockingham VT brought culture and economic growth to the area. The next session, Pittsfield Dept of Community Development: Downtown Renaissance was truly inspiring.  How a city of 44,000 with minimal art and culture presence was able to develop a thriving and healthy creative economy was the focus of this workshop.  After a delightful lunch, there were three more workshops. These covered developing creative partnerships and how small towns developed “Down Street” art centers.

Friday, May 20 started with another great breakfast followed by a “Spark” event designed to stimulate networking.  The workshops followed.  For the ending events an outstanding meal was provided with awards and speakers. Most notable among the speakers was  National Endowment For the Arts Chairman,  Rocco Landesman.  He is a powerful speaker with a meaningful message. His slogan, “Art Works” has inspired me.

I made several connections at this event. I hope to be able to implement some of the ideas presented in our region and I do hope to be able to attend future events of this kind. If anyone is interested in a more in depth discussion of what I learned, please phone me or send me an email and we can delve more fully into this exciting subject.

Finding someone to reproduce your artwork may seem like an easy thing to do.  Google “giclée” and 20 million hits come up.  You might narrow the field down by adding your region (“giclée Western Mass” has only 27,000 hits), but the numbers are still daunting.  Finding the right printer for your artwork is like finding the right doctor or the right insurance company.  I suggest that you work with someone who, if not local, is still close enough so you can meet with them and see their operation.  As an artist you put many hours into your work.  You want to find someone who appreciates your effort, respects your work and makes you the best possible reproduction.  Asking the right questions can help you evaluate the printer. The following is a list of questions that I feel are the most important.

1. What is your back ground in printing? In art? In digital technology?
2. Are you able to give references of satisfied customers?
3. What techniques do you use for image capture, printing, finishing?
4. What products or brands do you use for printing and why do you choose those products?
5. Do you guarantee your work and do you stand behind your product?

This is not a complete list of questions but they are a starting point. You are building a relationship with your printer. You want to know and trust that individual to handle your work with professionalism and competence.  Your prints will reflect you as an artist and as a professional. Know your product. If your customers ask you about the digital or giclée process you want to be able to answer with authority and confidence.  No one expects everyone to be an expert, (that is why you go to a giclée printer) but you should be knowledgeable enough to be able to state why your giclée prints are worth the price you charge.

  Arts and crafts festivals are one way to market your art or fine art craft. For some artists this is a way of life. For others it is a good way to supplement their art income by doing a few shows each year. It can be a grueling and exhausting, yet for some artists it is very profitable.  If you think your work would sell well in the festival setting, try out a few local venues.  An online site, Art Fairs Calendar.com, has an extensive listing of art festivals. http://www.artfaircalendar.com/art_fair/new-england-art-fairs.html   Many of the on-line listing sites charge membership fees for information on festivals and calls for entry. Subscribing to one or more may be worth the fees in the time saved by searching.  However, if you wish to enter or attend a specific show or two, paid subscriptions are likely not worth the expense. Most venues have on-line information and applications forms.    

 Now is the time to start your applications, if you wish to participate in the 2011 season. Most summer shows have March or even earlier deadlines.  If you have not participated in a festival be prepared.  Start with small local venues, unjuried if you are new to the process. Go to the shows you would like  to enter and get a feel for the set-up and ask the participants how they are doing.  Find shows where your art fits in.

It is true that self-promotion is difficult for most people. For artists it seems even more so.  “The facts are without marketing and promotion what you have is a pleasant hobby“.  This is a quote from a blog called Art Print Issues.  Take some time to read and follow the advice from this useful site.

High Dynamic Range or HDR

HDR photos are created by taking muliple exposures.  For the best results shoot using a tripod.  At least three exposures from over to under exposed. The more the better. Some photographers use 6 or even more exposures.

ckick to see larger:

Adobe tv – HDR

You may notice that I removed an extra bud from the photo. This was done using Content Aware Fill, another amazing feature of Photoshop CS5

“What I Did Today” May 19,2010

Show us what you did today. Upload your images, photos or artwork to our fan page on Facebook. You can upload one image a day for two weeks. Competition ends on Tuesday, June 1, 2010.  Enter to win a FREE 16×20 PRINT from GoNE, Inc.  Entrants will be eligible to become a finalist in the GRAND PRIZE shootout to be held in November, 2010. GRAND PRIZE is a Flip Video Camcoder. 

A total of 14 images per fan can be uploaded over the next two weeks.  Winner will be chosen by fan votes during the week of June 2-7.   Start collecting those votes to be in the running for the Flip Video. Its worth Shooting for!

Fans on Facebook can win a Flip Video Camcorder

Along with the usual great prizes like free prints, gift certificates  and greeting cards, we are announcing a GRAND PRIZE: a Flip Video Camcorder.

To enter: submit images created by you, to our competitions on the  Giclee of New England Fan Page on Facebook. To become a finalist, get the most votes for your photos or artwork over a five month period. Vote counting begins with the next contest to be announced on Wednesday this week, 05-19-10.  Open submission competitions for this Grand prize will end in the last competition in October, 2010. All fans are eligible to vote once per contest, whether or not images were submitted.

Be notified of upcoming competitions through our Fan Page on Facebook, postings here on this blog, or follow us on Twitter.

The Finalists will be the top twenty-five artists/photographers chosen by the Fans’ votes. They will compete in the Final Shootout during November, 2010 for the Grand Prize. The Grand prize winner will be announced on December 18, 2010.  (Just in time for the Holidays).

Remember, all it takes is “like this” on our fan page  on Facebook to be eligible to participate in this competition or use the link on the side bar.

There are plenty of competitions coming up.  Suggest to your friends on Facebook they become fans. This is a great prize worth shooting for! Along with all the other great gifts you can win from Giclée of New England, Inc. you can’t lose.

Employees, Past employees, and employees’ families are not eligible for prizes but may post images.

Images submitted to the Giclee of New England Fan Page on Facebook competitions may be used for publicity purposes. All rights belong to the originator of the art and by participating you are certifying that you have the rights to show these images and are not in violation of terms of use