by Pat Wright

What a wonderful concept. Putting together all those photos in a professional photo book.

I called the Click•Scan•Share store in San Diego and made an appointment. Now I know why you need an appointment. There is a lot of material to go through. You need someone who will take their time.

I felt kind of bad handing over bags of photos and photo albums, but Vianey was patient and helpful as we decided how to format these books. Actually, I let her do most of the work, I’m sure she’s better at it than I am.

I am really eager to see the finished project. My dad, who I didn't know too well, was an apparent early scrap-booker. But his old books are falling apart. I have confidence that Vainey and the staff at Click•Scan•Share will return a sturdy and professional book of my family’s history. 

Every year there are over 550 disasters throughout the world. For victims of fire, floods, tornadoes and other natural disasters, family photos are among the worst things to lose.

Read More about to rescue your photo's before disaster strikes.

Read More http://www.archives.gov/preservation/family-archives/storing-photos.html

The preservation of photographs, and all documents and artworks, depends on the storage environment and the storage enclosures. Many institutions have climate controlled storage rooms with purified air, kept at constant moderate or cool temperatures (e.g., 65-70F) and moderate relative humidities (e.g., 35-50%). Some institutions even have cold vaults for certain types of photographs that are very prone to deterioration, such as color photographs and older films. Unfortunately, these conditions are not easily found or maintained in homes! However, there are things you can do to improve the storage climate for your valuable photographs in your home: store your photographs in the coolest and driest spot in your home that stays that way year round. Finished basements frequently are cool, but they are usually too damp for photo storage unless they are dehumidified. Dampness should be avoided as it causes photos to stick together, and promotes mold growth. Above ground interior closets maintain fairly constant temperatures throughout the year, and should be considered for storage.

All plastic and paper materials used to house and store valuable and heirloom photographs should pass the ANSI IT9.16 Photographic Activity Test (PAT). (The PAT was developed by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and is a test that determines whether or not a storage material will cause fading or staining in photographs.) In addition, other storage materials such as envelopes, folders, sleeves, and boxes should meet the standards described in ANSI IT9.2 Photographic Processed Films, Plates, and Papers--Filing Enclosures and Storage Containers. Many manufacturers make storage materials which meet these two standards and advertise them in their catalogs.

Look for paper enclosures that are made from a high quality, non-acidic, lignin-free paper (buffered or unbuffered are OK) made from cotton or highly purified wood pulps. Paper envelopes with center seams should be avoided--if the seam adhesive causes fading or staining it will happen in the middle of your photograph. If you do use an envelope with a center seam, place the back side of the photo against the seam--any deterioration would have to work its way through the back before attacking the image on the front.

Look for plastic enclosures made from uncoated pure polyethylene, polypropylene or polyester (also called Mylar D or Mellinex 516). These are considered stable and non-damaging to photographs. Polyester is crystal clear and is more rigid than polyethylene and polypropylene. None of these recommended plastics have any odor to them, while polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic does have a strong odor (the new car smell). Avoid the use of PVC plastics--they generate acids which can fade the photograph in time. In addition, the plastic can stick to items inside and, in some types of photographs (and printed items such as baseball cards), actually cause the image to transfer to the plastic. For these reasons, PVC enclosures should not be used for valuable photographs or those you want to preserve for a long time.

Albums are an ideal storage method for photographic prints, especially snapshots and heirloom photographs--the photographs can be safely stored and organized, and safely viewed, without inflicting damage from frequent handling. Albums should be used to store selected groups of photographs, as they are expensive and somewhat bulky storage options. Not all photographs are really worth keeping; snapshot collections should be weeded of poor prints (blurred images, bad exposures) or less desirable photos (multiples, poorly cropped images) before housing the best ones in an album or other storage method (described below).

Besides albums, there are many different types of storage enclosures designed for the different photographic formats and sizes. These include folders, sleeves, and envelopes. The choice of enclosure depends not only on resources but also the frequency that the photos will be handled for viewing and their current fragility. In general, if a photograph is handled frequently or is fragile, it should be stored in its own enclosure such as a folder, envelope or plastic sleeve, then grouped in a box. Photos which are handled very frequently should be stored in their own plastic folders or sleeves so that they can be viewed without removing from the enclosure. Plastic enclosures also protect the photo surface from fingerprinting while it is being viewed. Remember, it is best to always hold a photograph by its edges, supporting it from underneath with your hand. Individual enclosures also protect from wear and tear and provide physical support to fragile or damaged photos. Very fragile photos such as those with large tears and breaks, brittle photos, photos with broken mounts or those with a damaged surface can be put in one of the enclosures listed above with a rigid piece of paperboard behind the photo for extra support. A less expensive option for storage is to group photos in folders. This approach is fine for photos that are in good condition and are rarely handled. Remember that damaged photos can be copied or photocopied, and the copy used instead to protect valuable originals.

Photographs can also be stored in plastic pocket pages and standard size plastic sleeves, grouped in folders for organization, then stacked in a box. Photographs 8 x10 inches or smaller can be stored vertically on their long edges in standard size boxes which are available for many photographic formats, including modern and nineteenth-century photographs. Photos larger than 8 x 10 inches, or those with damaged edges (brittle, torn) should be stored flat in small stacks inside standard size boxes. Groups of similar sized photos which are all the same type, such as modern 4 x 6 inch color snapshots, or older 2-1/4 inch black-and white snapshots, can be stored vertically or horizontally together without extra housings--photos which are the same type are usually safe to store in contact with each other. Boxes should be neither over stuffed or under filled. Over stuffing causes damage when photos are pulled out or filed away; under filling causes the photos to slump and curl.

Lastly, the safest, and most expensive, way to store photographs is to mat them in high quality ragboard or matboard. This method is excellent for photos that are to be framed and displayed.

Article by the Library of Congress

 A beautiful photo doesn't only capture a moment in time, but it will always remain to remember you of the emotions you had when it was taken. Sure, you don't have to be a professional photographer to create wonderful photos. If you treasure the moment very much, a simple photo is enough to make you smile.

When it comes to a high quality image from a photographic point of view, after you create it, you should do a bit of edit to make the best of it. But any nice photo that you've taken in a special occasion has to be enjoyed, not forgotten. You can transfer photos on your computer or an external hard drive, but you might completely forget about them.

Nowadays you can display and enjoy your favorite photos as metal photographic prints. They represent a highly durable way to view images that you hold dear every single day. They're like nothing you've seen before. You would have never expected a ready-to-hang metal surface to have such vibrant colors and such amazing details.

After you choose a favorite photo, you can ask a professional photographer to edit and retouch it or do it yourself if you have experience in the field. Then the image will undergo a dye-sublimation process where heat and pressure is applied in order to transfer the bright colors onto a sheet of aluminum. When this process is completed, a mounting back will be affixed so that the metal print will be ready-to-hang.

Metal prints are usually available in different kinds of sizes, starting at 5x7'' and going up to 43x96''. If you want them to be thicker, the metal can be mounted on a 3/4'' standout print.

The metal photographic prints are really fascinating. They reflect the light really well and offer incredible details and vivid colors. It might be tough to imagine how an apparently rough surface can offer such luminescence and rich colors. You have to see it to believe it. It actually looks like a work of art.

If your "oldies but goldies" photos are gathering dust in the drawers while they're getting damaged day after day or if they are long forgotten in a hard drive somewhere, you should definitely bring them back to life using metal photographic prints.

These prints also represent lovely gifts for the people you care about. Just send a few photos to a good photo printing service. Pick images of moments together or images that reflect hobbies or interests of the person you hold dear. Your gift will be greatly appreciated and you'll be regarded to be original, thoughtful and caring.

Digital photography is great. You can preview a shot before you click. You can post your photos online for friends and family to see, but what if you don't want your photos to remain captives in a digital world.

What if you just want to stick them into a photo album or slip a picture into a birthday card and send it to great aunt Emily? You know, like the good old days? It's pretty simple once you learn how to order photo prints online. 

Select your photo sharing website

Whether you have snapshots of your son's big game, or the first closeups of your newborn daughter, you'll want quality prints. You'll also want them processed by a service you trust; so choose your photo sharing site carefully. Make sure you have options:

• A choice of print sizes 
• A selection of photo art options 
• A place to store your photos before and after you order 
• The option to pick up your photos or have them mailed
• A helpful professional to call if you have a problem

You'll probably have to register when using a photo printing service for the first time. In most cases they'll need minimal information. Some sites accept registration with a Facebook connection. You many need to install a plug-in or update an application to process your order properly. 

Connect your camera to your computer

The key to getting your photos printed online is getting them off your camera and onto your computer. There are a lot of different camera models, but the photo transfer process is pretty much the same for all of them. Most digital cameras have a few things in common that make the process possible:

• An SD or other memory card in the bottom of your camera stores photos as you take them
• A USB cord connects your camera to your computer

Some computers have a card slot for a direct memory card/computer connection. You could also use a card reader if you prefer. That's a device with multiple slots to accommodate a variety of memory card sizes. Whatever option you choose, you simply plug it into your computer’s USB port to begin your photo transfer process.

Once you've connected your camera or memory card to your computer, it behaves like an external computer “drive.” A window should pop up to show the memory card as a new device; but if it doesn't, you can access the data (photos) by locating the appropriate icon and clicking it. You will then be able to see your photos as small icons or click them for a larger view.

Organize your photos on your computer

Stay organized by creating a new folder on your computer’s desktop before you transfer the photos to your computer. Label it “Photos for Aunt Emily,” or whatever you choose, so you can easily find them when it’s time to upload/export them to the photo sharing site.

View your photos. When you see one you want to print, drag and drop it from your camera’s memory card to your "Aunt Emily" folder. This will copy the photo, leaving the original on the memory card.

Repeat the process to select all of the photos you’d like to have printed. Then follow your computer’s instructions for safely disconnecting your camera’s memory card.

Upload your photos to the photo sharing site

Sign in to your photo sharing site account and follow the instructions for selecting and uploading or exporting photos from your computer to the website. When prompted to select your photos, open your "Aunt Emily" folder, choose the photos, then finish the uploading/exporting process. 

Once your photos have been uploaded/exported to your photo sharing site, you can choose your print sizes and complete your order. You may also choose from available photo book, prints on canvas or other creative options. Your order is then processed, printed and ready for shipping or pickup.

Uploading from a smartphone

Some photo sharing sites allow you to upload directly from an Ipad, Iphone or other digital device. You'll need to install an app, of course, and follow the device-specific instructions; but it can make the online photo printing process even easier, because you can do it just about anywhere. 

Rediscover the joy of sharing real photos

Once you learn how to order photo prints online, you'll let go of the feeling that your cherished photos are being held captive in the digital world. You can still share them on your favorite social media sites; but you can also mail them across the country to your favorite relatives. 

Contact us if you'd like help placing your first online photo printing order.

Our personal photos, papers, music and videos are important to us. They record the details of our lives and help define us.

But increasingly our possessions and our communications are no longer material: they’re digital.
Digital files are encoded to represent text, images, audio, video and more.

They are fragile and completely dependent on software and machines to make them accessible
We CAN preserve our digital possessions and keep them accessible for years to come, but we have to archive them and actively manage them.

No matter what type of file you want to save – audio, video, text and so on
– they all require thesame essential preservation strategy:

• Identify what you want to save
• Decide what is most important to you
• Organize the content
• Save copies in different places

VERY IMPORTANT: Please order projects saved on our current site by May 31. After May 31, the new ordering system will be live and your saved projects will no longer be available.

Starting soon, try our new, faster, easier-to-use site. It works on your phone, your iPad, and even your Mac!

Complete your projects online by May 31 to receive 30% off your order. Use promo code ORDERNOW at checkout. Go to our old ordering site.

The design of your home and office creates the atmosphere you want. Many people like to customize all their spaces and to add personal touches. Are you one of them? How about framing and hanging canvas prints with your photos? It might sound impossible to have canvas, known as the material for works of art, as a surface for your own photos. Well, it's not. You can reproduce any type of image on canvas.

You don't need to be a professional photographer or to have an advanced digital SLR. A simple digital camera with a good resolution will be enough to transform your memories into canvas art. Stop craving for a canvas painting. You can have your own right in the comfort of your office or living room with one of your favorite photos.

You might think that canvas prints must be very pricey but It might come as a big surprise, they are actually not very expensive at all. When this process was invented, it had a higher price. But technology keeps advancing and everyone can convert their personal photos into canvas art.

Though they are really affordable, canvas prints have a level of quality that is just breathtaking. If you just like to take a few photos from once in a while and you never interacted with the world of professional digital images, you'll be astonished to see how one of those photos looks on canvas. These reproductions are worth displaying in museums.

You can use this technique as you wish as there are little or no boundaries. All photos can be turned into archival canvas prints. So the process can be used for business or personal purposes. You can create a sophisticated and unexpected gift or you can even get one of your best photos and turn it into a product that you can sell later on.

Each printing service provider has certain rules that you need to follow in order to get the best of your photos. Take a few minutes to read them and comply with them. This small effort will definitely pay off.

If you ever dreamed to have gallery-like canvas in your own home without paying fortunes for it, now it's the time. Even better, you can choose what to hang and that can even be a funny photo from your last summer vacation. That will make you smile and lift your mood every time you feel down.

You can even customize your photos with special photo editing software like Photoshop, Corel or even Illustrator. Personalize everything and get the best image possible. If you'll ever wonder what gift to get to someone you care about, just pick a photo he or she likes and transform it into an archival canvas print. You'll be more appreciated than ever.

Article by Dotty Weber

There has always been an issue with the images that we all love to share on Facebook and many other social networking internet sites being used without our permission.  Sometimes even sold by others for their own profits.  While I've never liked putting a big ole ugly copyright stamp on my images I've found a bit of a work around as displayed in this image.  

If you would like to use this method I've given step by step instructions for you to create your own action to do this below:

1. Open an image with a portrait format as mine above is.
   
   
2. From the Window Tool Bar at the top of your Photoshop CS  screen drop down click on Actions.  This will open the Actions box.  (This step will create an Action that you can have Photoshop add your copyright automatically)
   
   
3. Click on the 5th icon at the bottom of the Actions palette which looks like a folder with a box in the bottom left hand side.  It will bring up a box called 'New Action'.  I named this Copyright Portrait and then click on 'Record'.  Now each step that you take will be recorded into this new action.
   
   
4. In your Toolbar on the left hand side of your screen right click on the Icon that is the 2nd Icon above the magnifying glass.  You want to bring up the Custom Shape tool.  The icon looks like a weird star with rounded corners.  
   
   
5. In the Tool Bar at the top of the screen Click on the 3rd icon in the box next to that weird star.  If you scroll your cursor over this icon it is called  a Fill Pixels icon.
   
   
6. Still at the top of the screen click in the drop down arrow to the right of the word Shape to bring up the drop downs.  From the list towards the bottom you will find the copyright symbol.  Click on that to make it active.
   
   
7. You need to have your layers palette open.  Create a new blank layer by clicking on the 2nd to the last icon on the bottom of the layer palette next to the trash can icon.
   
   
8. Click on the Foreground color swatch in the Toolbar on the left hand side of your screen and select a light grey for your Foreground color.
   
   
9. To place the 'C' copyright shape to the image press the 'Shift' button on my keyboard.  While holding this key down click on the C in the actual tool bar at the top of the screen.  It will look like there is nothing on the screen but while still holding the shift button down drag the cursor that you moved the 'C' to the image downward and to the right.  This is how you will size the 'C'.  The release both the shift and cursor.
   
   
10. Now click on the Layer Style icon at the bottom of the layer palette which is the 2nd icon that says fx.  Click on   Bevel and Emboss from the drop down list and then click on OK.
    
    
11. Now use the Type tool from the left hand side Toolbar making sure the color watch still is the light grey color.  Placing the text bar on the bottom of your image type the word Copyright and your business name.  I like to use the font Casmira.  
    
    
12. Repeat the Layer Style as listed in #10 above.
    
    
13. In both the 'C' and the text layer change the layer mode at the top left hand side of the layer palette box from Normal to Hard Light.  This will make the stamps transparent.
    
    
14. Change the 'C' copyright layer to about 30 to 35, keeping the stamp visible but not so much that person viewing the image can't get a good look.  But making it hard for someone else to remove the stamp.
    
    
15. On the text layer I keep the opacity higher as it's on the bottom of the image and I want my business name to be more visible.
    
    
16. The last step is to stop the action that we are creating.  To do this you click on the first icon that is simply shaped like a box at the bottom of the Actions palette.  
    
    
17. Once completed you will want to flatten the layers and I usually run the Image Processor from the File tool named Scripts for my web images.  But that will be another blog on another day.  There is nothing like Photoshop automation.
    
    

Now any time you want to stamp your portrait oriented image you can run this action.  You should run these same steps for a landscape oriented image naming it Copyright Landscape.  

You might have to move the copyright symbol or your text layer to fit the image but you will have the layers ready for you to make your adjustments.

Hope you found this helpful!

Article by Dotty Weber

So what does this strange picture have to do with making your own copyright symbol you might wonder.  Well from my previous blog post showing how to create a 'copyright' action I had promised the next step in automating the creating of a web-sized image or many images at once.  This would be that next step using Adobe Photoshop CS5.

1)   Open one or several images that are all of the same format.  For this example we will open up several portrait images from Adobe Bridge.  To open several completed JPEG images click on each image holding the Ctrl button down.  This will select each image.  Then either click enter or right click on one of the selected images and then select 'Open in Adobe Photoshop'.   All images will appear in Photoshop with the active image in the preview area of your screen and all others in the tabs above the preview.  That is if you have your Photoshop screen set up as I do. 

See screen print below for an example of two images opened. 

2)   Run the 'Copyright Portrait' action that you created in the prior blog post 'How To Do Your Own Copyright Symbol' to apply the copyright to the 'active' image.

3)   Click on each image by selecting the 'un-highlighted' image tab to make the next image active and run the 'Copyright Portrait' action.  Do this for each portrait image you have opened in Photoshop.

4)   When all images have the Copyright Symbols added and arranged to your liking you are ready to re-size the images and make them ready to add to Facebook, Twitter, Google+, your website or share online.  Here are the steps:

5)   Click on 'File' at the top left hand size of your screen.  This will open the drop downs.

6)   Click on 'Scripts' towards the bottom of the list which will bring out a 'flyout' box.

7)   In this 'flyout' box, click on 'Images Processor'.  The box that will appear next is the same as the screen print at the top of this blog post.  The items to pay attention to are:

a) Select the images to process.   I use the 'Use Open Images' button as I want the images I've just copyrighted to be processed.

b) Select location to save processed images.  I use the 'Save in Same Location' button as I like the copyrighted images to be saved in the same location as the original.  A new folder will be created in this folder called 'JPEG'

c) File Type.  This has several options.

• As I save these images as JPEGs I use that file type by checking the 'Save as JPEG' box.

• I set the quality at '6'.  This will make the image size small enough that if someone does try to print from this it will be pixallated if printed in a large print.

• Check the 'Convert to Profile to sRGB' box.  This is the best profile for the internet to keep colors from shifting

• Check the 'Resize to Fit' box.  This box is crucial to resizing the images to portrait, landscape or square format. For Portrait use W: 687 px  H: 1024 px.

• Use all the prior steps for Landscape images with the exception of changing to W: 1024 px  H: 687 px

• The same for a square format image except change to W: 1024 px  H: 1024 px.
  

d)  Preferences.  You can add Copyright Info which would embed into the images by typing that into the box and click on the 'Include ICC Profile' box if you wish.

• Click on 'Run' at the upper right hand area of this box.  Each image that has been selected will process and re-sized images will populate into the new created 'JPEG' folder within the original folder

• CRUCIAL LAST STEP:  All the images that you have just processed will remain in Photoshop.  In 'File'  select 'Close All'.  As you close each file make sure you do not 'save'.  You do not want to have your originals stamped and re-sized.
  

Photographers are always looking for ways to step up their work. For about ten years, they have been able to print their dear images onto canvas. This is not such a new method as canvas has been printed also with dye inks but these dyes didn't guarantee the best results that you could get. Now there is a brand new step in photography. Canvas prints are now a frequently used method to reproduce art in other surfaces.

What does the process of photo canvas imply?

Before you print onto canvas, you can improve the images in many ways using photo editing software such as Photoshop or Corel. You can retouch traditional photos, add various effects such as sepia or black and white and basically modify it to look exactly as you wish. You'll then be able to produce photographs with extremely high sharpness and quality.

Which are the best things about photo canvas?

Photo canvas is not only crystal-clear, but it's highly durable as well. Due to the special properties of giclee canvas and archival inks, the reproductions will last for ages without being affected by any type of damage. They won't decay or be fade away due to wear and tear.

Our canvas art passes the test of time because it uses first class materials. It renders incredible images and the technology behind it is one of the most accurate, detailed and exquisite in the whole wide world. It's affordable, impressive and it has the best results that you could hope for. So there isn't a single reason why you shouldn't pick photo canvas.

It doesn't even compare to film, which gets yellow easily after a while and then the photos are compromised. You probably haven't heard much about this type of process before, but it's certainly something you should discover if you want to get first class quality and resistant images.

Also, if you're ever in doubt when you need to buy a gift, you can simply choose Click-Scan-Share to create unconventional and interesting photo gifts. The person who receives the gift will be definitely delighted to receive such a fine work of art.

There is a quite wide range of canvas print sizes. The mounted ones are the most popular as they are pre-framed ready to hang anywhere. The photo is printed so that it will cover the sides too. That's why it's used on a bigger canvas.ClickScanShare.com's canvas photo print service makes sure that when the photo is wrapped around the frame, it will fit nicely without "cutting" parts of the photo.

Basically there are four steps to get a great canvas print when you're choosing an online print service: Selecting a good canvas that has extra space, reviewing the real sizes, cropping it to a precise size then previewing it, uploading it and adding it to your cart

You have to know that not all photos work great for mounted canvas. It's really important to choose high quality photos with a great resolution. A crystal-clear one will always look great on canvas, while one that's inadequate to begin with can't get fixed on canvas. Use images with the highest resolution setting on your camera. 

When it's wrapped, it has to maintain a good composition. Each print size corresponds to a certain mounted canvas. This is the size you actually want to get. Usually a mounted canvas print needs 1.75 extra inches that will be wrapped on each side. This means you'll need 3.5 inches both on the height and width. Those will be basically lost as they will need to be wrapped around the wooden frame to make it ready for you to hang it anywhere you want. For example, for a 20x30'' dimension, the print size will be 23.5x33.5''. This wrap width depends on the thickness of the frame.

Each lab needs correct pixels per inch in order to print it right, usually 300 or more.  Photos from modern camera phones are fine to use.  

Canvas prints are an exquisite way to transform a regular photo into a work of art that will be admired by everyone. As long as you have a high resolution photo and you respect the guidelines provided by the print service that you choose, you'll get a wonderful photo in a sophisticated and unusual type of print.

Here is a list of canvas print size options?

Portrait Canvas Prints
8x10" Vertical Photo Canvas Print
5x7" Vertical Photo Canvas Print
11x14" Vertical Photo Canvas Print
12x18" Vertical Photo Canvas Print
16x20" Vertical Photo Canvas Print
20x24" Vertical Photo Canvas Print
20x30" Vertical Photo Canvas Print
24x36" Vertical Photo Canvas Print
32x48" Vertical Photo Canvas Print
16x24" Vertical Photo Canvas Print
10x20" Vertical Photo Canvas Print
30x40" Vertical Photo Canvas Print
20x60" Vertical Photo Canvas Print

Landscape Canvas Prints
5x7" Horizontal Photo Canvas Print
16x20" Horizontal Photo Canvas Print
16x20" Horizontal Photo Canvas Print
16x24" Horizontal Photo Canvas Print
20x24" Horizontal Photo Canvas Print
24x36" Horizontal Photo Canvas Print
20x60" Horizontal Photo Canvas Print
32x48" Horizontal Photo Canvas Print
8x10" Horizontal Photo Canvas Print
11x14" Horizontal Photo Canvas Print
10x20" Horizontal Photo Canvas Print 
20x30" Horizontal Photo Canvas Print
30x40" Horizontal Photo Canvas Print

Square Canvas Prints
10x10" Square Photo Canvas Print
16x16" Square Photo Canvas Print
20x20" Square Photo Canvas Print
24x24" Wedding Collage Canvas
24x24" Collage Canvas Wrap
20x20" Tear Drop Canvas Collage
16x16" Tear Drop Canvas Collage
12x12" Tear Drop Canvas Collage
20x20-Designer Canvas Wrap (DC-04)
12x12" Square Photo Canvas Print
24x24" Square Photo Canvas Print
36x36" Square Photo Canvas Print

Nowadays there are many exciting alternatives to regular paper prints. The most frequently used one is canvas prints, though there are other good materials as well such as glass, wood or metal. 

Metal is a very interesting method and is fun to show off to your friends. If you have enough knowledge in the field, you can even print the images on your own. But if you don't, it's really not recommended to do so, as it will take lots of time and you might end up with disappointing results, which doesn't reflect the opportunities provided by metal. Use a metal print service to transfer the images and you'll see the quality of this types of print.

If you're really new to the whole concept of metal prints, you should know a thing or two about the process before getting started. A photo is transferred into a metal surface by infusing special dyes straight into it. There are aluminum sheets with a specific coating that allow the image to be preserved into this medium. Metal prints represent a new and unconventional way to make your memories last forever due to a highly durable surface.

There are several finishes, shapes, as well as hanging and corner options. A good print service will show you a sample kit for you to see which type of finish you like best before spending money on it. The main finishes are satin, sheer gloss, sheer matte and high gloss. The finished metal print have fascinating luminescent properties and accurately render color. 

The colors are emphasized best in the glossy surfaces. High gloss and satin reveal more details and look similar to regular prints. The satin finish lacks gloss so it's free from any highlights or sleek. The high gloss one is the most glamorous one as it is glass-like. The sheer matte and sheer gloss finishes reveal the details and texture of the metal, especially if you focus on the lighter parts of the photo. The sheer gloss surface is reflective and lustrous, while the sheer matte one emphasizes better the metallic shine.

Metal prints are definitely a great alternative to paper ones as they are extremely durable, waterproof and you can clean them without damaging them in any way. It's really recommended to transfer your dearest photos to metal. You'll have the guarantee that they'll be best preserved on a highly resistant material against wear and tear, humidity and any other damaging factors. Sure, you can transfer them on your computer too, but they usually get forgotten there. Nothing compares to a nice photo that you can see throughout the day. See also ideas for metal prints and metal photo art prints.

It's tough to find a great a great gift even if you know the person really well. It always has to be creative and to look as if you really put some thought into it. Due to the progress of technology, you can now choose to transfer a nice photo to canvas. It is a non-conventional and interesting way to render an image. It also shows the person that you care about that you treasure the moments spent together and that you care about his or her interests. Transforming a regular photo into a canvas is easy with Click Scan Share's Easy Canvas Printing.

First and foremost, you have to select the photo you want to turn into a canvas photo. It has to be a high resolution one that your friend or significant other would like to see on an everyday. You might like a certain photo more, but if you know his or her favorite ones, pick one of those. After all, you're creating a canvas photo print for that person, not for yourself















Tips to make a great photo canvas

You can basically transfer any photo to canvas, but a crystal-clear one will work best. It's not only simpler to turn a good image to canvas, but you have the guarantee that the result will preserve the quality and make a first class work of art. If you like to customize it, you can choose effects such as black and white or sepia. A specialist can even edit it using a photo editing software to give you exactly the photo you want.

Images on canvas are a great gift for anyone, especially when you want to give something unique. This might be the only photo on canvas that your friend or love one owns and will be special to display. Click Scan Share can transfer any photo onto canvas so feel free to choose inspirational, dear of funny photos to bring a smile on someone's face. Click here for Photo Canvas Size and Price List.

Old images might still be the most valuable ones that you'll always hold dear. But after a while, the colors start to fade away and the quality will gradually get severely damaged. That's why you have to preserve them using a photo scanning and video transfer service. You could scan them, but unless you're a professional who has specialized equipment or want to take the time to make it your hobby it will take awhile to become good at it. Those unique memories deserve to be brought back to life in the best way possible.

There are a few things that you should take into consideration when you choose a specialized service to transform your dear old memories into digital media: ease of use, turnaround time, cost, image quality / retouching, delivery options, store drop off and pick up, trust and privacy.

Ease of Use
Look for a clear and straightforward ordering process. The site should contain plenty of relevant and easy-to-understand information that would help you decide whether the service is suitable or not for your needs. Avoid complicated sites as they could lead to misunderstandings and an overall negative experience.

Turnaround Time
Typically, each scanning or transfer service has a turnaround time between 5 and 20 days. This period will obviously increase if you have very many photos and videos. It's ok to choose a more expensive service if you want to get them back fast, but make sure that the company doesn't compromise on quality just to have the quickest turnaround time. Also, good companies might have a large workload expect them to deliver your digital media no sooner than 3-6 weeks. If you have to choose between s service with a faster turnaround time and a reputable one that will take more time to get the job done, always look for the premium one where the satisfaction is guaranteed.  You want your scans perfect and choosing a provider that is reputable with good testimonials will help guarantee it.

Cost
Almost all scanning services charge about $0.23-0.30 per photo. A few cents more or less add up if you have a bulk order and you're looking to save some money too. But the cheapest and less popular one might disappoint you, so it's better to look for professionals who can handle your precious memories accordingly. Video transfer varies according to the company you ask so you should tell them all the details to find out the price.

Trust
When you entrust the most precious videos and frail photos that you have to a company, you really have to trust that they will take good care of your photos and they'll do a good job. If you go to a local image scanning and video transfer service, ask your friends and family if they can share any details about their work. Look for a popular one. When you go there several times and they never have any customers around, that might be a red flag. Also, don't trust sites that don't have any reviews anywhere. It might be a scam.

Privacy
If you pick an online service, make sure they have a reliable Privacy Policy to protect your data. Read it well and hire them only if you agree with all the terms and conditions. They should commit themselves not to reveal any personal information to a third party nor use your photos with anyone. The photos and videos you send might be very personal for you so if you don't trust an online service, you can just choose a local one that you know. It's also recommended to choose a company from your own country instead of shipping your media overseas. It won't only take forever to get back, but there are much higher chances for the envelope to get lost along the way.

When you want to buy a canvas print, make sure you read one of the guides that offer valuable advice. The world of canvas art might be unknown to you and you'll need guidelines to get the best results. There is information about anything related to canvas: choosing it according to its purpose, how to buy it or where to buy it.

After you take into consideration those guides and you make the right decisions, you have to remember to take good care of it otherwise it might get damaged. It's not difficult at all to maintain your canvas art print. You just have to follow simple rules to allow your visitors to see it at its best.

The truth is that canvas prints can be completely protected from all kinds of damage only if they are stored in proper conditions in the dark. But, after all, you don't get a work of art to hide it in darkness, right? You want people to see and admire it and you want to enjoy it as well as it probably means a lot to you. Still, if you respect some easy tips to take care of them, it's guaranteed that you'll get the best of them.

The factors that damage canvas prints are the following:

• Humidity
  
• Dust
  
• Light
  
  

Humidity is the factor that affects canvas prints the most. It can lead to the formation of mildew and mold in various places of the canvas print, places that are not limited to edges or hidden corners. You have to keep a very low humidity where you place the canvas prints as it can totally ruin them. The room must have plenty of ventilation to prevent moisture in the air. Opening the windows is the easiest thing you could do. If you have many dear canvas prints and you can't allow air to circulate frequently in that space, you should take into consideration a dehumidifier.

Dust is another key enemy. When you remove it from the canvas print, only use a soft cloth. Avoid soft dusters or chemical sprays. Wipe away the dust as often as you can. If there is a thick layer of dust, the canvas print might get scratched when you finally remove it so the quality will get deteriorated. Not to mention that dust makes it blurry and unkempt, so it definitely affects the viewer's experience.

Light, whether it's direct sunlight or artificial one, will lead to discoloration and brittleness. When you have to illuminate it, use a lightning that is as soft as possible. This will also guarantee a more sophisticated atmosphere. Don't place the canvas print under ceiling lights or any type of artificial light. Direct sunlight should be avoided at all cost too, so don't think of placing a canvas print near a window, where the sunrays will hit the canvas.

If you take care of it properly, your canvas print will preserve its aesthetic qualities for a long time. Just follow the simple guidelines above and enjoy your work of art.

Thank you to everyone who entered . . . . . 

  Before the era of digital media, we used analog cameras and video. That sounds old-fashioned now, but many of us still have precious memories in traditional form. For example, childhood photos are definitely moments that you'll never live again so you should rescue them in order to be able to remember those moments forever. Kept on a shelf they'll only fade away. Scanning can revive them but it's a complicated task if you're not an expert and you'll need specialized equipment. There are scanning services that can handle everything for you.

There are a few things you should consider when you hire a team of photo scanning professionals:

• Retouching quality
• Pricing
• Turnaround time
• Ongoing communication
• After-order support
  

They have to provide:

• Great colors
• No blurry parts or blemishes
• The proper type of sharpening
• The right correction
  
• Scrapbook Scanning

Ask your friends and family if they can recommend a good company. If not, look for a local one or browse for a good website. Go for the highest resolution to get the best of this process. You can get a scanning quote here

First of all, you should gather all the images that you want to preserve for the years to come. They might be lost in various storage spaces or areas of the house. Get them all otherwise they might get lost forever. Check which formats are accepted by the company you chose. Organize them nicely and label them to speed up the process of outsourcing your photo scanning project. Divide and label each group and you'll receive them accordingly.

If you want to place an order online, you'll have to create an account and give some details about the type of photos that you need, the number of items, the resolution and the type of digital format you want to receive. You can get DVD, online storage or you can save them on an external hard drive.

Online services have slightly different approaches. Some ask you simple questions concerning pricing plans, shipping and format for the scans. These are usually meant for people who don't have that much knowledge in the field and just want to preserve their old photos. Other services might seem to be a bit more complicated and geared towards photographers as they ask specific questions regarding the scanning process. You might want to go for a straightforward service if you don't have very specific preferences and for a more specialized one if you're pickier and have solid skills in photography.  However, all good sites have FAQs and useful information about the whole process.

After you send your photos to an online photo scanning service, they'll send you e-mail notifications after each step: registration, receiving of the package, scanning and shipping. Some even allow you to see the exact stage of the scanning process. You might see how many images are ready and if the specialist made any comments about them.

An order will usually take about two weeks. They usually get things done in about a week and then you'll have to wait a few days more for your photos to arrive. There are services that ask for your approval of the images before sending them to you. This matter is usually mentioned in the "How it Works", FAQ section or a similar one.

There are companies that have a very solid web support. They provide the information for all of your photos and orders and create a gallery that gathers all of your images for no additional fee. You can even download them at once. Others just keep low-resolution versions, details about the past orders and don't offer you the opportunity to download the high-resolution ones. If you're particularly interested in online photo storage, you might want to check this feature before you ship off the photos.

The costs are based on a per-image price. This varies according to the service, the package, any possible discounts for bulk orders, extras such as advanced correction or scrapbook scanning. You either pay everything up front or pay for half of the scans. Some sites offer you the opportunity to pay just for the scans you like and want to keep. This works only for the ones who allow you to approve the photos before the finish the job.

Outsourcing your photos to an online service is the fastest way that works mainly for people who are always in a hurry. Just make sure that you pick a reputable company with a proven record of satisfied customers. Look for online reviews before you hire them. If you have a bit of time off and you really treasure your old photos, you should go to a local scanning service. They'll save you from the anxiety of shipping off your dear photos, feeling that might make you quite uneasy especially if you don't have any duplicates. Though it's quite unlikely for your photos to get lost along the way, you might feel uncomfortable to send them off if you treasure them and they mean very much for you and your family.

 If you're a bit familiar with the photography world, you probably know that metal prints are really popular now. Though metal prints are the new kid in town, there are quite many companies that offer this kind of photo printing services. One of them is ClickScanShare.com, is a leader of metal prints on aluminum.




It's good to know that ClickScanShare.com is located in California and all the products are manufactured in the United States. Now let's see what they'll all about.

ClickScanShare.com allows you to simply upload the photos. If you're in doubt, you can simply call them and talk to a representative who will guide you through the whole thing, offering you information regarding sizes, resolutions or answer any questions that you might have. The customer service is really great. They are always helpful and polite, providing you recommendations regarding the order. They also have a FAQ page that is very useful for any customer.

After you purchase some metal prints and you receive them, you'll really be impressed to see how durable they are. They won't get stained or damaged due to water, which is certainly a big step forward compared to traditional paper prints. 

When you want to dust them off, you can use isopropyl alcohol or Meguiar’s Cleaner Wax. You might want to buy a microfiber cloth so you'll have a special cloth that you can use just for your photos.

We are sometimes tricked by the word "HD". It can be misleading and used to define a product that doesn't comply with the rules of HD. But the metal prints created by ClickScanShare.com are really high-definition. They are crystal-clear, with amazing details and a nice luminosity. It's hard to believe that they are made on such a hard surface.

Metal prints are never inexpensive, unless they have a really poor quality. It's really worth it to use this unusual surface for your unique and dear photos. It's more durable than anything else, so don't hesitate to pamper someone you care about and offer him or her a memory that you both cherish.

There is a free sample packet that you might want to check out before purchasing. Just browse through the site and see the amazing options they provide.

If you're interested in metal prints, ClickScanShare.com is definitely a recommended company. What you see is what you'll get and it's a fact that you'll enjoy those top notch photos for many years to come.

Article by Dottie Weber

I have talked with many people just starting out and wondering how to set up their camera to get images they can be proud of and are what they had envisioned in their mind.  I've been taking digital photos for over ten years and am still learning. 

Here is my advice: 

• Read as many magazines, books and articles online in regards to what you are going to be shooting.  Whether you are going to try shooting birds in flight, portraits of people or waterfalls do a search on the web or get your hands on some books or magazines that can give you that information for camera settings or post editing with whatever photo editing program you have. 
  
• Go to photographic online forums and see what others are posting.  I've used websites like www.fredmiranda.com/forum/ and http://photography-on-the.net/forum/.  There are many out there.  When you see an image you really like post a comment.  Ask how they set their camera or what post-processing methods they used.  Most photographers are very happy to talk about their photography and love to help others.  When I say 'most' keep in mind there will always be some people that are not as friendly.  Please don't let these types make you feel you will never learn enough to be an awesome photographer.  Remember they were newbies at one time too and didn't have all the answers either.  It's only easy if you know how to do it.
  
• For each shooting situation there are many different ways to set your camera and no steadfast rules for those settings. Another tip...shoot like a maniac, check what you've just taken and adjust your ISO, shutter speed, aperture or exposure compensation.  Then check your images again.  Remember the lighting might be changing from minute to minute so check your images often. At the shoot that I took this photo of the beautiful Alejandro I took over 700 images. Maybe 20% were OK, 10% were good and maybe 1% were WOW.

With that being said here is what I did to get this shot. 

This was early evening at an indoor arena with East and West open areas. There was not any spot lights and I did not use a flash, just the light from the low sun. I was shooting with a Canon 7D and Canon 28-135mm lens using shutter priority at 160th second. I kept changing from ISO 400 to 800 and either spot metering or partial metering. Also I kept changing the exposure compensation to allow more light in but making sure I kept a shutter speed fast enough to stop the action. 

Now go out there and shoot. It's the best way to learn and it's so danged much fun...especially when you get the results you were hoping for. 

Announcing the Facebook Photo Contest.

Funny, Happy, Cute, Awesome, We want to see your favorites. 

Post your photo by 4/6 for your chance to win a 20x30 canvas. 

Submit your photo on Facebook or help us pick a winner. 

Please see our Facebook page for details.

Every Tuesday 

• 3.5x5 photo prints 10¢ each
  
• 4x6 prints just 2¢ more
  
• All other Fuji lab prints up to 8x12 half off!
  

OR

• order prints online 30% off every Tuesday, up to 8x12. 
  
• Use coupon code: 30TUESDAY at checkout.
  

Transfer your old photos and movies to DVD. $50 savings!
In-store only, Tuesday March 11, 2014.

Article by Dotty Weber

Aperture Priority
ISO 800
f 5.6
1/1250
Manual Settings  This is quickly becoming my favorite shooting mode as long as the lighting is even and not constantly changing.  I try for an aperture of F8 to as wide open as possible depending on how close the subject is.  And the shutter no slower than 750th of a second, the faster the shutter the better.  Unless you are going for motion blur and panning then a 30th or 60th of a second can give some fun results.  I try to keep the ISO as low as possible like 200 or maybe 400.   

The secret to using manual is to keep an eye on the needle on your Canon camera viewfinder.  If it is in the middle your exposure should be 'right on'.  Changing either the aperture, shutter or ISO will move the needle either to the right of middle which will lighten your image or to the left of middle to darken your image.

Aperture Priority (AV)    I still like this mode a bit more than using a manual setting.  Sadly I must admit I very often forget to look at the needle in my viewfinder when in manual.  Then especially with wildlife you'll miss a great shot because you haven't changed your settings when you've gone into a forest after being in a wide open meadow.   
So with that being said I like shooting in AV priority mode with an aperture wide open like at 4 or 5.6 as long as I have plenty of light.  I again try to keep the ISO as low as possible like 200 or 400 to get fast shutter speeds. With those wide open apertures you get that great background blurring and sharp subjects that you have locked your  focus on. 

Shutter Priority (TV)   I will use TV when the light has gotten very dim and I can't trust AV to stop the action enough to keep the blurring under control.  Try to steady the camera if you aren't using a tripod or monopod by leaning against something.  Depending on how fast your subject moves a 500th should work if the subject isn't a real fast mover.  If you are trying to shot a bird or galloping horse a 1,000th is really needed to get a sharp image if you are steady.   What you will find in TV is you might be getting shots but they will be very dark.   To avoid this you can either set your ISO higher or even try the automatic ISO setting.  I never used this automatic ISO setting as I didn't want my camera to be shooting at one of those astronomical ISO settings.  But since I've upgraded my Canon 7D with the new firmware that I blogged about earlier I was able to set the maximum ISO to an acceptable level.  I still like to set my own ISO but that is always subject to change, I never thought I would like to shoot in manual mode either.  So I never say never.

And always, always check your LCD often no matter what mode you shoot in to see if you are getting the results you want.

AND ONE LAST TIP:  I never ever believed all those photographers who said 'Turn off the image stabilization when shooting fast moving action in the burst mode'.  I really thought they were crazy.  I fought this for a long time until I tried it.....the results were many more images in focus than ever before.  

Remember, I'm by no means an expert at this but I keep on working at it.  Some of it might be helpful in finding your photographic road.