MotoPhoto Shaker Heights: Digital Lab Services

Photo Calendars and Prints from Your Phone

2011-11-10T17:42:00.000-05:00

Personalized calendars are a fun & unique
way to display your photographs all year long!
Add custom text such as birthdays & reminders.
Single photo calendars are $9.99.
Multiple photo calendars are only $19.99.

Order prints

directly from your

iPhone, Android

or Facebook.

Now's the perfect time to
print and save the
photos you've collected
throughout the year on your
phone and Facebook.

These new apps from LifePics
are easy-to-use and highly
rated by customers.

Click photo.

The best part is that you can send your order directly to MotoPhoto
in Shaker Heights. Your prints
will be ready in just a few hours.

Click here for iPhone or iPad.
Click here for Android.
Click here for Facebook.

$19.99
Personalized Calendar!

Insert custom dates, such as birthdays and anniversaries, plus all the standard holidays as well. Click here
to get started.

$19.95 Holiday Portrait Package

includes sitting fee

1-8x10, 2-5x7's, 4-3x5's

and 16 mini wallets

Come see our new holiday backgrounds and props!

Call 216-751-6686 x103 for an appointment

or click here to book online.

Valid for single pose. One package per family/group of up

to 7 people per sitting. Offer valid through 12/31/11.

MotoPhoto Shaker Heights 20116 Chagrin Blvd., Shaker Heights, OH 44122 216-751-6686

check out our new website....

MotoPhotoShakerHeights.com

New Print Scanning Service from MotoPhoto/ProEventPhoto

2011-11-02T10:50:00.005-04:00

Print scanning can breathe new life into your photos ... digitally!

Archive your photographs with our photo scanning service

You have accumulated hundreds, and, perhaps, thousands of family photos over the decades. The best way to protect those memories from loss or deterioration is to preserve them today on a DVD with a professional photo scan service. Why take the risk that your photos will get lost or damaged? We guarantee your satisfaction every time you use our photo scanning service so you can be rest assured that your memories are in good hands.

Photo Scanning without the muss and fuss

Our goal is to convert your photographs to digital quickly and carefully. After the photo scanning process, we return your photos to you in the same shape they came to us along with your DVD. Our photo scanning service is a smooth and painless experience, and you can enjoy your photos on digital media for years to come.

Why spend hours fumbling with a scanner and image editing software when we can do the work for you?

It's as easy as three simple steps.

1. Gather up your photos.

2. Drop them off at MotoPhoto in Shaker Heights. Our address is 20116 Chagrin Blvd.,

3. Pick up your DVD with all your scanned prints, as well as all your original photos.

Questions? Just give us a call at 216-751-6686 x101.

Up to 150 scanned

4" x 6" prints for $29.95

Includes archival DVD plus

one 5" x 7" print

Offer valid through 11-15-11.

Up to 250 scanned

4" x 6" prints

$39.95

Includes archival DVD plus

2- 5" x 7" prints

Offer valid through 11-15-11.

Up to 1,600 scanned

4" x 6" prints

plus storage box for

$124.95

Includes archival DVD

plus storage box,

plus 3- 5"x7" prints

Offer valid through 11-15-11.

a service of
Photo Holdings Corporation

20116 Chagrin Blvd.

Shaker Heights, OH 44122

216-751-6686

Early Bird Savings on Holiday Greeting Cards!

2011-11-01T10:26:00.005-04:00

This online collection offers our most unique greeting
cards yet! Choose from hundreds of options &
styles for Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year's &
more. Browse our entire selection today!

Looking for the perfect gift
this holiday season? Look no
further! Check out our new collection of photo gifts.

In-Store Early Bird Special

5 Free Photo Cards
with every 25 cards ordered

Valid now though 11/27/2011. Available on photo greeting cards ordered in store only.

$19.95

Holiday Portrait Package

Includes:

1-8x10, 2-5x7s, 4-3x5s and 16 mini wallets

Click here to book your appointment now.

Or call 216-751-6686 x103.

Valid for single pose. One package per family/group per sitting. Offer valid through 12/31/2011.

Photo Tip #126: Halloween Photo Fun!

2011-10-30T12:38:00.002-04:00

In this episode of Digital Photography 101:

Digital Photography 101 is brought to you by:

https://motophotoshakerheights.lifepics.com

Order Prints | Create a Photo Greeting Card | Create a Photo Book

Photo Tip #126: Halloween Photo Fun!

Greetings Fellow Photographers!

It's almost Halloween! This is such a great holiday for both kids and adults. There are so many photo opportunities around Halloween, from pumpkin patches to parties, haunted houses, and of course, the costumes! Everything is decorated, lit up, and ready to be photographed. So I thought it might be time to provide some Halloween photo tips so you can capture your 2011 Halloween memories and cherish them for years to come.

Costumes
When photographing people this year, make the most of the costumes and make up by playing with some extreme close ups and wide angles to exaggerate the look. Remember the basics on portraiture (refer to my low light and portrait backgrounds tips), but push this by experimenting with your angles. Get down on a knee and shoot up at people. This can be a lot of fun with small children as well. Have them strike a pose and get into costume character, then get down real low and shoot up at them in their new Halloween outfit, making them look larger than life. This is a fun play on perspective and adds creativity and humor to the photo.

Lighting
Halloween is also a great time to play with lighting in your photos. Remember, in low light you will need to either use a flash or turn the ISO on your camera way to up to deal with night time or low light conditions. You can also push the creative envelope here by adding a colored gel filter over your flash to color the scene, such as red or green, giving the photo that classic horror or alien-like, otherworldly look. Use a slightly slower shutter speed to give just enough camera shake to blur the action. For example, have someone in costume rush the camera, or use your zoom to zoom in on the subject while the shutter is open. That feeling of rushing movement in the scene creates tension, which makes for a scarier photograph.

Transition
If you're planning to get into an elaborate costume this year, consider having someone document your transformation in pictures. Or, photograph the fun of getting your kids all decked out and putting on their costumes and make up. One fun thing to try is to photograph reflections in the mirror for some cool effects, and play with extreme wide angle or close up shots. Refer to my tips about indoor events and previous Halloween tips for some more pointers.

Jack-o-Lanterns
Capture your new Jack-o-Lantern creation this year by shooting it right as the sun goes down behind it. Position it up on a fence or wall, or if you can manage to get a clear sky in the background, let the kids hold the lit Jack-o-Lanterns. You can create a fun effect with the Jack-o-Lanterns glowing brightly against the silhouettes of your kids and the rich color of the darkening sky behind them. You may need to slow down the shutter speed, so again, you'll need to either turn up the ISO or have everyone in the photo hold perfectly still so you can set up on a tripod for a longer exposure. Refer to my previous tip about photographing silhouettes.

Digi's Site Tip: Print Facebook Photos

Did you know that Facebook is the most popular photo storing and sharing site on the web? Well, most of you probably have a Facebook account already, and use it to upload and share photos with your family and friends. But, did you know you can print those photos as well? Our Facebook app allows you to order prints of any of your Facebook photos, as well as photos you are tagged in. Visit http://apps.facebook.com/orderphotos/ to get started!

Facebook App

View my previous photo tips!

Order Prints

Create a Photo Greeting Card

Create a Photo Book

Chat With A Pro!
Have you heard about the cool new way to get photo tips instantly? We now offer our "Chat With A Pro" series every other week, this totally free service that allows you to ask questions with photography experts and get immediate, live answers! The "Chat With A Pro" sessions occur every other Thursday at 6pm EST (3pm PST). Simply visit http://facebook.com/lifepicsdigipixels to participate!

Thanks to everyone that has shared their photos with me since the last email! If you would like to submit a photo for me to post in an upcoming email, please use the "Share via Email" feature in your online account: log into your account, click the green "share" tab, and follow the steps to share via email (the photo must be uploaded to your account, which you can do by clicking "Add Photos"). Share the photo(s) with me, digipixels@lifepics.com. Feel free to include info on how you got the shot, and whether or not you used any of my tips! Here are a few recent submissions.

"I spent some time in our backyard looking at the migrating hummingbirds take a drink from our hummingbird feeder. This is one of the photos…a hummingbird sticking its beak into the feeder…speed used was 1/800."
– Stephen

"I took this picture July 9th, 2011 of my grandson's water polo match with my SLR camera and zoom lens using the sports setting. ISO was 400, Shutter speed 1/2000, F stop 7.1. The lighting conditions seemed perfect to me."
– Ray

"Using one of your suggestions, I got down on the ground and took this picture of my 4 year old grandson. I took several, but this is the one that turned out perfect! Great suggestion!"
– Cindy

Are you an App Developer? Or, do you know one?
I am always on the lookout for cool photo apps (mobile or software). Check out the LifePics OPEN Program to learn more about how your app can make you some money!

View my previous photo tips!

Photo Tip #125: Fall Sports Series: Shooting Basketball Games

2011-10-08T04:48:00.000-04:00

In this episode of Digital Photography 101:

Digital Photography 101 is brought to you by:

https://motophotoshakerheights.lifepics.com

Order Prints | Create a Photo Greeting Card | Create a Photo Book

Photo Tip #125: Fall Sports Series: Shooting Basketball Games

Greetings Fellow Photographers!

Did you enjoy my football photo tips email last time? This time, I will give you some pointers on shooting good basketball photos. If you're a basketball fan, you already know there may not be an NBA season this year, but hopefully you can still apply these tips to getting some great shots at your kid's games!

Settings
Ideally, you want to take clear and well lit photos, but that can be hard to do in a large gym with fluorescent lighting. So, you can try a few shots using different modes on your camera, like the sports mode or fluorescent mode, and see how those turn out. Or, give yourself a challenge and shoot in manual mode. You'll have to make minor adjustments based on your camera, location, and the gym. But, start with an increased ISO, like 800 or 1600. Use a shutter speed of at least 1/500 of a second to freeze the action. Anything slower might cause blur.

Positioning
Some of the best basketball shots have little to do with the camera settings and everything to do with your positioning. If your kid or subject does something spectacular, but you are not in the right position to capture it, then the photo won't be very impressive. The ends of the court are usually the best locations, because you can aim your camera at the action as it is coming at you. If possible, stand along the baseline, or in the corner of the court so the players are running toward you at that end of the court. You'll probably want to stay there and not try to run up and down the court with the players, as it's hard to get a good shot when you are running! Drop to a knee to shoot slightly upwards at the players. It makes the photos more dramatic, especially photos of kids.

Post-Production
Basketball photos often have a green tint to them due to the gymnasium lighting. You can combat this by using the fluorescent setting on your camera if it has one, or use a post-production tool to add more magenta tones into the photo to neutralize the green. Check out my recent tip about color temperature for more information on this topic.

Other Tips
Try to isolate your subject, as well as take photos of the entire court for a wide range of action shots. Also, keep shooting during time outs and huddles. You can capture some great emotion with shots of the coach instructing the players during a break in the game. Try using your rapid fire feature if you have that on your camera, which allows you to hold down the button to capture a few shots each second. Lastly, use the season to your advantage. Try different camera settings and positions for the first few games until you find something that works best.

Digi's Site Tip: Photo Books and Magazine Covers

Take your basketball photos to the next level with a photo book or other fun photo product! You can make a photo book of all your best shots from the season as a keepsake for your son or daughter. You can even make several copies for each kid on the team! Or, use the best shot of your child on a basketball-themed custom magazine cover.

Facebook App

View my previous photo tips!

Order Prints

Create a Photo Greeting Card

Create a Photo Book

Chat With A Pro!
Have you heard about the cool new way to get photo tips instantly? We now offer our weekly "Chat With A Pro" series, a totally free service that allows you to ask questions with photography experts and get immediate, live answers! The "Chat With A Pro" sessions occur every Thursday at 6pm EST (3pm PST). Simply visit http://facebook.com/lifepicsdigipixels to participate!

Thanks to everyone that has shared their photos with me since the last email! If you would like to submit a photo for me to post in an upcoming email, please use the "Share via Email" feature in your online account: log into your account, click the green "share" tab, and follow the steps to share via email (the photo must be uploaded to your account, which you can do by clicking "Add Photos"). Share the photo(s) with me, digipixels@lifepics.com. Feel free to include info on how you got the shot, and whether or not you used any of my tips! Here are a few recent submissions.

"I took this picture in a pond close to my house. I love this picture because with the wings open and the lighting, the swan looks angelic to me. "
– Beth

"Here is a small sculpture I made out of paper clips. I took the photo at night using a desk light and some household objects as backgrounds. "
– Simon

"This photo was taken at Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park on our summer vacation. This little cutie is our dog Max. My photo taking has definitely improved by utilizing Digi's tips. I have placed Max on the right side of the picture to utilize the rule of thirds. I love that it looks like he is just staring off enjoying the scenery! "
– Julie

View my previous photo tips!

Photo Tip #124: Shooting Football Games

2011-09-17T11:33:00.002-04:00

In this episode of Digital Photography 101:

Digital Photography 101 is brought to you by:

https://motophotoshakerheights.lifepics.com

Order Prints | Create a Photo Greeting Card | Create a Photo Book

Photo Tip #124: Shooting Football Games

Greetings Fellow Photographers!

Where did summer go? Well, while some of you may be sad summer is coming to a close, you can be happy that fall brings many opportunities for some great photography! Check out my previous tip on shooting fall colors. Today, I am going to introduce a two-part fall sports series and focus on shooting football games. You can apply these tips to an extent to shooting pro football games, but you likely do not have the credentials to get on the field. Most of these tips are most effective at youth, high school, or some college games

Practice
The game may be a week away, but there are still a handful of things you should do before the game to help your football photos come out as best as possible. First, brush up on your camera settings. Read your camera's manual for a description of what each auto setting does, and review my tips and explanation about manual mode. Many cameras have a sports auto setting, which is not always the best one to use, but a good place to start. Typically, this setting comes with a fast shutter speed. If you are using manual mode, try a fast shutter speed (anything above 1/500 of a second), and try to open your aperture wide (f2.8 or f4) to shorten your depth of field and blur the background. Also, for those of you with SLR cameras, play around before the game with your auto focusing features, which keeps your subject in focus in the shot, as well as continuous shooting mode, so you can fire off a few shots per second while holding down the button to take a photo.

Pre-Game
Before the game starts, arrive early to get a feel for the layout of the field, and stake out some good spots for taking photos. In general day games are best, and morning or late afternoon games are even better, since the sun is close to the horizon. So, check the team schedule and pick which games to shoot at based on kickoff time. Use the sunlight to your advantage; ideally, the sun should be directly in your subject's face or backlighting them from behind, as opposed to coming into the shot from the side. For night games, use similar methods laid out in my indoor sports tip. The trick to shooting night games is to raise your ISO as high as you can go without seeing too much grain, open your aperture wide (f2.8 or f4), and use a shutter speed of 1/500 or higher. Anything slower will begin to show blur. If your shots are a bit on the dark side, you can always brighten them up on your computer later. If it is really dark, you may need to use a flash.

Game Time!
Unlike other sports, football is a sport you should move with when you are photographing the game. There are two ideal places to set yourself up. One is a few yards behind the line of scrimmage, which is great for capturing offensive and defensive line players, running backs, and quarterbacks dropping back to pass or handing the ball off. The other spot is about 15 yards downfield from the line of scrimmage to capture pass plays, long run plays, or wider shots of the whole team in action. Football also lets you easily focus on one player, such as your child, throughout the game. To isolate a player, zoom in and shoot vertically rather than horizontally. Try to get the cleanest background possible. Avoid shooting from one sideline across the field to the other sideline, as you will get the opposing team and their fans in the background. The best possible place to shoot from is in the back of the end zone as the team is getting close to scoring, but don’t stand there when the game is all the way on the other side of the field.

Penalty!
One quick reminder: never get in the way of a professional photographer who is hired by the league, team, or is a member of the press. Have fun taking as many photos as you want, but be thoughtfull before you sell or give away any of your photos to other parents, as you may be hurting the photographer's income. Also, don't go anywhere on the field you do not have access to, as it can quickly get you kicked out of the game!

Digi's Site Tip: Magazine Covers
Use your best football photos to create custom magazine covers of your football star! There are many sports themes to choose from, as well as coach and youth magazine cover themes. They make excellent gifts and keepsakes for years to come. You can zoom in or out, crop, or edit your photo for the magazine cover in a variety of ways, plus add your own custom text and other graphical elements. Your football player made the cover, thanks to your great football photos!
Learn more about custom photo magazine covers.

Facebook App

View my previous photo tips!

Order Prints

Create a Photo Greeting Card

Create a Photo Book

Thanks to everyone that has shared their photos with me since the last email! If you would like to submit a photo for me to post in an upcoming email, please use the "Share via Email" feature in your online account: log into your account, click the green "share" tab, and follow the steps to share via email (the photo must be uploaded to your account, which you can do by clicking "Add Photos"). Share the photo(s) with me, digipixels@lifepics.com. Feel free to include info on how you got the shot, and whether or not you used any of my tips! Here are a few recent submissions.

"Reconstructed Native American dwelling (Indian Grinding Rock State Park). Fortunately, the grill barring entry provided a convenient shooting platform for this low-light picture (1/10 sec, f:5.6)."
– Alan

"I am fairly new to DSLR photography and this was my best shot. I took this shot from the Crown Plaza across from the Arch grounds. It was shot with a wide angle lens in camera raw, and I did some photo editing to brighten the arch. "
– Joan

"Took this at the Crown Fountain in Chicago at about 10pm. Aside from converting the image from raw there is no processing. I love my new camera, especially the low light capability! The Digi Pixels e-mails are great. They offer me NEW tips and some that I have heard before but it's great to be reminded. "
– James

View my previous photo tips!

Photo Restoration Special

2011-09-07T14:27:00.004-04:00

Photo Restoration Special

Any Photo for $49.95

(regularly up to $199.99)

Do you have old family photos sitting in dusty albums and old shoeboxes? Are your treasured wedding photos damaged from cracks, sun or water stains? Do you want to surprise someone with a new, restored print as a treasured birthday or anniversary gift?

Our restoration service can

-remove cracks and water marks

-restore and retouch faces

-correct faded color

-add or remove people and objects

-combine elements from different photos

plus, we'll give you a new 8 x 10 photograph and an optional photo CD

From now through Sept. 25th, this photo restoration service is only $49.95 per photo.

___________________________________________________________

New Photo-Organizing Services

Feeling overwhelmed by your family photo collection? We now offer photo-organizing services. Get a free 1-hour evaluation with one of our consultants in your home or office. Just click here to answer a few short questions.

216-751-6686, ext. 105

photo-organizing.com

Photo Restoration Special

$49.95 per photo

(regularly up to $199.95)

20116 Chagrin Blvd, Shaker Heights, OH 44122

MotoPhotoShakerHeights.com

216-751-6686, ext. 103

Offer Expires: 9/25/11

Photo Tip #123: How to Spot a Great Background for a Portrait

2011-08-26T07:05:00.000-04:00

In this episode of Digital Photography 101:

Digital Photography 101 is brought to you by:

https://motophotoshakerheights.lifepics.com

Order Prints | Create a Photo Greeting Card | Create a Photo Book

Photo Tip #123: How to Spot a Great Background for a Portrait

Greetings Fellow Photographers!
Have you ever taken a great photo, then when you went back to look, you noticed a big red stop sign in the background, or something else that detracts from the photo? It happens to all of us. Shooting portraits can be a challenge, and one important element of a great portrait is the background. Today I'll give you a few pointers on how to spot and shoot a great background for your portrait.

Background Should Complement Subjects
Your background should not outshine the subjects of your portrait. If the background draws attention away from the subjects of a portrait, then it is too strong or overpowering. Subjects should always take priority in the shot over the background. Ask yourself, "should this be a shot of the subjects, or a shot of the subjects at this specific location?" If it's just a shot of the subjects, then the background should be more out of focus and almost an afterthought when you look at the photo. If you want to include a specific background as part of the shot, like the Grand Canyon, then keep it in focus. Just understand that the background will likely be the center of attention in the photo, and your subjects might take a backseat to the object in the background.

Tones and Shapes
Portrait backgrounds should appear more as undefined tones and shapes in a portrait rather than specific images. Again, this helps the subjects pop off the photo, rather than blend into the background. Find tones that help achieve this affect. For example, if your subjects are dressed in white or pastel colors, find a darker background to help define them in the photo. They will blend into a lighter background, rather than jump out at you. Similarly, don't use objects that have complex shapes or patterns. A beautiful oak tree may seem like a great background, until you look at the photo and notice all the twisty branches and limbs that take attention away from your subjects.

Setting Up the Shot
Look for natural frames in your backgrounds. For example, two tree trunks or fence posts can create a natural framing effect with your subjects in the middle. Also, be mindful of the tones, not just to help the subjects pop in the photo, but also because of the emotions different tones create. If you are taking a warm and happy family photo, look for warm tones, like orange, yellow, or red. Colder tones, like blue, will contradict the happy emotion you are trying to capture.

Shooting
Depth of field plays a big role in how your background appears in the portrait. Ideally, you want the background to be blurry and out of focus to keep your attention on the subjects. Shorten your depth of field to get this effect. Also, if you need to make a background appear lighter or darker to better complement your subjects, you can do that by opening or closing the aperture for more or less exposure, as well as placing your subjects strategically in the photo. When you just don't have anything good for a background, or your first several shots are not turning out as you hoped, got low and shoot your subjects with the sky as the background. To read more about depth of field, exposure, and manual mode in general, read my manual mode photo tip.

Indoor Backgrounds
Not all portraits are outside. Indoor portraits are tricky, mainly because of limited lighting options. But, when it comes to the background, the key is to put as much space between the background and your subject as possible. For example, if your background is a wall in a room, try to put at least 6 feet between the wall and your subjects. 8 to 10 feet is better. The goal is to make the wall go out of focus and avoid shadows of your subjects showing up on the wall in the background.

Digi's Site Tip: Customized Photo Products
Use your photos to create custom cards, calendars, photo books, or other products. These products make excellent gifts or keepsakes, and are so much more special than the generic versions you buy in the store, because they incorporate your own photos and words. Choose from a variety of styles, themes, sizes, and color options. My advice, especially for people that have not made many custom photo products before, is to keep it simple at first. Once you create one or two products, you'll realize how easy it is, and you can add more design elements to your next project. Click the various cards, calendars, and photo books tabs in your online account to view all available custom photo products.

Check Out These Cool Links and Apps!

Facebook App

View my previous photo tips!

Order Prints

Create a Photo Greeting Card

Create a Photo Book

"Here is a photo that I have taken with my Nikon D60, using a 300mm lens. I try and use as much natural lighting that I can, sometimes I have to play and adjust as the sun maybe too bright. (I live in Florida) If you haven't been able to tell, horses are my favorite subject! I hope that you can use some of them in your newsletters that you send out! Thanks!"
- Brenda

"I'm a die hard Brooklynite, and Coney Island just happened to be one of my fondest childhood memories. I went back with my daughter and I had to capture the feelings of awe and wonderment we shared that day. Minimal editing, mostly cropping and color boost. Thank you so much for the opportunity to share!!!"
- Jannah

"I thought I would share a couple of shots I took a few weeks ago in the Pisgah National Forest here in NC for your newsletter. Your tips are always helpful and I look forward to them in my mailbox."
- Chris

"My backyard in an ice storm in Austin."
- John

Scan Slides to DVD and Tot Shots Contest Voting

2011-08-04T16:05:00.011-04:00

Scan Your Slides to DVD

Only 35¢ per slide

Do you have boxes and carousel trays full of slides collecting dust in your closets? Now is a great time to convert those slides to digital at MotoPhoto in Shaker Heights.

The regular price for our slide to DVD transfer service starts at 50¢ each, with discounts for larger quantities. Now, for a very limited time, any quantity of slides you convert to DVD is just 35¢ per slide. Duplicate copies of the DVDs to give to family members are only $5.95 each.

So, dust off all of those slide boxes and bring them to MotoPhoto in Shaker Heights today.

This special offer expires on Wednesday, August 24th. A deposit is required when you drop off the slides. The amount of the deposit will be determined by the number of slides.

Photo Tip #122: Top 5 Things Pro Photographers Do and Why

2011-08-04T06:46:00.000-04:00

In this episode of Digital Photography 101:

Digital Photography 101 is brought to you by:

https://motophotoshakerheights.lifepics.com

Order Prints | Create a Photo Greeting Card | Create a Photo Book

Photo Tip #122: Top 5 Things Pro Photographers Do and Why

Greetings Fellow Photographers!
We can't all be professional photographers, but that doesn't mean we can't also learn some of their tricks! In this email, I'll explore what I feel are the top 5 things that pro photographers do to make their photos look so fantastic, and why these strategies work. Try them out on your own!

Perspective
Get up high or get down on your belly. Most people do not think to change their angle or perspective on a subject, so too often we're looking down at small subjects and looking up at large ones. Get down on your belly and try to shoot up at a small flower to make it look larger than life. Climb a tree, go to the roof of a building, get or somewhere up high for a new perspective on an old scene, but stay safe and don’t go where you're not supposed to be! Get out of the habit of just walking up to something, pointing the camera, and shooting. This is the first thing that sets professional imagery apart from the rest.

Juxtaposition
The next time you see a grand mountain or large monument or building you want to shoot, try to think of how you can further the idea of that grand subject with juxtaposition. For example, something into the foreground can help create the feeling or idea you're trying to get across. In a grand landscape scene, try to look for something small in the foreground to place in contrast to the large mountain in the background. Look for something that tells the story of the place, such as a river leading into the scene or boulders that are slowly falling off the face of the mountain and are destined to become pebbles at the bottom of the stream.

Story Telling
We are always looking for the "perfect photo," but one thing many pros do is tell a story through multiple photos. You get to act like a photojournalist, which is a lot of fun. This mentality gets you to look a little closer at what makes a particular place different and unique. The people, animals, and scenery can all tell a story, and the combination and interaction between these elements define the culture of a place. Look for details like these to photograph; the details that make up the whole allow you to find opportunities for great imagery you may have otherwise overlooked. Typically, each individual image ends up deeper and can stand alone as a great photo, but you also end up with a series of photos that tell a rich, visual story.

Depth of Field
Understanding Depth of Field can be an important tool to put that finishing touch on any photo setup. As a photographer, decide whether the subject you are photographing needs to be isolated or not. For instance, let's say you are photographing a beautiful tree. You can choose a longer zoom lens to really isolate that tree so that the background goes out of focus and flat, or you can choose to make a point that this tree is just one in a sea of trees by keeping the background and surrounding scenery in focus. This is all controlled by the lens you use and the f-stop you choose. A longer lens will help isolate the subject, while a wider lens will keep everything equal. For a blurry background, open the lens wider and set the f-stop to f/2.8 or something close to that, and for a focused background, use a wider lens and an f-stop around f/16. To read more about Depth of Field and Manual mode in general, read my manual mode photo tip.

Contrast
One element that makes a photo great is when the main subject jumps off of the print. When you really take the time to scrutinize why certain photos are more powerful, you will discover in most cases that the contrast between the subject and the background makes all the difference in the world. Having awareness of your background plays an important role in this. For example, a black dog photographed against a black background will lose impact. However, that same dog captured against a splash of white light will lift the dog out of the background and push it forward. Be aware of your surroundings and adjust your angles to make the most of your subject.

Order Prints

Create a Photo Greeting Card

Create a Photo Book

Digi's Site Tip: Organize Photos
Digital cameras allow us to take thousands of photos a day if we want. But, when it comes to organizing, the more you have, the harder it is. Use your online account to help you name photos and organize them by date, event, or any other scheme. Rename your albums to help you understand what, where, or when the photos are from. Right-click (or hold "Control" and click for Mac users) on an album name on the "My Web Photos" page in your account, and choose the "Rename album" option.

Facebook App

View my previous photo tips!

"I took many beautiful pictures at the Denver Zoo! This was my first experience with a large telephoto lens."
- Jaci

"I recently saw your invitation to email photos to you and thought I would forward this shot I took when I was in New Orleans this past December. The weather was unseasonably warm the first day we arrived, and although most balconies were decorated for Christmas, I thought this balcony was more in keeping with the day. Thank you for letting me share."
- Diana

"Here is a photo I took at the Indianapolis 500 in May. It is of an old time racer, probably circa late 30's to early 40's. I've included it in a series of 'race' art titled 'Champions.' I like to include a close in art type perspective on anything I shoot. I think this photo depicts a time gone by when auto racing was more dangerous and also a beginning art form."
- Michael

View my previous photo tips!

Photo Tip #121: Why Print Photos?

2011-07-13T21:26:00.002-04:00

In this episode of Digital Photography 101:

Digital Photography 101 is brought to you by:

https://motophotoshakerheights.lifepics.com

Order Prints | Create a Photo Greeting Card | Create a Photo Book

Photo Tip #121: Why Print Photos?

Greetings Fellow Photographers!
With all the digital photo services out there that allow you to store and share your photos online, many people have asked me, "why should I even print my photos anymore?" Well, it's a great question, so I wanted to address that today.

Cost
In today's economy, cost is a significant factor in deciding whether to buy almost anything. However, one reason to print your photos is the cost. Most regular 4x6 prints only cost 15 or 20 cents, but the significance of the photo lasts forever. Photo prints make excellent but inexpensive gifts for just about anyone in your life, and are a great way to preserve your favorite memories while spending just a little pocket change.

Archival
Photo prints are also great for archiving your life. Taking photos is really just the first step. Once you have those images captured, print your favorite photos so you can easily locate them to look at and enjoy for years to come.

Sharing
Digital photo sharing is a great way to share your memories with people quickly and easily all over the world. But, I still think the best way to share your photos is to print them and give them to people, or look together and tell stories about the photos you took. Printed photos tell a story from your life, whether it was a family vacation, wedding or event, or just a random day. They allow you to pass those memories on to your friends and family. Even as we all grow older, those memories last forever.

Back Up
Printed photos are also a great way to back up your photos. We've all heard the horror stories of people losing thousands of precious photos due to computer failure or malfunction. Don't let this happen to you! Print your photos and store them safely. That way, you have physical and digital copies, so your memories are always safe.

Decorations and Display
What better way to decorate your home or office with your favorite photos! You can print your photos in a variety of different sizes, from small 4x6 prints to large posters and enlargements. Or, take it to the next level and order a canvas print of your photo for an even more impressive display. They personalize any room, whether it is photos of people in your life, or cool artistic photos you've taken and printed.

Sometimes, We Just Miss 'Em
Let's face it…photo prints take us all back to our childhood. They are a return to the sentimental and simpler days of sharing moments and memories, before you had hundreds of photo and social media sites to choose from. Sometimes, a good reason to print photos is simply because you miss having the prints around. Printed photos invoke much more emotion than staring at an image on a computer screen. You can hold the printed photo in your hand, which makes the memory that much more tangible and real.

Digi's Site Tip
Speaking of printing photos…do you know how easy it is to order different quantities of different photos from your account? To do so, log into your account, click "My Web Photos" on the right, select the images you want to print, and click the "Order" button. Then, in the pop up box that appears, click "Order with more options," which takes you to your shopping cart. In your cart, select an image or group of images, choose the size and quantity for the selected photo(s), and click "Add to Cart." Do this for each image in your cart until you have the exact sizes and quantities for each photo, then press "Checkout Now" to complete the order. Enjoy your new prints!

Lastly, I have a request! I am looking for some feedback about your photo needs and mobile apps in general. Can you do me a favor and take this brief survey? It should take less than 2 minutes. Thanks!! http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/VJXMHRK

Facebook App

View my previous photo tips!

Order Prints

Create a Photo Greeting Card

Create a Photo Book

Photo Contest Update!

Thanks so much to all of the participants in this year's first photo contest! Every time I do a contest, I am amazed by the quality of photo submissions I get. Some of you should be writing these photo tips and teaching me your techniques!

The winning shot is posted below, along with a handful of honorable mentions that were too good not to include. Congratulations to everyone, and keep an eye out for another photo contest coming this summer!

The Winner! Photo tip: Golden Hours
This is a beautiful example of using natural light, golden/magic hour lighting especially (sunrise/sunset), although this effect can work beyond the magic hour in late morning or early afternoon. Most people avoid pointing their cameras into the sun, but as you can see, if done correctly, the effect is a nice, sharp, backlit image just awash with warm, golden light. A little overexposure is what's needed in most cases to pull this off, done well in this example along with a rather shallow depth of field, bringing your eye right into the subject, the spider web. Congratulations Kate B!

Honorable Mention - Photo tip: Photographing Silhouettes
This is a very well executed silhouette. I like the way the subjects are centered and carrying the photo. Good exposure, nice rich blacks and I like the slight vignette that creates a bit of a glow around the subjects. Also, converting to b/w was a great idea. Good job Renee L!

Honorable Mention - Photo Tip: Variety of Perspective
I love the belly perspective in this one, making the viewer feel very small. Also, very nice use of natural light and exposure, backlighting the subject (similar to the spider web photo). Thanks for sharing Tamara H!

Top Vote Getter
This is a great moment captured, and I like the shadows created by the hammock. Excellent job Becca M!

The final two photos also recieved a lot of votes in the contest. Great Job Carol H and Sabrina A!

View my previous photo tips!

Photo Tip #120: The Color of Light

2011-07-06T07:47:00.000-04:00

In this episode of Digital Photography 101:

Digital Photography 101 is brought to you by:

https://motophotoshakerheights.lifepics.com

Order Prints | Create a Photo Greeting Card | Create a Photo Book

Photo Tip #120: Light Series #2: The Color of Light

Greetings Fellow Photographers!
Last time I wrote about different ways to use natural light in your photos. Today I will focus on the color of light and how it affects your photography. The human eye is an amazing thing in so many ways, and cameras work so hard to try to replicate it. However, no matter how much money you invest into your fancy new camera, the truth is that it will never equal the versatility of the eye. No matter what color of light nature throws us, the human eye converts it into a seemingly white balance. Of course, extreme color shifts are noticed, but more subtle shifts in color go pretty much unnoticed. For instance, we can be in our living room at night with only light bulbs to light the room and our eye sees that light as white. In reality, the color is very red (warm). We can walk on a beach before dawn and our eyes will once again balance to white, but if you took out your camera and took a picture, the scene would be very blue (cool).

Color Temperature
This all has a very technical explanation, but for the sake of simplicity, just know that the basic color temperature (Kelvin scale) runs from red to white to blue. So what light sources tend to the warm (red) side? Candlelight, tungsten light bulbs, sunrise, and sunset. White? High noon and electronic flash. What about cool (blue) tones? Overcast days, open shade, early morning or evening, and indirect window light. That is the color scale for most light; however, there are artificial light sources that will turn all sorts of funky colors. Vapor lights will glow greenish yellow. Some pulse green and magenta. From a photographer's perspective, all these variables are tricky.

Your camera does have a white balance, similar to the human eye, and sometimes it does a pretty good job. However, if you get into a mixed light situation, you get some pretty bizarre color shifts. For instance, if you were in that room at night with only light bulbs to light the room and then you used your flash, you would see some rich colors. The flash is white, but the light in the background will be very red.

Color and Emotion
So how do you make all this work to your advantage? Color has all kinds of emotional tie ins. Blue tends to trigger a cold or moody feeling, while red and yellow are hot and full of hope. Your job as a photographer is to know how your camera will read those lights and make a decision how you want it to record. You can turn on your White Balance and try to bring it back to white. You can intentionally let that old tired building go blue to give a sense of cold and decay. You can let your portrait session go reddish to play up the heat. Don't ever let your camera make the call for you. Be in control and create your own work of art.

Camera Settings
Most cameras have different settings that correspond to color correction or white balance. They are normally illustrated with abbreviations or symbols.

Auto: Attempts to white balance any shot
Daylight: Adds a little blue
Shade: Adds red or yellow to warm up a photo taken in open shade
Cloudy: Similar to Shade but a different level of red is added
Custom: If you really want to control the tone you can set it anywhere from cool to warm
Flash: If you are using an external flash
White Fluorescent: Adds magenta to counter a green tint
Tungsten Bulb: Adds blue to counter a reddish light bulb

You can shift to one of these settings to instantly see the difference in tone. Use them to your advantage. Sometimes AWB isn't always what you intended to do. Ever photograph a gorgeous sunset and have your camera try to neutralize the tones? If you were set to AWB, your camera sees all that red and try to compensate to bring it back to white. .

Look Around
As an experiment today, try to really watch the color of light as your day progresses. Pro photographers get very good at reading the subtle nuances. You can too. Notice the warm glow of morning and the white hot quality of high noon. See how blue it looks in the deep shade and watch it creep back to deep blue at twilight. You will be surprised at how good you can get at it. Besides, it's a nice way to look at the world around you. Take the time to notice, and you will be that much better as a photographer.

Digi's Site Tip
Ever had red eye ruin a great photo? Well, don't let that happen again. Use our red eye removal tool to restore people's eyes back to their natural color. In your account, click "My Web Photos," select the image to edit, click the "Edit" button, and choose "Edit/Crop Photo" from the list. This will open the editing tools. Choose the "Red Eye" option from the left and adjust the red eye as needed.

View my previous photo tips!

Order Prints

Create a Photo Greeting Card

Create a Photo Book

Don't forget to vote for your favorite photo in the current photo contest! If you submitted a photo, be sure to tell all your friends and family to go vote for you. You can vote on my Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/lifepicsDigiPixels. Once there, click the "Contest" button on the left to view all entries and vote. There are some amazing photos so take a few minutes to check them out! Voting ends on July 4th.

Facebook App

Thanks to everyone that has shared their photos with me since the last email! If you would like to submit a photo for me to post in an upcoming email, please use the "Share via Email" feature in your online account: log into your account, click the green "share" tab, and follow the steps to share via email (the photo must be uploaded to your account, which you can do by clicking "Add Photos"). Share the photo(s) with me, digipixels@lifepics.com. Feel free to include info on how you got the shot, and whether or not you used any of my tips!

Here are a few recent submissions. There are some really lovely nature shots this time around. Great job! Keep 'em coming.

"Hi! I recently joined and love the photo sharing idea. Here are a few pics I took that I entered into the county fair last summer. The sea of tulips was taken at the Sunken Garden at Phillip's Park in Aurora, IL. I liked the depth of field in this shot, almost creating an illusion of an endless sea of flowers. Thanks for letting me share!"
– Jeff

– Jacki

"We were skiing the Matterhorn and had blue bird days! That's not often the case in Zermatt. The view of the Matterhorn was from our hotel balcony, about 5 miles away. The view from the village of Zermatt over the river caught my interest due to the pedestrians strolling along the walkway juxtaposed with the magnificence of the ever present Matterhorn."
– Mike

"Spring Time in Chicago"
– Maggie

View my previous photo tips!

Digital print and enlargement prices as low as 10¢ for 4x6s

2011-06-29T09:39:00.003-04:00

We Still Print Photos!

(Isn't it time to update some of your frames?)

Everyday Low Prices on Digital Prints

Our everyday low price for a 4"x6" digital print is only 19¢ each. Order 100 or more 4"x6" prints at one time and the price drops to 15¢ each.

Save More with Our Prepaid Digital Prints Card

You can save even more on 4"x6" prints with a Prepaid Digital Prints card. With a Prepaid Digital Prints card, 4"x6" prints are priced as low as 10¢ each. Click here to learn more about our Prepaid Digital Prints cards.

Enlargements

We also have great everyday low prices on enlargements.

5"x7" prints - 99¢ each

8"x10" prints - $3.99 each

11"x14" prints - $9.99 each

16"x20" prints - $19.99 each

20"x24" prints - $29.99 each

20"x30" prints - $39.99 each

24"x30" prints - $44.99 each

24"x36" prints - $49.99 each

Easy Online Ordering

Have you tried our online ordering system? It's so easy to order prints any time of day using these four simple steps.

1. Just click here to sign onto MOTOePics our online ordering partner. (The first time you enter, you will need to create a login.)

2. Upload your photos from your computer or mobile phone.

3. Choose your photo sizes and quantities.

4. Choose to pick-up at the store or ship directly to your home.

Of course, we will gladly accept print or enlargement orders that are dropped at our store.

Store associates available to help

Our store associates are available to help on the phone, at our in-store photo kiosks or at our in-store processing lab. Just call 216-751-6686, ext. 101.

No reason to go anywhere else

If you were going to send your pictures to an online photofinisher, such as Shutterfly that is in some far away place like California, put your hand on your mouse and click here. If you were going to drive to another photofinisher orlocal drug store, key 20116 Chagrin Boulevard in your GPS and come straight to MotoPhoto in Shaker Heights.

216-751-6686

motophotoshakerheights.com

Photo Tip #119: Using Existing Natural Light

2011-06-08T06:06:00.002-04:00

In this episode of Digital Photography 101:

Digital Photography 101 is brought to you by:

https://motophotoshakerheights.lifepics.com

Order Prints | Create a Photo Greeting Card | Create a Photo Book

Photo Tip #118: Light Series #1: Using Existing Natural Light

Greetings Fellow Photographers!
Welcome to summer! Today I am going to kick off a two part series about using light in your photography. I'll start with using existing natural light. Natural light is a different type of lighting than artificial light; both have advantages and disadvantages. Shooting with natural light is all about using what light you have, and redirecting it to best suit your needs.

Outdoor Light
Shooting outdoors provides a variety of different natural light, and the natural light outdoors can be used either as your primary or secondary light source. The best time to shoot outside is when the sun is close to the horizon, either early in the morning or late in the afternoon. When it is overhead, it shines directly down on your subjects, creating more shadows. But, you can still get a great shot in the full sun by redirecting, moving, or reflecting the light. Place the sun behind your subjects so they don't squint. Also, use a reflector to bounce the light onto them. You can buy a reflector at your local photo store, or just use a white foam core board. The reflector acts like a mirror by redirecting the light from behind your subjects onto them. White fences or white houses can act as light reflectors as well. You can also shoot in the shade to reduce the full sun; place your camera, subjects, or both in the shade.

Indoors
During the day, you can use existing natural light indoors instead of or in addition to your flash. The best way to do this is to shoot near an open window, but not necessarily directly in front of it, unless you want a silhouette shot. Place your subjects near a window with sunlight coming in, preferably not the direct sun or sun rays. North facing windows are often best, but any window will work. The light coming in through a window is typically softer than the full sun light outside.

This light is especially great for softer photos of kids or babies, or for portraits. If possible, use transparent fabric on the window to soften the light. Colored fabric can also provide a color tone to your photo. Then, place a reflector on the opposite side of your subject, so the light from the window is hitting your subject from one side and bouncing back off the reflector to light the subject from the other side.

Digi's Site Tip
Sometimes, the best lit photos still need some post production work to really make them perfect. Use a free photo editing tool to adjust your photo's brightness, color, and saturation to experiment with different looks for the photo. Save multiple copies to see what you like best.

View my previous photo tips!

Order Prints

Create a Photo Greeting Card

Create a Photo Book

To celebrate the launch of summer, I am pleased to announce our next photo contest! Each month I give you a few new photo tips, so now it's time for you to show me what you have learned! To enter the contest, go to http://www.facebook.com/lifepicsDigiPixels, click the "contest" button on the left side of the page, and submit one photo you took that used one of my tips, either as inspiration or for technique in getting the shot.

As part of the submission process, please include a link back to the tip that helped you with the photo. To refresh your memory and view photo tip links, review my photo tips archive.

The public voting period starts June 22, 2011 and ends July 04, 2011, but you can submit your photo now. Then, share my Facebook page with all of your friends, and ask them to "like" my page to be able to vote for your photo during the public voting period. Each fan is allowed one vote.

After the public voting period has ended, I will pick one grand prize winner from the photos with the most votes, plus several runners up. Winners will be announced on July 7th on the contest page and a few days later in an email. The grand prize for this contest is a lovely 16x24 gallery wrapped canvas of the winning photo. The first place winner and 5 runners up will all be noted on my Facebook page, Twitter account, and of course, in an upcoming Digital Photography 101 email.

View my previous photo tips!

Scrapbook Night - This Wednesday

2011-05-24T09:36:00.003-04:00

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Scrapbook Night -- Grads & Dads
This Wednesday, May 25th
7 pm - 10 pm

Where:

MotoPhoto Shaker Heights
20116 Chagrin Boulevard
Shaker Heights, OH 44122

Driving Directions

When:
Wednesday May 25, 2011 from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM EDT

Add to my calendar

Celebrate your favorite Grads & Dads at our May 25th scrapbook night at MotoPhoto in Shaker Heights.

Work in our studio with Rachael Barbour, Creative Memories consultant, to create a card for your the special dads and graduates in your life. We'll feature two traditional scrapbook projects, with cutting and shape-making tools available for everyone.

You can also work with us to create a personalized photo gift from our MOTOePics collection. Of course, other scrapbook projects are also welcome. Bring a friend and get creative!

Just RSVP using the link below, and remember to bring your photos, memory cards or your laptop computer.

Register Now!

I can't make it

We hope you can make it.

MotoPhoto Shaker Heights

216-751-6686 ext. 101

www.motophotoshakerheights.com

Rachael Barbour

Senior Consultant, Creative Memories

216-287-2861

www.mycmsite.com/rachaelbarbour

Find us on Facebook, Twitter and our blog.

Photo Tip #118: Q&A Answer #3: Shooting Graduation Photos

2011-05-19T07:31:00.000-04:00

In this episode of Digital Photography 101:

Digital Photography 101 is brought to you by:

https://motophotoshakerheights.lifepics.com

Order Prints | Create a Photo Greeting Card | Create a Photo Book

Photo Tip #118: Q&A Answer #3: Shooting Graduation Photos

Greetings Fellow Photographers!
It's graduation season! I recently asked you all to submit your digital photography questions, and lately, I have gotten a lot of questions about shooting graduation photos. So, without further adieu, I present to you some great tips for taking fantastic graduation photos of your graduate!

The Ceremony
The graduation ceremony provides a number of excellent photo opportunities. For example, when the students begin to file into the graduation venue, they are generally excited and emotional. Take some candid shots of your graduate as he or she enters the ceremony and heads towards the student section. You'll likely get lots of laughter, waving, high-fiving, funny faces, and other emotions. Then, before the ceremony begins, visualize what will happen, such as where the students walk, where they receive their diplomas, and where they exit the stage. Find the best angle or angles to capture the moment as your graduate approaches the stage, receives his or her diploma, and walks off. There are usually some tremendous emotions to capture as he or she walks off the stage with diploma in hand. Also, there will likely be a graduation photographer shooting the ceremony, so pay attention to what he or she is doing to find the best angles.

After the Ceremony
Once the speeches are over and the diplomas are handed out, it's time to party. But, before the festivities kick into high gear, take some posed shots of your graduate with friends, family, and fellow graduates. Find an iconic image to include in the photos, like a campus building, statue or mascot. This makes the shots even more personal and detailed specifically for the event. Once you get the shots you want with all the right people in them, release your graduate to go celebrate with friends and family. Keep shooting candid shots as the celebrations continue throughout the day.

Camera Adjustments
You might need to make a few camera adjustments to get the best shot. For example, if the students are wearing black caps and gowns, your camera will want to compensate for all the black by popping the flash and turning the black into grey. If you can, reduce the power of your flash so it is not so bright, or turn it off completely and use natural light if you can. A white cap and gown has the opposite effect; increase the level or strength of your flash if you can. When shooting outside, try to keep the sun out of your subjects' faces to avoid squinting. Finally, many campuses are bursting with spring flowers and color this time of year, so integrate those gorgeous colors into your photos if you can.

Don't forget about graduation cards, invitations, or announcements! Congratulate your graduate with a custom photo card or use a custom graduation announcement or invitation to invite people to a celebration! You can also order an enlargement and frame it as a gift to your graduate. Enjoy...this is a huge milestone both for you and for your graduate!

Digi's Site Tip
What is a megapixel and why it is important for digital photography? I get asked this question often. A pixel is essentially a small dot. Millions of these pixels come together to create a digital image on a photo. Along the same lines, a megapixel is basically a way to measure one million pixels. So if you have a 12 megapixel camera, it can take photos with up to 12 million pixels. It is important in digital photography because in theory, the more pixels you have, the more detail you have and the sharper your image appears. Not enough megapixels results in your image looking distorted or grainy. Also, more pixels in your photo allow you to print and enlarge it, as well as crop and zoom in closer and still have a sharp image. However, it is important to note that most cameras out there today have sufficient megapixels to order standard size photos and enlargements.

View my previous photo tips!

Order Prints

Create a Photo Greeting Card

Here are a few recent submissions. With summer just around the corner, I had to choose a few of your great beach shots! I really like the one of the little girl taken by her brother. Some of the best shots are taken by kids! The rest are absolutely gorgeous as well. Excellent composition and post-production work. Great job! Keep 'em coming.

"This picture was taken by my 13 yr old brother in 1989 with a regular camera."
- Mary

"Sunset at Waikiki Beach, Oahu, Hawaii."
- Jessica

"It took lots of coffee to get these, but it was well worth it."
- Crystal

View my previous photo tips!

Scrapbook Night - Grads and Dads

2011-05-18T15:07:00.002-04:00

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Scrapbook Night -- Grads & Dads
Wednesday, May 25th
7 pm - 10 pm

Where:

MotoPhoto Shaker Heights
20116 Chagrin Boulevard
Shaker Heights, OH 44122

Driving Directions

When:
Wednesday May 25, 2011 from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM EDT

Add to my calendar

Register Now!

I can't make it

We look forward to seeing you.

MotoPhoto Shaker Heights

216-751-6686 ext. 101

www.motophotoshakerheights.com

Rachael Barbour

Senior Consultant, Creative Memories

216-287-2861

www.mycmsite.com/rachaelbarbour

Find us on Facebook, Twitter and our blog.

Scan Negatives to DVD Special -- Limited Time

2011-05-17T09:37:00.005-04:00

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Scan Your Negatives to DVD

Only 25¢ each

Do you have boxes and envelopes full of old film negatives collecting dust in your closets? Now is the best time to convert those negativess to digital at MotoPhoto in Shaker Heights.

Our negative to DVD price is normally 50¢ each with discounts down to 35¢ each for larger quantities. For a very limited time, any quantity of negatives to DVD are just 25¢ each. Duplicate copies of the DVD that you can give to family members are only $5.95 each.

So, dust off all of those negative boxes and bring them to MotoPhoto in Shaker Heights today.

This special offer expires on Saturday, June 4th. A deposit is required when you drop off the negatives. The amount of the deposit will be determined by the quantity.

216-751-6686

motophotoshakerheights.com

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Photo Tip #117: Shooting Sports Series: Baseball

2011-04-30T07:39:00.000-04:00

In this episode of Digital Photography 101:

Digital Photography 101 is brought to you by:

https://motophotoshakerheights.lifepics.com

Order Prints | Create a Photo Greeting Card | Create a Photo Book

Photo Tip #117: Shooting Sports Series: Baseball

Greetings Fellow Photographers!
"Take me out to the ball game, take me out with the crowd!" Baseball season is upon us, and to celebrate, I wanted to continue my Shooting Sports series with some tips about getting some great photos at a baseball game! Most of these tips apply to little league games, but bring your camera to the next professional game you attend and capture those memories as well!

Benefits of Baseball
Baseball is a methodical game, and at times is a bit slow. Use this unique characteristic of baseball to your advantage when shooting. For example, unlike other sports, you know where the players will run when the ball is hit, and you know in advance what position your kid or subject is playing. You know where the player will stand when he or she is up to bat, and when they will be batting and fielding. With this knowledge, you can better predict the action and set yourself up for some great shots.

Composition
Most baseball fields have a fence along the baselines, so try to position yourself with the fence behind you if possible. If you can't do that, get up as close to the fence as you can and shoot through it. Otherwise, your camera might focus on the fence instead of the players, and the fence will show up in all your shots. Find the best angle to photograph the players based on what position they play or whether they bat right or left handed. If your kid is pitching, position yourself behind home plate, and shoot several photos throughout the windup and delivery. If your kid bats right handed, position yourself along the first baseline so you can capture him or her swinging and running towards you. Do the opposite for left handed batters. Take horizontal (landscape) shots during the batting series, and use vertical (portrait) shots for most other action shots to help isolate your subject. If your kid is fielding, find a good angle and focus the camera, then wait for the action to come to them as opposed to following the ball with your camera. Cubs fans, you know all about waiting.

Baseball Shot Ideas
Sometimes, the best baseball shots have little or nothing to do with the game. For example, the lonely right fielder waiting for a ball to be hit his way or not paying any attention to the game at all is a classic kid's baseball photo. Also, take some shots of the kids in the dugout, laughing and bonding over the game. You can get some great emotional shots of the kids whether they win or lose. And, capture some moments of your son or daughter talking strategy with the coach. These baseball shots make excellent Wall Clings or Poster prints to hang in your kid's room or your office!

Digi's Site Tip
Did you know you can import your Facebook photos to your online account, or share your photos from your account to Facebook? Well, you can! Simply log in to your account and click "My Web Photos" on the right. To import photos from Facebook, click the "Add Photos" button in the toolbar above the photo display and choose "From Facebook." To share photos to Facebook, select the photos, click the "Share" button, and choose the "Facebook" option. Also, don't forget about our Facebook ordering app, which allows you to order photos from your Facebook account, including photos you are tagged in!

View my previous photo tips!

Order Prints

Create a Photo Greeting Card

Here are a few recent photo submissions. The first two remind me of Mother's Day (May 8th!) for two different reasons (read the caption on #2), while the last two are just gorgeous! Keep 'em coming.

"This picture is from the Pittsburgh Zoo. The Sun was hard to deal with but I had to work with it."
- Shawn

"I took this photo this past weekend at my son's University of Memphis Lacrosse game. Yes, that is him seemingly flying; sacrificing all for the ground ball."
- Patricia

"This is one I got this past fall. I focused in on the back light so it would darken the couple walking. I thought it turned out beautifully."
- William

"Love watching sunset at my back deck and can't help but to capture this unusual cloud formation - awesome display! I hope you like it too."
- Vivian

Are you an App Developer? Or, do you know one? I am always on the lookout for cool photo apps (mobile or software). Check out the LifePics OPEN Program to learn more about how your app can make you some money!

View my previous photo tips!

This Wed.-- Scrapbook Night -- Mother's Day Theme

2011-04-25T14:20:00.006-04:00

Registration Still OPEN:

Mother's Day Scrapbook Night

with Creative Memories

Session Fee only $10

Wednesday, April 27th
7 pm - 10 pm

What:

Mother's Day Scrapbook Night

When:
Wednesday April 27, 2011 from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM EDT

Add to my calendar

Where:

MotoPhoto Shaker Heights
20116 Chagrin Blvd.
Shaker Heights, OH 44122

Driving Directions

"Celebrating All Things Mother" is the theme for our April 27th Scrapbook Night at MotoPhoto Shaker Heights.

Work with Rachael Barbour, Creative Memories consultant to create a card for your mother, daughter or both. Make a Mother's Day scrapbook page to remember a mom or grandma who has passed away. We'll offer both digital and traditional scrapbook projects, with cutting and shape-making tools available for everyone.

You can also work with us to create a personalized Mother's Day placemat or photo gift from our MOTOePics collection. Of course, other scrapbook projects are also welcome.

Just RSVP using the link below, and remember to bring your photos, memory cards or your laptop computer.

Register Now!

I can't make it

We look forward to seeing you.

MotoPhoto Shaker Heights

216-751-6686 ext. 101

www.motophotoshakerheights.com

Rachael Barbour

Senior Consultant, Creative Memories

216-287-2861

www.mycmsite.com/rachaelbarbour

New VHS -> Premium DVD Special -- Betamax Too

2011-04-20T15:05:00.007-04:00

NEW: Video to Premium DVD Special Offer

We've got a great new service for converting videotape to DVD.

VHS to Premium DVD

We'll convert your VHS tapes, and other similar formats, onto our new premium, archival DVDs. (With an anticipated life of over 100 years, these archival DVDs are sure to make your wedding video a family favorite for many generations.) Our sale price is just $19.95 for the first copy, including archival DVD and jewel case. Additional copies are only $5.95 each. Regular price is $29.95.

Betamax to Premium DVD

For those who have really old Betamax tapes hidden in their basement, we're offering the same service. The first copy is $19.95, including archival DVD and jewel case. Additional copies are only $5.95 each.

Take Advantage of This Great Offer

Most old videotapes deteriorate badly with age. Converting videotapes to DVD is the best and safest way to protect your special memories.

So, fill up your boxes and shopping bags and bring them to us at MotoPhoto in Shaker Heights. We'll have them ready for you quickly. They make special gifts for Mother's Day.

Offer expires on May 4, 2011.

216-751-6686

motophotoshakerheights.com

Mother's Day Scrapbook Night with Creative Memories

2011-04-19T09:50:00.003-04:00

Mother's Day Scrapbook Night
with Creative Memories

Wednesday, April 27th
7 pm - 10 pm

What:

Mother's Day Scrapbook Night

When:
Wednesday April 27, 2011 from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM EDT

Add to my calendar

Where:

MotoPhoto Shaker Heights
20116 Chagrin Blvd.
Shaker Heights, OH 44122

Driving Directions

Register Now!

I can't make it

We look forward to seeing you.

MotoPhoto Shaker Heights

216-751-6686 ext. 101

www.motophotoshakerheights.com

Rachael Barbour

Senior Consultant, Creative Memories

216-287-2861