As we are getting closer to Christmas we, at Canvas Press, wanted to take a little time out and give a huge thank you to all of our amazing customers out there who have ordered a photo canvas or even multiple photos on canvas.  We know there are several choices out there and even if you do choose one of them some other time we hope that you will see that the quality of our product and craftsmanship really shines through.

I don’t want to get all mushy on you all, but we strive to give you all the best of ourselves and the best materials out there because…well…frankly, you deserve it.  We would gladly put our canvas prints side by side with any of our competitors out there and we know that ours will shine through because the quality of our canvas and craftsmanship is something we dedicate every single day to perfect.  We totally get that we aren’t the cheapest option out there, and we probably aren’t the most expensive either but where we shine above the rest is our continuing focus is to deliver to you…quality.  Quality canvas that you can pass on to the next generation and quality (if not fanatical) customer service that goes the extra mile for each of you.

So, again, THANK YOU everyone who has made this year and this holiday season so great…that’s you by the way.  Oh, and this isn’t the last of the Christmas sentiments.  You can totally expect more of this coming your way as we count down til the 25th.  We can’t help it…we LOVE CHRISTMAS!

Here we are in the Canvas Press workshop hard at work (not to be confused with Santa’s workshop…although there are some similarities).

canvases stretched and ready to be shipped

coming hot off the printer.

John is making those corners supa-tight.

Jen is making sure the canvas is protected during shipping.

The man with the hat, Cody hard at work hand stretching your canvases.

Canvas waiting to get stretched.

...and the frames waiting for the canvas...it's like a love story.

I have to give a big thank you to my sister Jen for coming up with this topic.  What the heck do all these things mean on my camera dial?  They could also be somewhere on your point and shoot…Let me give you an idea of what I am talking about.  If you have a DSLR…or something that looks like this

Then you may have a dial on top of the camera that looks like either of these.  The top one is a Nikon dial and the bottom one is a Canon dial.

Even if you have a point and shoot my bet is that some of these same figures and letters are somewhere on your camera.  Now the trick is figuring out what they mean and how to use them…or should I use them.  The goal here is taking better pictures of your kids…right.  And a big part of that is understanding your camera and how it works and what it’s limitations are.  Just like GI Joe always said “Knowing is half the battle”…important words to live by.  Ok, I may be overstating, but it is kind of true.

All right, let’s get down to it.  What exactly do those thingies on your dial mean, what do they do, and should I use them or not.  First off let’s figure out what they mean.  Here is a quick guide to let you know at least what the buttons stand for.

The first thing I want you to do is ignore and don’t use any of the little picture icon settings like: portrait, landscape, close-up/macro, sport…etc.  Those aren’t magical settings that are going to make that particular photo look fantastic and brilliant.  They are presets that the camera companies have pre-programmed to try to help you out in those situations.  In my opinion you don’t need them, and they can often mess you up more than they help you out.

Onto the letters and a little more about their meaning.  I will go in order of importance (in my opinion)

• M – Manual Mode – That means that the shutter speed and the aperture are completely in your control.  The upside: You have the most creative control in manual.  The downside: Probably the hardest to master.  *Note: I would say the majority of professional photographers learn and shoot in Manual Mode.
• A or Av – Aperture Priority Mode – In aperture priority mode you select which aperture you want to shoot at and your camera auto selects the best shutter speed for a “correct” exposure.  This mode can be very helpful if you are in a situation where your light is constantly changing.  In manual mode your fingers would be busy changing settings, in aperture priority mode, you set the aperture and the camera does the shutter speed.  Did you notice the ” ” around the word, correct?  Without getting into too much technical stuff, just know that you may still need to do some tweaking to the image to get an exposure to your liking.  Overall this is a good setting to use in a pinch.
• S or Tv – Shutter Priority Mode – You guessed it…you select which shutter speed you want to shoot at and the camera will select the aperture for a balanced exposure.  You know what…honestly…I wouldn’t worry about using Shutter Priority.  Aperture Priority is much better to master (in my opinion).  So for right now, don’t use it.  Oh, and why Canon decided on Tv for Shutter priority?  It stands for “Time Value”.  They are trying to keep it Old School.
• P – Program Mode – This is a little bit better than fully auto.  The camera is still picking your shutter and aperture for you, but you can still adjust a few things you couldn’t in Auto mode.  You can control the flash, the ISO (film speed) and white balance of the camera.  The upside: Your flash won’t automatically pop up for almost every single photo.  You are in control of when the flash fires or not and a few other things that control the quality of the photo.  The downside: You are losing a lot of creative control with the camera choosing your shutter speed and aperture.
• Auto or green rectangle – Auto Mode – the camera is in complete control of…well…pretty much everything.  You are just pointing and shooting (probably not why you bought a DSLR).  It is controlling your shutter speed, your aperture, when the flash goes off, the white balance of the photo, and the ISO the photo is taken at.  The upside: This is a good way to learn if you are just starting.  Begin to notice how shutter speeds and aperture work together.  The downside: Zero creative control.  Your DSLR is a effectively a large, expensive point and shoot (which is totally ok when you are starting out.)

My challenge to you would be to learn how to use your camera in the M for Manual mode.  But we can take baby steps.  At least now you know exactly what those buttons are.  You can start to explore by using them…skipping over a bunch of them and take note of what does what on your camera.

Once you start to master these different modes you will notice how much more control you have over your photos and how good they will start to look…of course you know Canvas Press is here to make any of those amazing photos you take into canvas prints for you ;-D…Just in case you forgot.

Are you beginning to get all nervous and breaking out into cold sweats at night because you can’t think of that perfect gift for your mom, dad, wife, husband, uncle, brother, sister, grandma, grandpa or best friend? ( I could have gone on with that for a while).  I know at some point in our life we have all been there.  Stressing about giving that PERFECT Christmas gift.  Seriously, in this day in age where it is so hard to come up with an imaginative idea to give someone where do the ideas come from?  Oh, and don’t bother asking that person you are shopping for what they want because more than likely the response will be…”Oh, just get me a gift card and I will go and get something myself.”  Wait…isn’t the whole POINT of Christmas to give a gift so the person your are giving it to doesn’t have to go and get it themselves…..insert puzzled look on my face….And how much fun can wrapping a gift card be?

Here is what I propose to you.  Give your loved one (I won’t do the list again) a canvas print from us here at Canvas Press.  You can take any of your favorite photos, upload them and we will make them into the absolute perfect Christmas gift that I guarantee they will love.  Why? You ask.  Because photos melt peoples heart, photos are memories of a specific moment that will live a long and healthy life and they can recall a happy occasion or event with a simple glance.  You can be the big hero this year at Christmas by turning one of your photos into a canvas print.  Oh, and another reason to do it is…what else are you doing with all those photos on your camera or phone?  You have had this perfect Christmas gift hiding right under your nose and you didn’t even know it.  Go ahead and make one and pretty soon you will be addicted to making more canvas photo prints for everyone!…Well we can hope.

The Rule of Thirds is probably the single most important thing to learn when your start practicing your photography.  It will automatically make your photos more interesting.  I didn’t say it would make your photos great, but it will definitely make them more interesting to look at.  When we talk about The Rule of Thirds we are basically talking about Composition or the placement of key subjects in relation to one another in the photograph.  So whenever I use the word “composition” I am talking about “the rule of thirds” and vice versa.  Have you ever heard of people saying, “Well he/she has a great eye” when it comes to photography.  More than likely that “eye” they are talking about relates to how you compose your photographs.  You can be born with a great “eye” or you can develop and practice your composition and develop your “eye” for composing great photographs.  This is where The Rule of Thirds helps out those people who may be “Composition-ally Challenged” (by the way, I know I am using quotations waaay too much in this post already so I will try to cut back).

So, what exactly is The Rule of Thirds?  The wiki definition states: an image should be imagined as divided into nine equal parts by two equally-spaced horizontal lines and two equally-spaced vertical lines, and that important compositional elements should be placed along these lines or their intersections.

Let’s simplify that shall we.  Have you ever played tic-tac-toe?  If you drew out a tic-tac-toe board across your photo like this you will have the guidelines for the rule of thirds:

So what should you do with those lines.  Well let’s go back to simplifying the Wikipedia definition.  I’ll break it down like this.  Don’t put your subject (in this case…your kids) smack in the middle of the frame.  The rule is you don’t want to split your subject in half (both vertically or horizontally).  Use these lines as guides to place your subject on one of the lines for a more pleasing composition.  This rule is especially helpful to those of you who like to dabble in a little vacation photos or landscapes.  The general rule is that you shouldn’t put the horizon line in the middle of your photo.  Place it closer to the top third or bottom third of the photo.

Now let’s go one step further.  The intersection of the lines on your tic-tac-toe rule of thirds are called “power points”…no…not the Microsoft software.  These are areas of a photo where your eye naturally falls.  So if you can compose your image to have one of the important elements landing on one of the power points your photo will be that much more compelling and interesting to look at.  Here are where those power points are at:

Allright.  Now it is time to show you some real world examples of some good uses of The Rule of Thirds so you can get an idea of how you can use it the next time you are composing a photo of your kids.  None of these photos are split down the middle.  In some of them the subject is just off to the center, but it makes a big difference.

This last photo is a good example of using the bottom 2/3 of the the image and leaving room at the top of the photo as interesting blank space.  And notice he isn’t split exactly down the middle of the photograph…so even a slight adjustment can make a big difference.

I also recommend you google “Rule of Thirds” and there are a ton of other great examples…these are just ones I happened to have taken over the past year or so.  You can also get some great examples of using the Rule of Thirds when photographing landscapes and other scenic vacation photos.  Now you can start to play around with your composition and keeping your subject out of the middle of the photo.

Keep in mind that this…like most other photography rules…can be broken, but it is better to understand the rule enough to know when you can break it.

Are you thinking about taking the plunge and making photography a hobby?  Congratulations, and on behalf of photo nerds everywhere…We would love to have you!  You are in the Christmas Day phase of the hobby…buying all your gear.  It is exciting and a little nerve racking at the same time because there are so many options out there.  From what camera brand to go with to which lens or lenses should I buy…it can be a little overwhelming.  One thing you should not neglect is what you are going to be lugging that camera gear around in.  Your Camera Bag.

Your camera bag is a very important piece of gear itself because not only will it house and protect your equipment, but it can also make a statement about your personality.  Again, there are a ton of different options and brands of camera bags out there.  But there are really only a handful of different styles and that is what you want to focus on.

1.  The good ‘ole shoulder bag – The tried and true bag used by camera enthusiasts and photojournalists for decades.  This is a Domke bag.

2.  The messenger / satchel bag – A relative newcomer.  The functionality of the shoulder back but a little more slim-lined.  This is a Crumpler brand messenger camera bag.

3.  The backpack – If you are into hiking, traveling, or more active type photographers.  This is a Lowepro camera backpack.

4.  The rolling case – Slightly more professional.  Great for traveling or for wedding and event photographers.  This is a Lowepro rolling case.

5.  The waist bag – Yes, the waist bag is a distant cousin to the fanny pack.  But, it will save your back and shoulders from seeing a chiropractor if you need to carry your equipment for long periods of time.  This is a Tamrac waist bag.

And ladies, you will be very happy to know that there are several lines of camera bags that are made especially to fit your lifestyle.  Purses and satchels with a more designer look to them have gotten pretty popular these past 2-3 years.  You may pay a premium price for them, but hey it can be a purse and a camera bag.  So you really are getting 2 for 1 when you think about it.  There are a few great brands out there.

Epiphanie – I have met the owner (Maile) and she is super cool and I think offers a fantastic product.

Kelly Moore Bags

Jill-E Designs

*Emera Bags

Now that you know the different styles of bags out there let me give you a few tips on what to look for in a good camera bag.

1.  Excellent interior padding.  (note: exposed foam will deteriorate over time and will leave nasty black residue on your gear)

2.  Buy a little bigger than you think you need.  You never know…you may need that extra room when you start expanding on your lens collection.  This is also a good idea because there is nothing worse than trying to pry your camera out of a stuffed little camera bag and you end up missing a photo-op.

3.  The ability section your bag based on your gear (ie moveable separators).

4.  Made of durable material.  Make note if the exterior is padded too.  You may not need that option, but in case your lifestyle is a little more rough and tumble it is good for the bag to be able to absorb those shocks.

5.  Accessibility – how quickly can you get into your bag and your camera and lenses without missing the shot.  This is where the shoulder and satchel bags have an edge.  You can quickly unbuckle and grab your camera as where a backpack you have to take off and unzip.

6.  Comfort – This is where backpacks take the cake because you are dispersing the weight across two shoulders rather than one.

7.  Style (the cool factor) – If style is important to you than don’t overlook this important option.  If you want to go really out of the norm than check out Etsy and look for some homemade camera bags.  Then you will really stand out.

There you go.  Now you are in the know when it comes to buying the bag that your camera gear will live in.  It can be a daunting choice so hopefully it was made a little easier or at least more bearable.

Father’s Day is what some of us would refer to as the followup holiday for Mother’s Day. However, at Canvas Press, we like to look at it as a day to celebrate everything different from Mother’s Day.

Instead of celebrating baking cookies, or flowers, or making lovely greeting cards, Father’s Day is a day to celebrate cookouts, fishing, and doing absolutely nothing. Who else is better at shrugging off doing the laundry? Or who is usually guilty for eating the last Girl Scout cookie but still placing the empty cookie box back in the pantry? Or better yet, dads are the best at acting like they had no idea the family dog had an accident in the living room carpet in order to avoid cleaning up the mess.

But before we dump on Dad for his supposed shortcomings when it comes to housework, his fatherly qualities outshine all else. Who’s better at teaching you how to clean out the exhaust port on a Lawn-Boy mower? Dad. Who’s always the first to vanquish even the ugliest of spiders? Dad. And who can develop some of the most unorthodox uses for duct tape? Dad.

So, for this Father’s Day, we challenge you to go beyond the safe zone of getting Dad a new tie. Forget the golf supplies and tacky shirts. Get Dad something that is just for him, maybe even something that Mom would never approve of hanging on the wall. Whether it’s a Gallery Wrap canvas of his favorite longhorn bull, or an Alumiprint of his latest hotrod addiction, Dad deserves a gift that makes him smile every time he walks past it in the man cave.

Dads, this one’s for you. From all of us at Canvas Press, we appreciate all the dads out there keeping it real. Happy Father’s Day!

*photo credit above: courtesy of Dustin Meyer

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Penelope’s Oasis is a popular blog focused on moms and babies where Penelope reviews all kinds of related products and offers giveaways to her readers. Check out some of her thoughts about the canvas she received from us…

I had the opporunity to have an image enlarged to a 16×20 inch piece for review, and used this photo of my sweet goddaughter and received a vertical print, on 1.5″ gallery-wrapped canvas with Image Border. I was very happy when I received it. I’m not sure what exactly they do in those image labs, but the Canvas Press canvas print is incredibly sharp, and she looks absolutely beautiful (my camera and home lighting may not do it justice). Everyone who has seen it has gasped, and it’s a real treat for her.

Do you have a popular blog and like to write reviews and offer giveaways? Contact us for more details!

Our customer Nancy from Florida is an incredibly talented photographer who sells her work at art shows. We have printed many canvases for her that she and her husband stretch themselves for display and sale. Below is a picture of how Nancy has organized her booth for the art shows she does. Please visit her website www.naturesportal.net to view her stunning work.

Make your life easy with a gift card from Canvas Press. It has happened to everyone. You forget about a birthday or anniversary until the last minute, or maybe you’ve searched but just never found the right gift. You sigh, and resign yourself to the standard gift card you can buy in the grocery store checkout line. It seems too generic, too impersonal.

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