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.

Smith was a photographer for Life magazine and perfected the photo essay while working for them.  He could tell a complete story without any words whatsoever.  He is well known for being a bit on the bristly side and was a well known perfectionist.  When you look at his photographs and photo essays the stories he was telling through his camera still rings true today.  Do a google search for him and you will be amazed by how he is able to capture the human emotion, in war time and in peace.  Smith actually was on the Pacific front lines during WWII and was wounded by enemy fire.  His war images are some the most honest and thought provoking of that genre.

In this image think of the story he is telling.  What does the photo say to you.  Where is this man going?  Where is he coming from?  And notice the foreboding clouds in the background…lots of symbolism there.

I’m telling you, the guy was a genius at telling a complete story with one photo.  Think about Eugene Smith when you are taking photos.  What story are you trying to tell with your pictures?

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.

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Summer is in full swing, and most of you by now are snapping away on your mobile devices. At Canvas Press, we like to think it’s one’s duty to document life with photography. Most of us now have mobile phones. In many ways, it’s become far more convenient to take a picture with your phone instead of your point and shoot camera. Plus with social media like Facebook and Twitter, many of us are spreading our summer-loving photos all over the internet, sharing them with family and friends instantly. But with all the mobile apps out there, which one should you choose?

Enter Instagram. A fun-loving, easy way to snap photos, apply cool effects, and see images of other people you follow. Plus, you can geotag your images as well as post them to Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites. All from within one cool photo app. 

For those of you who are social media savvy, Instagram offers an entire online community of photo enthusiasts who can view your photo stream, as well as “Like” and comment on your images.

If you’re familiar with Twitter, then you’ll feel right at home using mentions and hashtags from right inside the app, allowing you to tag people in your images or categorize them. There’s even a stream for popular photos, allowing you to browse some of the most interesting and inspiring images created by other Instagram users.

And the best part about Instagram is that it’s free! Yup, you heard right. It doesn’t cost a dime. The only shortcoming is that currently it’s only available for the iPhone. But there are rumors that an Android version might be in the works.

Customers of ours are already sending in their Instagram photos to create square Gallery Wraps of their favorite candid moments. Everything from snapshots of friends to cool vacation photos.

What better way to document your summer than by snapping away and sharing your retro candid photos than with Instagram?

Do you have any Instagram photos you would like to share? Post the link to it in the comments section below along with the title of your image. Happy Summer!

You can follow us on Instagram by searching for username “canvaspress”. Here are some of our favorite Instagram photos:

Create canvas art that is unique and personal to decorate your home. It can be a challenge to find exactly the right piece of art to accent your home and personal space. Just like the saying goes, “If you want something done right, you’ve got to do it yourself!” This applies to your own décor and art as well. You can accomplish the look you want no matter what your interior design style is with custom canvas printing.

Digital photos are great for printing on canvas and it is so easy to do. Just follow these quick steps and you are on your way to making your very own canvas art prints:

• Make sure your digital camera is on the correct settings. 10 megapixel cameras can be set to take 1 megapixel photos so don’t make that mistake! Check your resolution and quality settings. Choose the maximum resolution available and fine or “superfine” quality. Buy extra memory cards if you need to so you can hold all the large high quality images.
• Take some creative shots. You might already be a great amateur photographer but think about getting something a little different than a typical snapshot. Look for color and light and see how different textures in the scene work together.
• Shoot until you can’t shoot anymore! Inevitably some shots might not work. To make sure you don’t get unwanted objects in the scene or blurry pictures make sure to take several copies of the image you want so that you’ll definitely have one to print later.
• Download the images to your computer and review them. Once you have picked the best few you can experiment with some digital editing. Whenever you make changes to an image always save it as a copy. Just in case you change your mind you want to be able to go back to the original and start over. Use any kind of photo editing software to make some color adjustments, or get creative and take the adjustments to the extreme for some abstract art. Be sure to save the edited files at the highest, original size.

Canvas Press can then take your artwork and have it printed on canvas. Our professional image specialists can add any other effects you want. It is printed and stretched on high quality, artist grade canvas, just like an original painting would be.

Now you have your very own canvas that is the most unique and personal art you can find. Don’t stress over your next décor project, just come to Canvas Press and create the best canvas art prints.

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.

We are really enjoying our Canvas Press photos on canvas in our new dental office.  Everyone comments on them and we have referred many to your website.  Here are a few photos to show how beautiful the canvases look. 

- Rosemary & Terry

A Michigan Art Director sent his agency’s take on Canvas Press:

I am an art director at an ad agency in Michigan. We decided to take our mission, vision and values and lay them out with some typographical styles. When decided on printing we explored several vendors and products, but we’re so happy we chose Canvas Press. The artwork turned out beautifully and the gallery wraps look amazing in our office in the creative neighborhood we work in. Thank you so much for such an amazing product. We’ve already ordered another canvas and plan to work with Canvas Press in the future.Best,
Aaron

Canvas Press recently completed a 53 piece order for The McCombs School of Business MBA Program Office at The University of Texas at Austin. The prints ranged in size from 16″x12″ to 63″x48″ and revolved around 6 themes.

• On-Campus Architecture  Austin-based photographer Blake Justice chose Gallery Wrapped – Colored Border canvases to display his staircase, door and hardware images. He achieved a matted look for his prints by leaving extra white space on the front of the prints. The black border on the canvas sides complemented the thin black outline framing each of his photos.

• Iconic Austin Landmarks  6^th Street, Austin City Limits, the downtown skyline, the Katz’s Deli Cadillac, the Lone Star bus at the Broken Spoke, and Fran of Fran’s Hamburgers are a few subjects displayed in this series. It seems there is never a shortage of quirky subjects on the streets of this capital city.
  

  

• Prominent Alumni  Cheetos Brand Manager Marisa Jarrat and Whole Foods National Marketing Director Heather Kennedy are two alumni whose name, position, company and graduation date are featured on the alumni wall in the main reception area.
• Faculty   “CEOs don’t make, sell, or service anything. Their primary job is to create a culture in which all of those things are done well.”     – Management professor James W. Fredrickson
  

  

• Texas Wildlife  Landscapes across Texas and, yes, lots of cacti. Ouch!
• Students’ School-related International Travel  Students travel to the Great Wall, Chile, Delhi, the Kremlin and Athens through McCombs School classes.

A local courier delivered this large order to the home of the longhorns and installation was done with the aid of a professional framer. Security hangers were used for several of these prints. These hangers are useful for heavily trafficked spaces such as schools and hotels. Security hangers are available upon request.

While I personally bleed burnt orange, as a company we do not discriminate amongst institutions of higher learning and would love to help your school fill its empty walls.