Photo Expressions

Framing Kids Artwork - great Mother's Day Gift Idea

An easy way for children to put their own distinctive stamp on a room is with framed works. Children are thrilled to display their artwork or have family photos or treasures on the walls. Here are some ideas – Photo Express can help you come up with many more that will fit within your budget and your imagination!   Frame your children’s favorite drawings and paintings to preserve them from getting lost or damaged over time. Forget the fridge – give these creations pride of place on the wall! Once your fledglings fly the family nest, it’s wonderful to have a little piece of their childhood preserved.  Include children in the design process. Bring them with you to help pick out the frame moulding and mat board colors. We will be happy to help you and your children work out a design for framing pictures and world or regional maps, perhaps with postcards and mementoes of vacations.  A framer can suggest items to make an interesting shadow box – e.g., sports jerseys, medals, ribbons, photos and certificates, baby shoes, musical instruments, the winning baseball, and much more. When it comes to preserving a special memory for your children, a Certified Picture framer at Photo Express has the skills to organize your treasures into an eye-catching arrangement and will use preservation-grade materials to protect those special keepsakes!

Photo Tips - Digital Photography 101

 

1. Explore the light. Learn to read where the light is coming from by looking at shadows - notice if the shadows are hard-edged or soft-edged. A general rule for beautiful images is to plan your photo shoot for early morning or late afternoon light because softer shadows equate to less contrast in your scene and more flattering light for your subject. If you must shoot images at high noon, move your subject under the shade of a tree or building. 2.  Mix it up! Change your angle and distance from your subject when taking the photo. Viewing images taken from the same distance and angle becomes dull and boring. With children, get down on their level and don’t be afraid to zoom in close to capture every detail. 3.  Use the rule of thirds and move your subject over to the side of the frame. Placing people right in the middle of the frame is great for the perfunctory passport and driver’s license photo, but unless other interesting compositional elements are present, it’s not an exciting image. Think of the scene in your viewfinder or on your LCD display as a tic-tac-toe board and mentally divide the image into thirds, and place something of interest at one or more of the intersections. 4.  Keep it real. Don’t force a child to strike a pose or force a smile. A compelling photograph captures an authentic moment, a look, or a gesture that elicits a feeling from the viewer. Motivate kids to move around and photograph them from a variety of angles. Choose a location for your shoot, then encourage play, action, and activity. Be silly and have fun. 5.  Mode Dial - Get creative and choose a customized Mode Dial setting! The Basic Zone Modes (icons) automatically choose the exposure settings for your selected scene. The Creative Zone Modes (P, TV, AV, M) can give you full or partial creative control over your exposure settings. 6.  Daytime is a good time to use your on-camera flash. You can fill in dark shadows across faces created by harsh overhead sun, and illuminate your subject when they’re positioned in front of a bright background. 7.   Get closer than normal by using the macro mode on your camera. The flower icon button activates the macro mode and enables you to focus closer to your subject and capture details in your images that were previously too small or out of focus. Just because macro mode is represented by a flower doesn’t mean that flowers are the only allowable subject. Get creative with a few of the following macro photo ideas: • Flowers and insects • The human eye • Baby’s fingers and toes • Textural detail in fabric, stone or wood • Coins and collectables 8.   Control the light. Create a more attractive image by bouncing or diffusing the available light. Bouncing light brightens up faces, gets rid of shadows and creates a catch-light in your subject’s eyes. Diffusing the light softens harsh light falling upon your subject. You can buy a reflector or diffuser at a camera store, but you can also use common household items. Aluminum foil wrapped around a baking sheet, a car dashboard reflector, or a white foam core board can be used to reflect light. Translucent fabric, sheer shower curtains, or plastic bags can be used to diffuse the light. 9.  Give yourself ROOM to ZOOM. To eliminate distracting elements and provide a flattering perspective – stand back and give yourself room to zoom into your subject and fill the frame. 10.    Think about using color to create a compelling image. From vibrant contrasts of primary colors to the Zen-like mood of harmonious blues and greens, color can determine the emotional content of a photograph. Prepared by Erin Manning. For more information, visit www.erinmanning.com.

Erin's book is available at Photo Express www.photoexpressions.ca  604-463-3654

 

Cute Handmade Mother's Day Card Ideas

Create Characters with Buttons and Embellishments

Design by Cathy Blackstone

To create bird accents, Cathy embellished buttons with googly eyes, patterned paper, and feathers. A chipboard branch grounds the accents, while a stamped sentiment balances the design.

 

Layer Die Cuts for Dimension

Design by Robyn Werlich

Soft browns and pinks pair with a pretty die-cut butterfly for an elegant Mother's Day card. Robyn layered two matching die cuts, embellished them with a straight pin, and placed the finished accent on an embossed background.

Add Texture with Embossing

Design by Leslie Lightfoot

A cool colour scheme provides the backdrop for Leslie's nature-inspired Mother's Day card. She embossed the background paper with a circular motif for added texture, then attached chipboard accents and sentiment.

Layer on Texture and Sparkle

Design by Valerie Salmon

Add pizzazz to your Mother's Day card this year with a variety of textura lembellishments. Valerie included chipboard accents, felt flowers, and sparkly gems on hers

Go Sweet and Simple

Design by Erica Hernandez

Give your mom a sweet card this Mother's Day. Erica uses soft colors and a butterfly embellishment to create a simplistic but perfect card for such a special occasion.

Play With a Variety of Shapes and Borders

Design by Valerie Salmon

Punched shapes, scalloped edges, and a ribbon detail give this Mother's Day card a playful personality. Valerie used letter stickers to spell out "Mother" near the bottom of the card.

Draw Attention with Special Sentiments

Design by Leah Fung

The large circle embellishment on Leah's card pulls together the colour scheme and draws attention to the sentiment. A tab with the word "Grandma" extends from the top of the card, balancing a family-theme accent in the opposite corner.

Keep the Palette Simple

Design by Melissa Phillips

Soft vintage-inspired papers, hand-stitched details, and a pretty script title give this card feminine flair. Ivory-color buttons and a light pink ribbon adorn the chipboard heart, giving it a pretty touch without overpowering the design.

Tissue-Paper Flower Card- Martha Stewart

Use tissue-paper confetti circles to create colorful flowers on this card.

Make the Tissue-Paper Flower Card

Edge-Punched Card - Martha Stewart

Use an edge punch to add extra flair to your cards.

Make the Edge-Punched Card

Spinning Greeting Cards- Martha Stewart

Let kids put a personal spin on a Mother's Day card: Add a photo that twirls on a string.

Make the Spinning Card

 

PE Exclusive Hockey Scrapbook Papers!

Check out these cool new hockey-themed papers.  You will only find them at PE!

Remember, you can purchase these as single pages as well.  So whether you are a hockey parent, a hard core fan, or both, you will want to pick up these 12x12 scrapbook papers today!

Spring Tune Up

 

Battery Checkup
Rechargeable batteries for digital cameras eventually lose the ability to hold their charge. You will need to replace them every few years. Also, consider buying a second battery for your camera. If you are taking a long trip, don’t forget your charger.

Memory Cards
If you have plans for a summer vacation, family reunion, or other big events, stock up on memory cards ahead of time. Don’t wait to buy them at airports or expensive tourist stores. You’ll pay much more than you would from Photo Express.

The price of storage continues to drop; so if you’ve been eyeing a bigger card, perhaps it’s time to splurge and get that added capacity. 

Keeping Your Camera Clean
We recommend only minimal cleaning. The most important thing is to try to avoid the need to clean in the first place. Try to keep your camera away from elements that cause the most harm: dirt, dust, sandy grit, and saltwater spray are the mortal enemies of most types of cameras. Keep your camera protected if you’re on a windy beach and the sand is flying. Don’t get too near those big waves; use your zoom lens instead.

If you want to take pictures in the surf, poolside, or even underwater, you may want to consider purchasing a waterproof point-and-shoot model. It’s best to keep your camera off the picnic table or other spots where it may be vulnerable to a spilled soda or a glob of jelly.

Cleaning Your Camera
The one part of the camera exterior you must keep clean is the lens. Dust and fingerprints will compromise the optical efficiency of your lens. We suggest using just two tools: a microfiber cleaning cloth, and a rubber squeeze bulb. 

Microfiber cleaning cloths, like the Spudz cloths that we have at the counter at PE,  make it possible to remove dust, grit, and even the oil left by fingerprints without the use of any solvent. These cloths are inexpensive, and can be washed and reused.

 

Another helpful solution is the Lenspen. Perfect for cleaning camera lenses, binocular lenses, small aperture spotting scopes and telescopes, eyepieces, and other optical items, this tool comes with a handy retractable dust removal brush and a special non-liquid cleaning element, designed to never dry out. 

 
With DSLRs, be careful not to get dust on the sensor. Sensor dust (the dust is not on the sensor itself, but rather on a filter in front of the sensor) is a fact of life when using a DSLR. If you think you have a problem with dust on the sensor, we recommend that you bring it into PE and let us help you with it. There are tools to do this yourself; but you need to be careful not to damage anything, or you can void the warranty.

 

A Bag Helps
A camera bag is likely to provide much better protection for your camera and other equipment than if you keep your camera loose in your suitcase, handbag, or briefcase. There are plenty of attractive, soft, compact bags you can use to protect your camera.

If you're looking for a camera bag that doesn't look like a camera bag, Crumpler has the solution for you! They offer top notch construction with fabulous designs. We carry a variety of their bags and are happy to special order the perfect bag in the perfect colour just for you. Check out Crumpler's website here.

If you keep your camera in a bag, there’s one other very inexpensive accessory – a plastic bag big enough to hold your camera and accessories. If you encounter a sudden summer thunderstorm or find yourself on a speed  boat that catches a wave, just pop your entire camera bag into it.

Follow these simple tips, and your camera will be ready for all the great photo opportunities summer has to offer.

 

Prepared by the New York Institute of Photography. For more tips, visit www.nyip.com.

National Scrapbook Day Fun!

 National Scrapbook Day is coming! Join us on Saturday May 7th for a wonderful day of learning, creating and playing. This is our day to embrace and celebrate our joy and mission to capture our family memories and tell our stories.

 

Now that we have a larger classroom, PE will be hosting a National Scrapbook Day Crop at the store. The event will run from 10am to 10pm (12 full hours)! Space is limited so sign up soon.

 

Date Saturday May 7th, 2011 10am - 10pm

Cost $30

Includes:

Goodie bag, a layout class, prizes, hourly specials, demos, drinks, and a pizza dinner.  And of course, lots of time to scrapbook with your friends.  Come and go during the day as you please. It is going to be a fun day!  

Sign up online

here....

 

 

 

Lots to Explore at Photo Express!

In the last two weeks, we've put out over 2 dozen new lines full of scrumptious eye candy! In the last 3 days alone, we've lined the shelves with a dozen new lines that will simply delight you! Come in today and check out all that awaits....

 

Bo Bunny

 
 
Basic Grey

Prima Flowers

 
 

Jillibean

 

  

Fancy Pants

 

 

 

Crate Paper

 

     

Simple Stories

 

There's a little bit of something for absolutely everyone! See you in the store :-)

New from Bo Bunny

 

 

Composition Tips

25 Composition Tips

One of the most common challenges facing new photographers is finding great composition. Like pizza, it's a matter of taste, but there are some fairly standard, agreed-upon guidelines for good composition.

Please note these are guidelines, not rules. For each of these points, an opposite artistic argument could be made. Go there if you must, but if you do, you miss the point of the list. Concentrate on the basics first, and then you earn the right to get fancy and ignore them :-)

1. Be clear on your subject. What story are you trying to tell with the photo?
2. Draw attention to the subject. This can be done by simply getting closer, using selective focus, using color, lighting just the subject, framing the subject in a doorway or window, etc.
3. Simplify. Simple is best. Remove anything that doesn’t help you tell the story.
4. When in doubt, leave it out. If there is something in the field of view irrelevant to the subject or that doesn’t somehow support the subject, get rid of it.
5. Check your negative space. Don’t leave too much negative space; when there is negative space, be sure to use it right. Leave room for the subject in the frame unless there is a specific reason to not.
6. Fill the frame. You rarely can go wrong by filling the frame with the main subject. Many of the best pictures are the simplest ones. It is unnecessary to add background for the sake of adding background. 
7. Check the edges of the frames. Don’t cut off feet or hands of the subject half way. If you want to exclude those appendages, make sure it is clear you meant to do so. Make a clean crop well above the wrist, for instance, if you don’t want to include the hands.
8. Check for intruders. Is there something popping into the picture from the side? Is there a tree branch, power line, or telephone poll that creeps into the shot and steals attention from the subject? Recompose and remove it.
9. Remember POV – point of view. Shoot up on objects to make them more powerful. Shoot down on subjects to diminish them or make them look less imposing.
10. Use the rule of thirds. Draw a tic-tac-toe board over the picture in your mind. Position the subject at one of the four intersecting corners in the grid.
11. When making portraits, always keep the eyes above the center line in the photo.
12. Strive for balance. Look at the composition and determine if there’s something out of place that tilts the viewer’s attention one way or the other.
13. The eye goes to the brightest part of the scene first. Don’t let anything in the photo be brighter than the main subject.
14. Add depth by including strong foreground objects in shots where the background is a
    lso important.
15. Shoot vertically to enhance tall objects or emphasize height. Shoot horizontally to emphasize width.
16. Use patterns, particularly repeating patterns, to make pictures more interesting.
17. Use leading lines to attract the viewer’s eye where you want it to go.
18. Use S-curves or shapes as a more relaxed, casual way to lead the eye through the composition. A road or a stream are good examples of this approach.
19. Start by shooting at the subject’s eye level. For example, get down low when making a child or animal’s portrait, rather than standing over them and shooting down on them.
20. Make sure there is separation between multiple subjects to avoid unsightly merges.
21. Don’t center everything unless there’s a reason.
22. Don’t let the horizon fall dead center in the picture.
23. Don’t let the horizon cut through the head of any human or animal subject.
24. Don’t let the horizon merge with objects that are important to the image, and make sure it is level.
25. Right before making the photo, take a second, look up, look down, look all around, and make sure there’s nothing you’re missing.

 

 

Project 12 with Scrapbook & Cards Today

Looking for some scrapbooking inspiration? How about a chance to win some free product?!  Then you'll definitely want to check out Project 12 with Scrapbook & Cards Today. Project 12 is an easy monthly challenge that will result in your completion of a  “year in review” album at the end of 2011. It is so easy! They are releasing a new sketch on the first of each month, which they challenge you to use in a layout. If you submit that layout to their blog, you will be entered into that month's draw for some free product!

For instance, the sketch for March's layout, which needs to be submitted by April 28th, is this!

 

The sketch for April's layout, which needs to be submitted by May 28th, is this one!

 

The prize you will be playing for with your April sketch is the Blossom Soup line from Jillibean Soup.  A delightful line!

For more information, visit Scrapbook & Cards website here.

 

 

Creative Corner with Kaylyn

Here is a layout and a handful of cards that Kaylyn made using some of the product in our Easter section, featuring We R Memory Keepers.

 

   

 

And this yummy card features a variety of products including Martha Stewart punches, Prima flowers, Hero Arts stamps and Echo Park paper...

 

Creative Corner with Lifestyle Crafts

Lifestyle's Easter release is absolutely ADORABLE!!! These dies are being put out this weekend and promise creative inspiration in every cut! Check out these designs and some of the projects available from their online gallery.

 

 

 
 

 

These cookie cutter sets each contain 5 dies... for only $21.99 (members pay $19.79).
That's a great value!

 

2x2's & 4x4's

 

 

 

A Day For You

Here's a sneak peak collage of the yummy layout you'll be making on April 16th if you join us for the Grand Opening of our new class space. "A Day For You" will be a fabulous day of fun, creativity, learning, great food, and socializing. We'd love to have you there. You can click here for further details.

 

 

 

Classroom Grand Opening

 

Come and spend some time with us enjoying our new classroom space. It is spacious and inviting. We have an entire day of goodness planned for you.

 

A Day For You

Saturday April 16th, 10am - 6pm and includes:

 

Creating Time - Spend the first couple of hours learning gorgeous new techniques as you spend the morning playing. You will create a double page layout chock full of bits and techniques. And don't worry, you CAN do them and we are here to help. You will also spend some time in the world of Copics as Tanya creates a gorgeous card with you again full of wonderful techniques. You'll have a hard time giving it away. All morning you'll be playing with new products, this is just one of the yummy new paper lines you will be using. 

 

 

Learning Time - How to Take Better Vacation Photos with Ron C. Fresh back from his Hawaiian Vacation, Award Winning Photographer Ron C. will reveal to you some of his secrets for better vacation photos (and photos in general). He'll have great samples to show you with the secrets to each one.   

 

Nourishing time (aka Lunch) Lunch and water, coffee, and juice will be provided. (Around 1:00)  (lunch not as shown - we'll feed you more than bread).

 

You Time - After lunch until 6pm, is time for you to play and work on what you want: 4+ hours of cropping time. Continue to explore the techniques you've learned, or bring your own scrapbooking or cardmaking to work on. There are also lots of kits available in the store for you to work on also.

 

 

The regular price of A Day for You Day is $85. Grand Opening Day For You is only $45. Space is limited so register quickly. 604-463-3654.

 

Or click here to register online.

 

BC Crop for Kids

Are you planning on attending the BC Crop for Kids this year?! It is a wildly good time with tons of inspiration, encouragement, socializing with fellow crafters, and uninterrupted creative time!

Once again, they're offering you the opportunity to win a free seat at the crop by supporting your local scrapbook retailers. Here are the details....

 

YOU COULD WIN A FREE CROP SEAT AT THE 2011  

IF YOU SUPPORT OUR LOCAL RETAILERS BETWEEN APRIL 1-18

 

...you'll be entered in a draw to win a 3-day crop seat at the 2011 BC Scrapbooking Crop for Kids (a $105 value).

 

 

Here's how to enter:   

1. Just go shopping between April 1 to 18, 2011 and spend a minimum of $5 (before taxes) at any of the following scrapbooking retailers.      
2. Take a photo of yourself with the receipt and the products you purchased and email the photo to [email protected] no later than April 20, 2011.  If you're purchasing product at one of our online sponsors, take a picture of yourself in front of your computer with your confirmation email from that online retailer.

 

There's just a little fine print (PLEASE READ):

 

• One entry per person per store.  

• Shopping at multiple stores is encouraged.

• All receipts must be dated between April 1 and 18, 2011.

• All entries must be received by email at [email protected] by 7:00 PM on April 20, 2011.       
• Please be aware that your entry photo may be posted on our blog, website or Facebook page.

As an added bonus, if the photo of yourself with the receipt and your purchase is taken in the actual store where you purchased the products we will add your name to a special bonus draw for a free class seat in the class of your choosing at BC Crop for Kids 2011. We'll draw ONE random winner from all eligible entries.

 

It's that easy!!

 

Participating sponsors currently are:

 

Cherish The Thought (Port Moody)

I'm Impressed Paper Arts Ltd. (Vancouver)

Lovebug Scrapbooking (online store)

Memory Workshop (Maple Ridge)

Paper Nation (Abbotsford)

Photo Express (Maple Ridge)

Scrapbookin' Adventures (Parskville)

The Scrapbook Room (Hope)

Tiny Seed Scrapbooking (online store)

Treasured Memories Scrapbooking (Duncan)

 

The winner of the free 2011 crop seat will be announced on April 27, 2011.The bonus winner of the free class seat will be announced the same day.

 

Prizes must be accepted as awarded and cannot be transferred, resold or refunded.

 

Photo Express wants to help you win this contest, so we will take your picture for you and submit it to BC Crop for Kids on your behalf. All you need to do is come into the store, make a purchase, and let us know that you'd like to enter the contest. We'll take care of everything else.

Good Luck!