Note: babyphotobug.com watermark will be removed with purchase

Note: babyphotobug.com watermark will be removed with purchase

When printing digital photos we all have a choice between matte and glossy photo prints.  Glossy photo prints have a shiny finish while matte ones have a more subtle neutral one. The glossy photocards reflects light very well and look more rich and vibrant. Matte finish on the other hand does not reflect much light and looks “darker” and duller.

Glossy photo prints: Then tend to have a higher end feel to them, like a shiny new car.  The colours are bright and deep. However, the downside is that they reflect a lot of light, and can be difficult to see when there is lots of bright light reflecting off it.  The shiny finish of the paper can also attract a lot of finger prints, not great when you expect to pass around the photocard.

Matte photo prints: They are less likely to attract dust and fingerprints and are less likely to get dirty over time.  Although colours are not as vibrant, they do show black and whites a lot better!

So what is our opinion?

We would recommend printing in Matte. Why? because with photo invitations, you’ll want the less shiny look since it will look more like a postcard.  Traditional invitations are usually printed on card stock, and when dealing with photos Matte finish is a great alternative. Besides, with matte finished photocards, the text and details of the lines show much better.  They are more crisp! of course, you always have the option of printing in glossy! this doesn’t mean you’re photocard will look bad, they look just as great, however sometimes with the reflection of the light, text is a bit harder to read.

Note: babyphotobug.com watermark will be removed with purchase

]]> http://www.babyphotobug.com/2010/new-photocard-summer-orange/feed/ 4 http://www.babyphotobug.com/2010/new-photocard-brown-green-theme/ http://www.babyphotobug.com/2010/new-photocard-brown-green-theme/#comments Sat, 19 Jun 2010 03:43:47 +0000 BabyPhotoBug http://www.babyphotobug.com/?p=321 Good day everyone. We have been busily designing new baby invitations exclusive to BabyPhotobug.com  Our new custom design is named “Kesiah Thompson” and features bold greens and brown with a touch of blue.  In this baby invitation design, we added more earthy tones which can be used for both little boys and girls. Wording can be changed to suit your needs.  You can have it say “Happy Birthday!” or “You’re Invited to my Party” or anything you like! See the sample below.

Note: babyphotobug.com watermark will be removed with purchase

]]> http://www.babyphotobug.com/2010/new-photocard-brown-green-theme/feed/ 0 http://www.babyphotobug.com/2010/tips-on-capturing-a-perfect-black-and-white-photo/ http://www.babyphotobug.com/2010/tips-on-capturing-a-perfect-black-and-white-photo/#comments Sat, 19 Jun 2010 03:30:19 +0000 BabyPhotoBug http://www.babyphotobug.com/?p=311 In a world full of colours, somehow there is always room for black & white photos especially when it comes to babies. So why would anyone want black & white photos? You will notice in some of our invitation designs, we have done exactly so. Well, there are many reasons,

• It’s classic and if done properly can bring out the features in a baby – like the eyes, the soft skin.
• It’s simple! Babies are simple and the simplicity of black & white helps you focus on what really matters.
• Sometimes, an awful and boring looking colour photo will look amazing in black & white.
• It’s unique. Usually pictures of babies are full of colours, but a black & white one will capture your attention.

Black & white photos work nicely with baby invitations because skin tones are mellowed; blotches and blemishes are less noticeable than it is in color photos.  As parents, we know that we become very observant of our little one, and will notice when there is a small rash or blemish.  Now imagine what we will notice when we capture our babies in a photo?

Here are some quick tips on capturing a perfect black and white photo of your baby.

1. Pattern & Texture:  train yourself to look beyond colours and start looking at textures.  If you think about it, texture lend themselves to black & white photos because color generally add another layer of complexity.  Try taking a picture of baby, but this time, have him play with a blanket that is textured.  You’ll notice that the babies soft skin tones in contrast to the textured blanket will show well in a black & white photo.
2. Take the picture in colour: huh? yes, we are serious.  With the popularity of digital camera’s today, we know that they can take black & white photos, but what is really going on is that they take pictures in colour, then internally the camera converts it to black & white.  It’s always better to shoot in colour and use a photo editing software to convert it yourself.  Almost every editing software will be able to do that.  In this case, you will be able to convert it yourself and making adjustments as needed.
3. Contrast:  This is a big one! A simple way to start black & white photography is to think about contrast. You will notice in some fashion magazines, there are strong contrast of black & white – a contrast with the black dress and skin tones.
4. ISO and flash: This is for getting a little more advanced. Try to take pictures without using the flash.  Using flash can create harsh lines and unwanted shadows if you don’t have everything properly lit.  Especially with babies, you want to create a softer look.  A general rule is to have enough lighting that you don’t have to make use of flash, that way you can lower your ISO settings.  When you use high ISO the noise will become more obvious.

1.  Move around

Babies are small, and so you should be too.  If you’re always taking a picture on your feet, you’ll continually get shots looking downwards at your baby.  You need to get down and move around!  Take close ups and get the action from their level.  If they are crawling, you crawl!  If you have a digital SLR, you’ll probably need a wide angle lens to capture all the special movements.

2.  Switch to Macro Mode

Many digital camera’s today have macro mode.  In most cases, on the point and shoot cameras it is identified by a flower.  Babies are small, and you can capture better pictures of their feet and hands if you switch to macro mode. Capturing your baby in this mode accentuates the detail that is often missed when shooting in regular mode.

3.   Keep Shooting

Its true.  Most seasoned photographers will tell you that sometimes the best shots they get are the ones they didn’t really shoot for.  So keep shooting.  Besides, with a digital camera, you can delete the ones that didn’t turn out.

4.   Go black & white

This is a quick win for the artsy side of things. Simple switch to black & white photos and you will notice that you have a whole world of unique photos of your baby.

5.    Soft Lighting

This is a must when capturing pictures of babies.  Babies are soft and cuddly and so we should capture that! Take pictures with indirect lighting. Take it near a window or under a shade, or on an overcast day.  You’ll notice that pictures become much softer!

6.   Capture a story

Let’s not get too carried away with the standard dead on head shot.  Think more about the story you are trying to tell.  You want to capture the moments and expressions, for example, the moments when your baby gets a new toy or even his reaction to something sour! Those are the kinds of pictures that will bring back fond memories.

7.    Keep is simple!

Sometimes, its easy to get carried away with props.  But having too much clutter in the picture will make you lose focus on the baby.  Keep it simple, clean up the items in the background or try draping a white cloth over everything in the back. Then put a few blocks or toys with baby and start shooting!

8.   Get details

Be friends with your zoom.  Get close up shots of feet and hands. Capture their face and wide open eyes.  Let your baby hold your thumb or finger and show the comparison between your hands and his.

9.    Different facial expressions

Remember this one! Naturally we want to take pictures of baby smiling so we continually try to make then smile.  But wouldn’t it be great to capture the moments when they are reacting to something? Don’t be afraid to snap a picture of them crying, or making a sad face with their lips turned downwards.  Or how about a picture of baby thinking, eating something sour, sleepy, yawning etc.  Try to take different facial expressions, so that we you look back at your photo album, you have a variety of things to look at.

10.    Use props

Finally, use props.   It always adds to the uniqueness of a photo.  Give baby pots and pans to play with and put and apron on him.  Or put him in a basket full of toys! Give him glasses and a suitcase or sit him in front of a laptop.  One of the easiest things to do is use props.   You can even buy a bunny costume and let him wear it to suit your theme.  It you’re making a baby invitation with a princess theme, see if you can take a picture of her wearing a princess gown with a tiara.

Once you have placed your photocard order, you will be able to view your proofs in the ‘My Photocard’ page.