Canvas Print Help.
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Legmaster

Original Poster:

1,275 posts

237 months

Friday 5th December 2008
quotequote all
I'm taking the kiddies for a photo shoot at a studio within a local camera shop tomorrow morning (I'm crap at taking photos!) as I want some 20x30 canvasses done as Christmas prezzies for the family.

The shoot is only costing £30 and as I want the hi-res images then that will cost me another £70 on top - Fair enough as the chap is not selling any goodies to me (from a bit of searching, they are way too expensive at the shop).

My question is - what's the best colours to dress my kids in (11, 8 & 3 yrs, all girls) for the best outcome on a canvas print? Light, dark, middle ground, splashes of bright colours, etc?

Any other tips & tricks I should consider?

Cheers

Bee_Jay

2,599 posts

278 months

Friday 5th December 2008
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What sort of shot is it? White background?

If so, here are some of my kids from this time last year I did:

http://www.pbase.com/baguleys/november_shoot

rex and I do this all the time commercially for families. It really depends on what you like to see and also depends on skin colour. I have found that pastels seem to work best on girls (pinks, reds) and blue jeans seem to look good too.

Edited by Bee_Jay on Friday 5th December 20:30

Legmaster

Original Poster:

1,275 posts

237 months

Friday 5th December 2008
quotequote all
From a chat at the shop today, white background seems to be the norm. There were various in house taken family photographs on display that showed (to me) that some bright colours were better than plain light colours.

I'm just not sure if that's the best way to go to get good canvas prints (I'm the sort of bloke that thinks Magnolia is the only colour in the world...).


Bee_Jay

2,599 posts

278 months

Friday 5th December 2008
quotequote all
To go big on a canvas, and all the white background canvases that we have sold, have been with people wearing strong, solid colours.

Whatever you do, do not wear white unless you are really confident in their lighting ability...

Legmaster

Original Poster:

1,275 posts

237 months

Friday 5th December 2008
quotequote all
Bee_Jay said:
So looking at these - would I be right in thinking the shots with the red school jumpers make for better looking large pics than the pink dress. Or is the key to a good large print a bit of subtlety?

Sorry - I'm st at this colour lark - missus hates me going shopping with her - which is fine by me.


Bee_Jay

2,599 posts

278 months

Friday 5th December 2008
quotequote all
Legmaster said:
Bee_Jay said:
So looking at these - would I be right in thinking the shots with the red school jumpers make for better looking large pics than the pink dress. Or is the key to a good large print a bit of subtlety?

Sorry - I'm st at this colour lark - missus hates me going shopping with her - which is fine by me.

Yup, you would be right - strong colours for big impact. Those pink dress ones I don't like, but the wife does - I think they need more punch, like below, and for our customers in this situation we do tend to wind them up a bit and turn up the blacks too.

As to subtlety, that is down to your own particular taste, though in this case I would defer to your wife's opinion if I were you!!! wink I have some bold ones in one room, and more subtle in the other...

Your post has driven me to upload a couple from a shoot a couple of weeks ago, the slaphead with the beautiful girls is me, sorry - (rex took these !) - We don't post customer's images without permission of course, otherwise I could show you literally thousands...

The last is a favourite of mine from a couple of years ago when they were younger.





Edited by Bee_Jay on Friday 5th December 22:00

Bee_Jay

2,599 posts

278 months

Friday 5th December 2008
quotequote all
P.S. - for canvases for customers and ourselves, we use Tim of Fluid Images - a fellow PH-er (ROADRUNNER3).

www.fluid-images.co.uk



Edited by Bee_Jay on Friday 5th December 21:58

Legmaster

Original Poster:

1,275 posts

237 months

Saturday 6th December 2008
quotequote all
Cheers for the help mate (sorry for the delay - been to the pub).

I love that last shot and if my kids look half as natural as yours whilst within a studio environment I'll be chuffed.

Don't worry I'll be showing missus this thread in the morning so she makes the choice on how to dress them. I don't even know where we keep the kids clothes in this house...

I'd already spotted the good feedback for Fluid Images from a search here, hence why it's better for to buy the images and order elsewhwere (but don't tell him as I'm after a deal for five 20 x 30 canvasses wink)

Again, thanks for your help, I'll post my pics when I get them.

Cheers
Andy

Legmaster

Original Poster:

1,275 posts

237 months

Saturday 6th December 2008
quotequote all
Ok - went to get the pics done this morning and the best selection is online for me to view/choose.

Whole lot here; http://www.bulletsolutions.co.uk/parkers/sparkweb/

Looking for views as to which pics would make good large canvas prints, I quite like these:



'Small fry' looking at her sisters seems to add something to this shot to me. Perhaps shop the feet/rabbit ears out on the right..?




About the only time the three of them looked at the camera and smiled at the same time (like hearding cats...).


And these three as separate (A3 size?) prints could possibly work.






Any advice / pointers welcome

Oh and 3 hrs from the start of the shoot to the pics being online is pretty bloody good service if you ask me.


Bee_Jay

2,599 posts

278 months

Saturday 6th December 2008
quotequote all
3hrs is good service!!! We shoot 10-12 families a day on our weekend shoots and usually can't be arsed to get round to sorting the shots for a week or so.

Looks really nicely lit (apart from 43 which is a bit bright on the left) and quite a good job - you chose well on the clothes. Nice to see the classic jumping shots - they always sell well!!!

I would definitely shop out the feet in that first shot if you can, and I like the fact that they are not all looking at the camera - that can sometimes really work well. I would go for this one one a smaller canvas, maybe 14x20 or so.

Looking at the set, no. 12 looks a bit leggy, I would have got the 2 older girls to tuck their legs back. I like the stool shots, there's something a bit cool about them.

What is the deal on the photos, are you getting all of them for £70 (+ £30 sitting)? If so that is a very good deal. We charge £10 for the sitting and £150 for the images.

I finally posted the rest from when rex I shot my family in November during our lunch break here if you are interested: http://www.pbase.com/baguleys/november_2008 (my kids are excellent models now, both very used to it - eldest comes up with pose ideas and the youngest loves the camera...)


Edited by Bee_Jay on Saturday 6th December 15:05

Legmaster

Original Poster:

1,275 posts

237 months

Saturday 6th December 2008
quotequote all
Thanks for the feedback again - most helpful.

Kids picked their own clothes out in the end and the type they are wearing exactly fits their personality - so that works well for family prezzies.

When I initially asked for the images it was £30 for the shoot and £70 for a 'copyright CD' as the gun'nor called it. The quantity of images was not mentioned. Canvas prints at the shop are approx £35 more expensive across the whole size range compared to Fluid. I've mentioned this and he said we'll do a deal next week. So we'll see.

I'm really happy with the pics and I'm going to buy the hi-res images regardless of where I eventually get the prints.

Again thanks.

PS
Bee_Jay said:
usually can't be arsed to get round to sorting the shots for a week or so.
Is that one of your marketing quotes wink

GetCarter

31,293 posts

309 months

Saturday 6th December 2008
quotequote all
Bee_Jay said:
P.S. - for canvases for customers and ourselves, we use Tim of Fluid Images - a fellow PH-er (ROADRUNNER3).

www.fluid-images.co.uk



Edited by Bee_Jay on Friday 5th December 21:58
Just got my first Fluid Image canvas. Top quality. Highly recommended.

Bee_Jay

2,599 posts

278 months

Saturday 6th December 2008
quotequote all
Legmaster said:
PS
Bee_Jay said:
usually can't be arsed to get round to sorting the shots for a week or so.
Is that one of your marketing quotes wink
I'll make sure I've put it on the website. TBH, after 2 straight days on a weekend and 22 families the last thing I want to do is look at them all again - at least not for a few days!!! wink

ROADRUNNER3

480 posts

252 months

Sunday 7th December 2008
quotequote all
[quote=Legmaster]Thanks for the feedback again - most helpful.

Kids picked their own clothes out in the end and the type they are wearing exactly fits their personality - so that works well for family prezzies.

When I initially asked for the images it was £30 for the shoot and £70 for a 'copyright CD' as the gun'nor called it. The quantity of images was not mentioned. Canvas prints at the shop are approx £35 more expensive across the whole size range compared to Fluid. I've mentioned this and he said we'll do a deal next week. So we'll see.

I'm really happy with the pics and I'm going to buy the hi-res images regardless of where I eventually get the prints.

Again thanks.


I'd be delighted to come up with a price for the canvas prints - pm sent, let me know.

Tim

www.fluid-images.co.uk

www.fluidimages.co.uk


Edited by ROADRUNNER3 on Sunday 7th December 14:32

Legmaster

Original Poster:

1,275 posts

237 months

Sunday 7th December 2008
quotequote all
ROADRUNNER3 said:
I'd be delighted to come up with a price for the canvas prints - pm sent, let me know.

Tim

www.fluid-images.co.uk

www.fluidimages.co.uk
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