Printing Images Pittsburgh in Color

After spending the day photographing your child, family event, or your favorite scene, you find the perfect image you want to print.  You go to your favorite frame store and find a beautiful frame for the photo.  The frame matches your decor perfectly or it has a great saying on it.  Immediately, you know exactly where to hang the photo.  However, when you attempt to print it as an 8x10 or 16x20, you notice that the image doesn't fit in the crop line for an 8x10 or 16x20.  Why?  Without getting too technical, images out of the camera will fit 4x6, 8x12, 16x24, etc perfectly.  In the past, images would print as 4x5, 8x10, 16x20, etc.

What should/can you do to get the image to fit in the 8x10?  This is what I do.  First, if I didn't shoot the frame loose (with plenty of room around the subject to crop as an 8x10) and I do not want to cut off any part of the image, I crop the image in post production.  One method that I do is to create a digital mat in either Photoshop , or Fotofusion.  Normally, I use Fotofusion (Extreme) and utilize templates I built previously and modify for the current image.

Within Fotofusion, I create a black canvas set to either 8x10 or 10x8 and use the tools within the software to mat the image.  After creating the canvas, bring the image onto the canvas and adjust accordingly to the size of the mat you want.  In this image, I used 3/4 in on the top and both sides with 1.25 inches on the bottom to include some text.  By using post production software such as Photoshop, Fotofusion, or Photoshop Elements, you maintain control of the cropping and type of mat you would like for your image. There are many plugins and templates available for all three of these products but I will reserve discussing them for a future post.

This method is an easy way to get nice looking matting for your images and have them still fit in your standard frames.  By using post production software, you can create many types of matting and designs.  In the first example, the layout is very simple.  In the second example, I have more than one image and added more text. Software enables the photographer to design many interesting creative images.  Regardless if you are just starting or an a seasoned photographer, there are many creative options for today's photographers.  

Images and designs by Pittsburgh Wedding Photographer Frank Kendralla
www.kendrallaphotography.com

Pittsburgh Engagement Photography - will you marry me?

The question is asked, "Will you marry me?"  Tears flow and the guy has a tough time speaking.  Maybe a few hours or days before, he met with his future bride's dad.  Do her parents like me, will they accept my request to marry their daughter?  He was scared, what if I am turned down, what if she laughs, what if she says yes?  So many questions and thoughts flow through the young man's mind as he walks with his future bride to a quiet place to 'pop' the question. 

Then they are at the perfect place, a place where he thought about many times before.  The young man gets down on one knee and - "will you marry me?"

She shouts with passion and love in her voice, "yes, I will marry you!"  And a new entry in the notebook of love and romance is written.  Reminding me of the great movie, "The Notebook". 

Images taken during an engagement shoot are one way to recapture that special day when the groom to be, asked the love of his life, "will you marry me".  Andrew and Vanessa were engaged on the walkway to the Gateway Clipper in Pittsburgh, Pa.  Yesterday's post provided a few more details of the engagement session as we walked through the streets of Station Square and rode the incline to Mount Washington. 

Engagement images by Frank Kendralla

www.kendrallaphotography.com

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Nikon D300

Nessa & Drew Wedding Engagement Pittsburgh, PA

Nessa and Drew were engaged near the Gateway Clipper in Pittsburgh, PA.  The images in this show are a reenactment of the original day that Drew proposed to Nessa. On the original day, Nessa was surprised but obviously accepted his proposal.

During this reenactment of their original engagement date, we walked along Station Square in the South Side of Pittsburgh, PA photographing along the way to document their beautiful day.  The weather was perfect during the evening and into the night.  After we grabbed a few fun shots behind the Grand Concourse, we moved our way along the river to a remnant of the industrial days in Pittsburgh.  We stopped at a flower stand along the walkway in Station Square and headed to the incline leading to Mt. Washington.  Mt. Washington presents an amazing view of the beautiful city of Pittsburgh and provides thousands of photography related opportunities.  While walking through the streets of Mt. Washington, we found a small but inviting set of shops which included an ice cream shop.  Nearby was an colorful mural of houses and trees on the wall of an old building and we couldn't pass up the opportunity to play and grab some fun shots.  Enjoy the slideshow to some romantic music.  Later in the week I will post a few still images of the engagement shoot which covered a beautiful section of Pittsburgh, PA.





Nessa and Drew - Pittsburgh - Engagement from Frank Kendralla on Vimeo.

Heart Mender - Andy Andrews - New Book

If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter, then you know that one of my favorite authors is Andy Andrews.  The Lost Choice, The Traveler’s Gift, and The Noticer are three of the best books I ever read and are among the top books that I recommend to everyone.  He has a new book entitled “The Heart Mender” and when I finish reading it, I will post a quick review and note here and on Twitter.  Last week, I reread The Traveler’s gift and as always, it touches my heart and challenges me to think about the 7 decisions outlined in the book.  If you never read The Traveler’s gift, then I highly recommend you either read it or listen to it as an audio book.  It is one of those books that I can read repeatedly but never grow tired of its content and gain something new each time.  

Check out the promo video on his site here and watch for a review of the book later in the month. 

Have a great week and just as this sign states - The Adventure Begins:

This image was shot in Orlando, Florida.

I would love to photograph a wedding in this area.  The lines and textures are beautiful. The only downfall, I would be on image overload.  Never wanting to stop taking pictures.  :-D

dr. Frank

 www.kendrallaphotography.com

www.kendralla.com

Birthday Cake How to photograph

First - This is one of the cutest Birthday cakes I ever saw - Who would think to make a 3-D giraffe birthday cake? The cake is too cute to eat but the folks in attendance ate it up quick.

This cake was made by Amy's Cakes and I am always amazed how nice her cakes look.

Second - When I saw this cake, I thought, I better get as much detail as possible.

The first tip is NOT to use a direct flash on the cake. A direct flash will destroy most if not all of the detail. Keep in mind that shadows help with dimension and this cake needs its dimensions shown off. :-D

I used my Nikon SB800 on the camera and pointed it to the wall next to the counter (camera left). It created a soft light on the left side of the cake and a soft shadow on the right side.

I used the same technique to photograph the back of the cake (I did the same for the side and a few close ups of the 'feet'.) The critical point is to diffuse the flash. I used the wall and it created a very soft large light that wrapped around the cake's features. If a wall isn't close enough to bounce off or if the wall is very dark, then have a guest with a light (hopefully white) shirt stand near the cake and bounce the flash off their shirt. I have a large and small reflector that I use when needed.

Another key point about photographing cakes is time. Rarely is there time to set everything perfect compared to a controlled shot at home or in a studio. Since this cake had some much character, I took more shots than I typically do for a 'flat' cake. Therefore, it is critical to get the shots of the cake as soon as possible. I try to get the shots as soon as I arrive to the event-reception. This buys me a few minutes and eliminates rushing. If you wait until minutes before the cake cutting, you might miss something.

I use the same technique as a wedding photographer when I am photographing a wedding cake. If special lights exist, use them to create drama. For example, if the party or wedding reception has a DJ that utilizes uplighting, then their lights create very nice accent lighting on the cake.

This was shot with my Nikon D300 and Tamron 17-50.

Frank Kendralla

Pittsburgh Wedding Photographer

www.kendrallaphotography.com

Economy village Ambridge part 2

A few more pictures from Old Economy Village. This is a beautiful setting for weddings and portraits.

I can imagine the giggling of littler girls as they run around the ground covering and hid behind the stone building sitting in the far back left.

Regardless of where I stood in the area, the beautiful clock was seen. No doubt it was done purposefully since everything within the village was done with thought and precision. The stone walls protected the grounds from some of the dirt and dust from the nearby river.

Images by Frank Kendralla

Wedding and Portrait Photographer

www.kendrallaphotography.com

www.kendralla.com

Economy village - Ambridge PA with the kids

We took the grand kids to visit Old Economy Village in Ambridge, PA and had a great time. It is a historical landmark dating back to the 1800's. Please visit their site for detailed information. Historically, it is filled with tremendous information and the guide was very knowledgeable. There were a few other guests that toured with us. The tour started with a brief video about the Village and the history of the Harmony Society. After the video, a tour guide dressed in similar clothes that were worn by the women of the Harmony Society takes you back in time and discusses each room/building and its historical significance.

Our guide explained many fun and insightful facts about the Harmony Society. Since we had our grand children with us, many of the questions were directed toward them. No doubt, this made the tour entertaining and enjoyable for the kids.

Photographically, it is filled with a gold mine of photo opportunities. Although the look is much different than some of my recent post and travels, it is no less exciting and colorful. The village is located within thirty minutes of our home and is another example of great photo opportunities close to home.

The gardens within the beautiful buildings and landscaping are available for weddings and other portrait sessions. I can image the look similar to weddings seen in the many wedding magazines. I wonder how many wedding coordinators and brides 'to be' know of this beautiful opportunity. This is another example of a beautiful place within Beaver County, PA and very close to Pittsburgh, PA which is a beautiful setting for an outdoor wedding. In addition, how many wedding and portrait photographers realize this beautiful facility is available for weddings and portrait sessions.

As I walked through the buildings and down the streets and heard school kids playing, I wondered if the founders of this beautiful historical landmark ever thought children would play in the area. (The society practiced a vow of celibacy. Men and women married but never having children or enjoying them.)

Images by Frank Kendralla

Wedding and Portrait Photographer

www.kendrallaphotography.com

www.kendralla.com

Jared Platt - check out his work and blog

This image was shot during my walk around Station Square in Pittsburgh on a very cloudy, rainy day.

Frank Kendralla

Wedding and Portrait Photography

I am not sure how I stumbled upon this blog site but when I did, I knew I must share it with others. He has great information, photos, and great tips for using Lightroom. Jared Platt - check out his work and blog.