Presenting Photo Images ( Assignment 211 part I)

As I am nearly adding finishing touches to my first theme Close ups in Nature dedicated to Spring. I thought its time to me move forward with Assignment 211 - Presenting Photo Images -what should include written account of three main points:

1. The choice of presentation method;
2. Description of methods used to present final images;
3. Contrasts the presentation method with an alternative method of presentation using, different materials.

Today photos are mostly displayed on electronic devices from cell phones to digital picture frames, from USB memory sticks to CD or DVD discs which also lead to wall mounted HDTV's. But after spending time, money and effort on taking decant pictures, it seems to me a shame to leave them a drawer or on a hard disk, never to see the light of the day again. But thanks to technical progress of XX and XXI century now there are a lot of wonderful ways in which exhibit our work. So that leads us to beginning step…to display a work in a consistent way it needs to be printed out.

Photo lab services. 

The two most popular and traditional photo services are reprints and enlargements. Most photo kiosk labs has offered these service for decades. Many of them now offer a service that accepts damaged prints, and uses digital manipulation to correct colour casts, tears, scratches and stains.

Same prints fall into 2 broad categories by size - desktop prints and wall prints.

Desktop prints are generally considered to be 8" x 10" and smaller in size and obviously, anything larger than that falls into the wall print category.

Personalized products. 

Most labs also offer us a various personalized products such as: having images placed on T-shirts, mouse mats, greeting cards, calendars, jigsaws etc...

(http://www.hhcolorlab.com/create/leather-fabric_accessories, website with a great choice of personalized accessories).

Canvas Blocks. Canvas art blocks been very popular in the last few years and now photo canvas blocks also are available. These are canvas prints stretched over a wooden frame, so they are ready to hang, wherever you desire. These comes a range of different sizes and shapes, to please any taste. http://www.canvas4life.co.uk/

Window blinds. Really personalized feel in home can add a photo roller blinds, which can be made to fit almost all windows. http://www.bagsoflove.co.uk/blinds/photo-blinds.aspx 

Engraved glass. Having images etched on to glass is the latest innovation. The image is created by a laser, which makes tiny, but visible fracture points in the glass. That kind of products include plaques, key rings, tumblers and jewellery. http://www.skydesign.biz/default.asp

 Photo Books. Digital technology has made it possible for photographers to produce 'coffee table' books containing their own photographs, with or without text and graphics. You can do it by yourself, with suitable software or get it done it for you on mostly Photo Kiosks or online. Photo books look great and are easy to handle and carry about for displaying to clients. This is one of most suitable presentation method apart from portfolio. 

But let’s going back and remember that we are, I like to think that, professional photographers to be, so and that’s mean that most of mentioned above presentation methods, apart from photo books is not suitable. Sometimes it is best to just keep the format simple to focus on the composition within the frame.

Framed Photographs.

Frames come all sorts and sizes, whatever you desire depends of your work and probably how much you are willing to spend. If pictures are part of a narrative or work well as a series, is good to consider mounting your photographs as a multiple composition. Some photographers are known for creating asymmetrical displays of their images that appear to have a random order. 

The purpose of using a frame is to set the image off from the wall or desktop environment, and highlight it without detracting from the image.

For my two themes I already decided using Photo book for my Close ups in Nature and Paper mount frames for Landscape images. As it’s still in the process I`ll be updating this Assignment part with new information any time soon….