One of the unique features of our site is the ability for anyone to create distinctive motivational art pieces for their home or office.  We allow you to upload your image or select an image from our galleries.  You can then add a creative title and motivational text to create your own unique motivational art.

We provide the tools to make creation of beautiful customized motivational art easy and affordable.  Here are the simple steps for creating your own customized motivational art.

1. You select the image you want to use from any of the following sources
   • Select an image from our global galleries    View Images
   • Select an image from an artist’s gallery       View Galleries
   • Upload and utilize your own image            Start Here
   • Select any of our existing motivational art prints.      View Motivational Art Prints
2. Add Your Title – We offer a list of common motivational titles from which you may select, but you can always enter your own motivational title.
3. Add Your Motivational Text – Similarly, we offer a list of frequently used motivational text messages, but again you are free to enter your own text if you do not find anything in our list that quite meets your needs.
4. Select the background you prefer.  We offer three different motivational art templates from which you can select.  Each template provides a decorative print background and shows you where your title and motivational text will appear.  Each motivtional art type is identified by a “Series” letter to make them easier to recognize.
   • Series C:  This style of motivational art shows your selected print against a black background with gold accents.  A gold line frames your print and your selected title is presented in an embossed gold font. Your motivational text message appears in white below your title.
   • Series D: Some prints simply look best against a white background and to support these prints we offer our Series D Motivational Art.  The resulting print has a white background against which your selected print is displayed.  Blue accent lines draw attention to your entered title and motivational message, which are pirnted in black below the print.
   • Series E: This series of motivational art uses a translucent black border that allow the edges of your selected print to show through.  The border is thicker at the bottom to provide room for your entered title and motvational message.  The title is printed in an embossed gold font and the motivational message is printed in a translucent white font.  This produces a very bold and distinctive presentation. 

Series C

Series D

Series E

Creative Uses for Motivational Art

Since you are free to select or upload the image and enter your own title and text message you are no longer restricted to the rather mundane options available for most motivational art you will find online.  Now you can create truly unique motivational art pieces to celebrate life, express your feelings, congratulate or thank others, and commemorate pivotal moments in your life.  Here are just a few ideas for ways in which customized motivational art can help you and those you know celebrate the joys of life.

Ø      Convey company objectives and values

Ø      Propose marriage

Ø      Express your faith or personal convictions

Ø      Commemorate the birth of your child

Ø      Celebrate your wedding

Ø      Reward the Employee of the Month

Ø      Celebrate an achievement

Ø      Thank a friend or important customer

Ø      Create a unique group or team photograph

Ø      Add a humorous caption to a photograph

With so many options for image, background, title, and motivational text selection the opportunity for distinctive and unique motivational art is limited only by the imagination. 

Munson Photographic offers the following galleries that you can use to present your images to site visitors.
 

• Personal Galleries

• Global Galleries

• Artist’s Galleries

• Private Galleries

Each gallery has its own unique benefits and I thought I would spend a few minutes describing the use of these galleries for those of you interested in uploading your photographs and art to the site.

Personal Galleries

Personal Galleries allow you to upload images into your account and then produce prints, cards, motivational art, and related products using your images.  If you have an image you have always wanted to print as a fine art piece, or if you have a unique image you feel would make a great card or a truly remarkable motivational art print, you can easily accomplish that by simply uploading your file and selecting the appropriate print options.  We’ll handle the rest and send your print in a day or two after ordering.  And, if you would like us to mat or frame your art, you can select these options for your prints as well.  All you need to do is register as a customer on the site and you will have instant access to all of the above features.   Click Here to learn more about uploading and printing your personal images. 

Global Galleries

People who would like to market their images to others as prints or stock images can use the Global Galleries to their advantage.  Global Galleries allow image contributors to upload images, define the print sizes and stock file sizes they wish to offer, select pricing, and define the various print options they wish to offer.  Print options include standard prints, archival fine art prints (including canvas and 100% cotton prints), cards, and motivational art. Image contributors decide how they wish to market their work, what prices they wish to charge, and what products site visitors can purchase.  We provide the tools and facilities to make it simple to manage your images online and we pay account balances for your sales monthly when your balance exceeds $100.00 (or upon request).

Artist’s Galleries

Artists and Photographers can create image galleries that contain only their work.  This can be an effective way to show the span of your work, introduce a project to site visitors, or generally provide the viewing public examples of your work.   Artists and photographers can define what, if any, prints they would like to offer of work in their private galleries.  The contributing artist or photographer can define print sizes, print pricing, and print types to be offered, including standard prints, fine art prints (including all those available in the Global Galleries), cards, and motivational art.

An additional feature of Artist’s Galleries is the ability to offer print packages.  Contributors can define any number of print packages that contain any number of prints.  The contributor then defines the prices for the package and decides which packages apply to offered galleries.  Site visitors can then select a package and pick the prints to be included in the package.  When all of the prints have been allocated, the package can be purchased and we produced the selected prints.

Prints ordered via Artist’s Galleries can be matted and framed by selecting from our high quality framing options.  When customers elect to have an artwork framed, the contributing artist receives a commission for these additional features.

This is a great way to offer a print group to site visitors or to allow site visitors to mix and match prints from the available images in an Artist’s Gallery.

Artist galleries are generally focused on print work and can not be used to offer stock images.  The global galleries should be used for stock image sales.

Private Galleries

Private Galleries are primarily used by portrait, wedding, and commercial photographers who wish to offer prints and print packages to their clients.  Private Galleries have all of the features of the Artist’s Galleries, but differ in two respects.  Firstly, a login must be defined for the gallery, and only those who provide the login can gain access to the gallery content.

If you wish to offer prints, print packages, cards, motivational art, or fine art prints to your photography clientele, Private Galleries offer a complete solution for both yourself and your customers. 

If you are interested in contributing images to the site, please Click Here for additional information.

For a great many years we have been offering our images through our ever evolving web site.  Over this time span we have added a great many features and products to our site to increase the options available to site visitors.  This has yielded a web site that has become quite flexible and extensive in its offerings.

We have decided to now provide this flexibility to other photographers and artists who wish to offer their works through our site.  Any artist or photographer can now register as a site contributor and upload their images to the site.  Once you have registered as a contributor you can upload images, select the types of products and print sizes you would like to offer, create private galleries, create print packages, set pricing, and communicate with other site members.

You have the option of offering your images as stock or as various types of art.  Art can be offered as photographic, fine art, and canvas prints, matted and/or framed art, motivational art, note cards and greeting cards.  You have control over how your art is offered, the print sizes you wish to sell, and your print pricing. 

There is no charge for registering or maintaining an account.  Your only fees are sales based.  We deduct the cost of producing any purchased products (for example, the cost of making a print) and any costs associated with completing the sale.  We then deduct a 15% commission from the sales price.  We do not charge any other fees, so if you do not make any sales, you do not incur any expenses.

You can also earn other commissions for products containing your images.  For example, if a customer purchases a framed artwork containing one of your images, we will pay you your portion for the print, but we will also pay you a commission for the sale of the matting and frame included with the purchase of your print.

Contributor Types

Here is a list of just some of the potential contributors to the site.  We have included some typical ways in which each type of contributor might offer their products and services.  Please note that any contributor has the ability to offer images using all of the methods described below and contributor types are not limited to those discussed below.

·        Event Photographers (e.g. wedding photographers).  Create private galleries for your images that allow your customers, their families, and their friends to review your photographs.  The private galleries can be password protected so only those who know the correct login can gain access to the gallery.  You can establish the print sizes and print pricing for your images and can also define a host of different print packages.  Visitors to your private gallery can then review your images and purchase individual prints and print packages online without any direct involvement on your part. When purchasing print packages customers can select the specific images, quantities, and print sizes they would like to purchase in your defined package. Once an order has been placed, we take care of producing the prints and shipping the orders.   You receive your defined price minus associated costs (e.g. the cost of making the prints and completing the sales transaction) and our 15% commission.  Customers can also select (if you offer them) canvas prints and can have us mat and frame any individual print.  You receive an additional commission on the sale of any matting or frames sold in conjunction with your prints.

·        Landscape Photographers. Optionally offer your photographs as stock images and/or as fine art prints.  You may also opt to offer your images as motivational art or as cards. You can elect to sell prints on a variety of papers and on fine art canvas. Select the print sizes you wish to offer and the pricing for each print.  When a customer purchases one of your prints you will receive your defined price minus related costs and our 15% commission.  If the customer elects to have us mat, frame, or stretch your print, then we will pay you a 10% commission on the sale of these additional items.  You can also establish multiple artists’ galleries that contain only your prints.  You again have control of the types, sizes, and pricing of prints offered through your galleries and can define print packages that allow site visitors to purchase print groupings of your images.

·        Stock and Freelance Photographers. Offer your images as royalty-free stock to stock buyers.  You select the image sizes and prices for any stock image you offer. We take care of the associated license agreements and provide image downloads for licensed customers.  Royalty-free images are only offered in downloadable form.  As a result there are no associated product production costs, allowing you to keep in excess of 80% of the proceeds from any stock sale.

·        Artists, Cartoonists, and Illustrators.  If your art can be digitally reproduced as a fine art print then you can offer your art via our site.  Similar to Landscape Photographers, you can offer your images as stock or via private artist galleries that you define.  You can define the print sizes and pricing for your art and can allow customers to purchase your prints on a variety of print media, including canvas.  You may also decide to sell your images as motivational art or on greeting cards and note cards.

·        Portrait and Commercial Photographers.  Define password-protected private galleries for your customers that allow them to review your proofs online.  You can optionally enable viewer comments so that customers can provide you with specific feedback on individual images. This can be useful for commercial photography where your customer is in a remote location but wishes to inquire or make comments about details in an image. We allow you to define the copyright owner for your images, establish print sizes and print pricing, and establish print packages that customers can purchase.  When purchasing print packages customers can specify the images they want to include in your defined package.

As an image contributor you can review the financial status of your account anytime you are logged into our site.  You can review your current balance, your payment history, and all sales transactions involving your images. We provide specific details about any costs and commissions you have paid or earned so that you can double check the accuracy of your payments.

Who can be a contributor? 

We do not limit who can register as a contributor.  If you are a professional or an advanced amateur we would love to offer your work through our site.  We have provided a wide range of facilities so that you can control how our images are offered.  If you are a casual photographer and want to create a private gallery to offer prints from the company picnic, then you are free to participate as a contributor.  If you have photographs of your child’s birth and want to share them with relatives in a remote location (who may wish to purchase prints of the newest addition to the family), then you too can register as a contributor.  We have a few restrictions on the types of material you can post including the restriction that you must be the copyright owner of the material you post.  We also restrict images containing explicit sexual activity and imagery intended to defame, hurt, or belittle others.

To review additional material about participating as a contributor simply click on the “Contributor Login” link on our home page and then click on the “Tell Me More” button.  We are confident you will find our robust site and print sales facilities worthy of serious consideration.

Sincerely,

Richard Munson

Below is a floor plan of the area we intend to use as an in-home studio.  The area is deceptively large.  The distance between the left and right sets of doors is 21 feet.  Overall the space occupies approximately 800 square feet.

Behind the doors on the right will be a storage area.  This area measures 5 feet by 13.5 feet and will offer storage for lights, backdrops, lighting modifiers, etc.  I think we will place shelves/drawers at either end (top and bottom in the diagram), leaving the middle open for larger pieces of equipment.  The large double doors should make it easy to roll equipment in and out of the storage area as required.  Dual recessed ceiling lights will provide ample illumination while rummaging about for photography equipment.

The main area of the studio will be left largely open so it is easy to reconfigure for different requirements.  The window (slanted at about 45 degrees relative to the other walls near the bottom of the diagram) will afford a nice location for natural light images, especially head shots.  The light coming in this window is normally quite diffuse since it is protected by hills, trees, and a large overhead deck.  It affords very nice soft natural light.

The dual studio entry doors (on the left) will be French doors. This serves both as an elegant entry and as a photographic prop against which portrait subjects may be posed.  The doors will have translucent shades/curtains (so they can be backlit for some images), but will also have blackout shades so the studio can be made dark when required.

Electrical outlets and media outlets (phone, Internet, TV, etc.) will be placed around the room at regular intervals.  Ample power will be provided via several circuits so that equipment and power cords can be kept, to the extent possible, near the walls to minimize tripping hazards and to keep the area neat and well organized. 

Recessed ceiling lights (represented by the small brown squares) will provide the primary illumination in the studio.  These lights will not be used for photography lighting, but will be used as house lights providing general space illumination when we are not photographing.  Two switched outlets will be provided so we have the option of using lamps in the room if desired.

Beneath the stairs of the house is a relatively large area we plan to use for storage.  The door along the top wall in the diagram will provide access to this storage area.  We plan to somehow disguise this door (not quite sure how, yet – bookcase, fake wall panel, floor to ceiling mirror?) so it will not look out of place in the studio.

The floors in the studio area are currently concrete and will need to be covered with something that allows equipment to easily roll about, while at the same time being strong enough to resist the scraping and scuffing that will result from these same activities.  I will probably opt for a simulated wood laminate as it has a warm look in photographs and will not be too reflective, but I’ve not completely made up my mind yet.

Here are a few images I took during a recent snow storm.  They are definitely indicative of the season. The last image was created by stitching together two images in photoshop.

Snow covered rock at sunset

The above image is taken using only natural light. The setting sun filtered through the trees and luckily cast shadows everywhere but on this rock. I particularly like the light at the bottom of the rock.

The shrub above was captured from a nearly vertical position while handholding. A very shallow depth of field is all that was required so I was able to keep the shutter speed high enough to support hand holding. I generally try to avoid hand holding (except with my wife, of course) whenever possible.

In this image the snow was coming down very quickly and was composed of massive flakes (nearly the size of a quarter). The rock that was in the earlier image is also present here - minus the interesting sunlight.

Snow atop a bird feeder

A bird feeder with a snow cap. The forest green color of the bird feeder against the dappled greens and whites of the forest caught my attention.

Snow Forest Panoramic

As I mentioned above, this image is a merger of two adjacent images taken within a second or two of one another. Luckily the wind was still and there was not a tremendous difference in exposure levels between the two images.

These images remind me of how cold it was on the day they were taken. Time for another cup of hot tea…

The studio will be used for portraits, commercial photography, and fine art photography.    It will also be used as a training area for studio photography seminars and a variety of other ancillary uses.

Our portrait photography consists of traditional individual and family portraits, child and infant photography, pet portraits, and boudoir and glamour photography.  Portraits can be done using very little light or a abundance of illumination, depending on customer needs and the intended artistic style of the portrait.

Commercial photography ranges from table top photography to conceptual imagery.  We do not expect to do large commercial items in this facility.  We have a much larger facility for photographing other works (e.g. vehicles) that require significant space (and/or very high ceilings).  Commercial work done in the basement studio will consist largely of table top images, food photography, and conceptual imagery not requiring a tremendous amount of space.

An essential requirement for the studio is that it be a comfortable place for both us and our clients.  Customers do not normally seek our portraits in which beads of perspiration or goose bumps are prominent features.  So clearly climate control is a requirement.

But another aspect of comfort is the general concept of personal space.  People generally do not feel comfortable if they feel congested or confined in a space.  It is essential that the studio be large enough to allow sufficient space between photographer and subject.  This is also essential so that full body images are possible and to ensure subjects are sufficiently distant from backdrops and walls to allow backlights and reduce the effects of shadows.  It must be possible to have sufficient photography equipment in the room without clients feeling they are hemmed in and confined by it.

Photography equipment is great, but it invariably gets in the way when it is not being used.  An essential requirement is a large storage area in which equipment not essential to the current photo session can be sequestered.  The storage area should be easily accessible, generally large enough to hold lights, camera stands, backdrops, and countless other accessories.  The area should also have attractive doors or a partition allowing the area to be shut from view while photographing.  Separately switched lights should be provided in the storage area to provide good vision when searching for that essential lost cable or lighting accessory.

Ideally the studio would have ceilings with a height of twelve feet or more.  Since this is an existing structure we must be content with the provided nine foot ceilings.  This poses some problems with bouncing light, but in the main it should be manageable.  Luckily we have other facilities for those images requiring higher ceilings (16 foot ceilings are available in another studio area).

I will discuss our photography equipment in another post, but we have a large compliment of lights, studio stands, shooting tables, backdrops, etc.  It is necessary that the studio have sufficient space to accommodate these items while in use, and allow them to be conveniently stored or otherwise moved out of the way when not required.

All of the studio lights and many other photo accessories require significant power to operate.  It is not only essential that adequate power be provided to the studio via several independent circuits, but that this power be adequately distributed around the space to allow easy configuration changes in the studio for different photo session requirements.  For one session it may be necessary to photograph against one wall, but for another session it may be beneficial to photograph on the opposite end of the space.  Power must be easily accessible anywhere in the studio without the trip risk of extension cords that run in general disarray across the floor.

Many of our portrait clients require a place to change clothes, apply makeup, and check their hair between images.  It is essential that a restroom with adequate lighting and mirrors be nearby to accommodate clothing changes and to allow customers to review their clothing, hair, and makeup prior to the next round of portraits.

Natural light is another essential element for portraits (and, on occasion, commercial images).  The space must have at least one window to allow natural light to be used for portraits.  Naturally, it must be possible to completely close off this light for other photographic endeavors.

General studio room lighting (house lights) must also be carefully managed.  I like having ample room light when setting up equipment and setting up a scene.  Having a bright and vibrant space is essential to comfort, ease of work, and a general sense of cheer.  But ambient room light can, especially for commercial photography, cast undesirable speculars and shadows on the subject.  So it is essential that ambient room lighting be off when setting up studio lights (using modeling lights or other continuous light sources) and when an image is exposed. I find it necessary to turn the house lights on and off innumerable times when setting up a scene or between two separate images of differing angles or configurations.  This poses a logistical problem since it is necessary to run back and for to the light switch multiple times and increases the odds of stumbling over or disrupting equipment in the dark.

I have historically solved this problem by using remote wireless control for the house lighting.  In this way I am able to turn the lights on or off from anywhere in the studio without having to move from my location.  In general this is done as I peer through the camera view finder to ensure unwanted shadows and speculars disappear when the house lights are out – but I often use the same approach if I need, for example, to hold something in place, turn off the house lights, and remotely fire the camera shutter.  For me, it is essential that the studio be equipped with an efficient and reliable wireless control for the house lights.

Media access is also an essential consideration for the studio.  While we have separate offices for most computer usage, it is still beneficial to have a computer with internet access available to show clients how to use features of our web site or to look up general information that may be beneficial to a photo session.  Obviously the studio could also benefit from a telephone.  Internet and telephone outlets should be available in a couple of different locations to support changing photo session requirements.

Another media requirement is general entertainment media.  While I never watch TV while working (well, I might watch if a mega disaster was unfolding), a television is quite beneficial for displaying digital images for general composition and lighting.  Clients like seeing images as they evolve and often have interesting posing (or composition) ideas after seeing earlier images.  Audio speakers are not necessary when displaying photographs, but music can be quite beneficial in setting an overall mood and getting clients into a relaxed state more readily.

The studio must have an elegant entrance with a small but comfortable waiting area just outside.  The studio should be easily accessible to those with physical limitations and must be generally devoid of any safety hazards (tripping risks, fire hazards, low ceilings, protrusions, etc.).

There are obviously innumerable other possible requirements that could be imposed on a studio. There are undoubtedly countless other requirements that I hold subconsciously and have yet to clearly stipulate.  But, if you spot something that I’m clearly overlooking, let me know.  If you have other requirements that you utilize for your photography, let’s hear it as well.

My wife, Nancy, and I recently moved to a new home and will be building a photography studio in the basement.  I thought it might be interesting to discuss the requirements for the new studio, its design, the construction process, and ultimately how it functions as a working portrait and commercial photography studio.  I will welcome comments, suggestions, ideas, and any cautions others may have as the studio progresses from conception through to completion.  I will make this a series of posts, each discussing a different aspect of the studio design, construction, and operation.

The home we purchased is a newly constructed “daylight rancher.”  This style home has an upper floor that comprises the primary living quarters.  Below this floor is a basement in which at least one wall has windows and, usually, an exterior door.

In our case the basement is quite large (2300+ sq. ft.) with three sides of the basement open to light.  There are windows on each of these three sides.  The basement has a walkthrough arrangement with sliding glass doors on opposite walls so that it is possible to walk into the basement from one side of the house and exit the basement on the other side.  Altogether this design provides ample natural light and avoids that dark cave-like feeling that can occur with some basements.

The basement is unfinished but has a few stud walls designed to support the upper floor.  The ceilings are generally nine feet high, but a few areas have ventilation ducting that limits the ceiling to eight feet.  The basement is essentially divided into three large functional spaces.  We will use one space as a second master bedroom suite (with bath), the second (and largest) will be used as a large bonus room, and the final area will be utilized as the studio.

The studio area of the basement as home construction neared completion.

The studio will occupy approximately 800 sq. ft.  In the photograph above, the distance measured from the 2×4s on the left to the right wall (below the header beam) is just over eleven feet.  The distance from the header beam to the back wall (by the screen door) is just shy of 26 feet.  This area is naturally set off from the remainder of the basement and the wide space below the header beam will offer an attractive and elegant entry. I am optimistic that the studio will provide a comfortable, attractive, and relaxing work environment for my wife and I and a professional environment where we can work with our portrait and commercial customers.

In the next post I will discuss the requirements for the studio.  This should set the stage for future discussions about the floor plan, electrical requirements, studio organization, lighting, and ultimately the construction and operations phases of the studio.  I will also discuss our uses of the space, including our camera equipment, lighting, and related studio equipment.

The natural instinct when photographing a subject (a loved one, your pet, a waterfall, etc.) is to provide a wonderfully symmetrical image with equal space above, below, and to either side of the subject.  After all, your subject is important and you want them to be front and center in your photograph.

The vast majority of images are composed with the subject centered within the frame.  There is nothing wrong with this approach, and in fact it is often beneficial or necessary to have a photographic subject framed in this manner.  But, with a bit of creative insight and some forethought it is possible to add a good deal of artistry to an image simply by moving the subject away from the center of the image.

But if you move a subject away from the center of an image, where should it go?  There is no firm answer to this question as it depends on the subject, the surrounding background, and your artistic intent – but there are some guidelines that can help make the placement of the photographic subject easier.

Divide and Conquer 

There is a general rule of thumb in photography that is often referred to as the “Rule of Thirds.”  Essentially this “rule” suggests dividing the scene in your view finder into three equal areas – either vertically or horizontally, or both.  Your subject is then placed on or near one of the imaginary lines between these areas.  The rule does not suggest that the subject must be placed precisely at the one-third point.  The exact placement is not defined because you will naturally move the view finder up or down, left or right, as necessary to compose a pleasing image.  What is important is moving the subject within the view finder so that it is generally away from dead center.

If you are photographing a landscape image then consider placing the horizon one third of the way from either the bottom or top of the image.  Landscape images in particular seem more balanced and natural using this compositional technique.  In some situations you might consider dividing the image into thirds visually, with perhaps a lake or valley in the foreground occupying the bottom third, mountains or forest in the middle, and the sky along the top third.  This has a natural pleasing aesthetic to the mind.

The human mind is very accustomed to quickly taking in a scene and deciding its relevancy.  Your eye is naturally attracted to things that stand out visually.  Your eye will also naturally detect and follow patterns, lines, curves and contours.  You can use this natural viewing behavior to enhance the visual and emotional satisfaction of your images.

Attraction Points 

When we view a photograph our eyes are naturally drawn to certain aspects of the image first.  We tend to look at bright, bold, contrasting, or colorful areas first.  If these are not readily apparent in an image, then our eyes tend to follow lines, curves or contours from the edge of the image into the body of the photograph. After that our eyes quickly dance over the remainder of the image, often following lines, curves, and contours to other areas of the image.

 

The above image demonstrates this behavior.  When you first viewed the photograph your eye was probably initially attracted to the relatively bright waterfall.  The waterfall was deliberately placed in the upper right third of the scene to maximize the visual appeal of the resulting photograph.  After recognizing the subject as a waterfall, your eyes then naturally followed the contours of the trees, mountains, and river as you visually took in the remainder of the scene.  This satisfies the emotional desire to understand the context for the image and provides an easy and relaxing way for your eyes (and mind) to examine the other parts of the image.

 

In a related way the following image captivates your attention, but this time it uses contours instead of bright areas to attract your attention.

 

 

 

Your eye naturally is attracted to and then follows the contours of the calla lily blossom.  Emotionally your eyes follow from the top opening of the lily down toward its throat as you hope to look inside the flower.  Blocked in this attempt, your eye is then attracted to the bright part of the flower and subsequently follows the lines and contours of the flower and the leaves toward the edges of the photograph.  Again, the opening at the top of the flower was intentionally placed near the top and left thirds of the image to draw your attention there and to provide a more aesthetically pleasing image.  Below is the same image with lines drawn to show the image divided into horizontal and vertical thirds.

 

Drawing You In 

Sometimes the composition of an image actually draws your eye from the edge of the picture in toward the subject.  Your eyes follow lines, color, or contours that lead from the edge of the image directly toward the subject.  In the image below your eye either followed the bright light or the curved wet roadway to the lighthouse.  Either way the image serves to “guide” you to the subject so there is no doubt in your mind what the image is about.

 

 

You will notice from the grids below that the lighthouse and the horizon are close but not precisely aligned at the one third marks.  Again, the rule of thirds is a guideline, so feel free to break the rule if the subject, the background, or your artistic fancies dictate an alternate composition.

 

 

By using the rule of thirds you can provide room for the eye to move from the edge of an image in toward the subject.  If the subject is centered, then any contours or lines in the image are less persuasive to the mind and reduce the natural inclination to follow them toward the subject.  Additionally, a centered subject may lack lines and contours of sufficient length to guide the eye through the remainder of the elements in the photograph.

Using the Rule of Thirds 

You might want to consider training yourself to use the rule of thirds almost automatically when composing an image.  Most images benefit from this compositional tool.  Then, once your scene is composed, ask yourself if deviating from the rule for this image might be beneficial.  The rule of thirds should be considered more a guideline than a rule.  Feel free to break the guideline at any time.

I have photographed in the great outdoors for years and have run into an abundance of wonderful, kind, and courteous people along the way.  I have also stumbled upon a few individuals who are - well – something less than kind, courteous and wonderful.  Some of these people have proven to be quite rude, often, I believe, without even realizing it.  After thinking about some of the events involving these people, I thought I’d provide some insight into common courtesy and etiquette matters to consider when photographing near others in the field.

Some Examples 

I can recall photographing on a very windy day at Mono Lake in California when a photographer, with his new digital SLR, stepped directly in front of my camera position to set up.  He ended up about three feet ahead of my position, blocking the lenses of both my large format and medium format cameras.  He proceeded to shoot away without regard to my frustration and several minutes later quickly and confidently folded his tripod. As he departed he gestured toward my cameras and said, “Those are sure antiques.”  I replied that indeed they were, even though neither camera was more than a few years old.

A similar thing happened in Glacier National Park in Montana.  I had set up my camera on a tripod waiting for one of several mountain goats in the area to get close enough for a good series of images.  It was in the area of a fairly crowded boardwalk and people scrambled back and forth trying to capture images of several mountain goats milling around the area.  It took some time, but finally a goat came directly toward my position, affording me the opportunity for a fantastic series of close photographs.  At the moment I was ready to release the shutter a man jumped in front of my camera and snapped away with his point and shoot camera, loudly proclaiming, “I got it!  I got it!”  The goat got it too, deciding that there was too much commotion in the area and it quickly vacated the scene.  I quietly mumbled something unpleasant as I placed the lens cap back on my camera.

These incidents are reasonably common and those who photograph in the field (particularly at locations frequented by others) learn to be patient with the general public.  After all, we do not have a monopoly on the great outdoors and must understand that everyone has a right to enjoy majestic scenery.  As a result we learn to be courteous, patient, and respectful of others.  We learn that we must patiently wait for the perfect lighting and weather, but also must often patiently wait on others nearby.

Some Tips 

Here are some tips we can all use to make photographing in the great outdoors a more enjoyable experience for everyone. 

·        When setting up your equipment next to another photographer, understand that they arrived first and have staked out a position that provides them with good composition and lighting.  You do not have a right to impose on their space, even if you are somewhat envious of their potential images.  It is perfectly fine to set up your equipment nearby, but leave adequate room for them to get around their equipment to change filters and lenses and to address any problems that may arise during their stay.

·        When near other photographers feel free to strike up a friendly conversation, but realize the photographer is there to capture fantastic images – not to talk with you.  They are likely willing to discuss general topics (the weather, the light, recommendations for a place to eat, etc.), but try to discuss these items when they are in an idle period, not while they are busily focusing, framing and metering for an image.  Realize too that they are probably not particularly interested in helping you understand how to use your equipment since such a detailed conversation is likely to cause them to miss several image opportunities (which can be quite fleeting).  Offer to buy them a drink at the end of the day and, if they are willing, broach more detailed topics in that environment.

·        Always survey the area when setting up your equipment.  You may be pleased to find that you have a clear and unobstructed shot of a natural wonder, only to discover that another photographer is set up a hundred yards behind you and he or she may be displeased to have you in their composition (this is a common problem at places like Delicate Arch in Arches National Park).  Some photographers (stock photographers, for example) may be interested in having people in their images, but most nature photographers want only the natural scenery in their photographs.  Look around and know the environment in which you are working.  When in doubt, ask if you are in the way and be prepared to move if you were not there first.

·        Keep your equipment in a reasonably confined space.  Some photographers come with so much equipment that they spread out for fifteen or twenty feet, blocking access to other photographers.  Keep your equipment to a minimum so that you do not preclude others from photographing nearby.

·        Don’t leave your coffee cups, wrappers, paper bags, film wrappers, etc. when you are finished.  Take out everything you bring in, and be prepared to ensure the wind doesn’t irretrievably carry a bit of trash over the nearby cliff face or out into the water.  This is basic common sense, but it is often overlooked.

·        Always be aware of safety issues.  You may feel agile and comfortable climbing on nearby rocks, but if you lose your balance are you likely to inflict equipment damage or personal injury on those nearby?  You might also be willing to share with another photographer that taking pictures using a metal tripod in a lightning storm may be something of a health risk.

·        Don’t be a distraction.  Photographers are interested primarily in capturing great images and should not feel that they need to keep one eye on you or your equipment at all times.  Don’t get overly dramatic if you’ve forgotten the perfect lens, a second memory card, or the optimal filter for the current lighting conditions.  We’ve all forgotten things and have had to make due with what we have in our camera bag.  Try to use this as an opportunity to be creative rather than a cause for irritation.

·        Don’t ask to borrow equipment from those around you.  You are responsible for being prepared for your photography outing.  Photography equipment is often expensive and delicate.  Another photographer does not want to lend you one of their tools because a) they may need it themselves, b) they don’t want to forget you have it when they are leaving, and c) they don’t want the risk of it being damaged.

·        Try to stay cheerful.  People can be trying, but most are courteous and good hearted.  A cheerful demeanor can work wonders when asking someone to comply with a simple request. 

If we all think a bit about the others around us, we can help ensure that photographing in the great outdoors is every bit as wonderful as we had envisioned before embarking on our trip.

Modern cameras have a remarkable ability to properly set the proper combination of shutter speed and aperture to obtain a correctly exposed image.  Camera manufacturers have invested tremendous resources into their complex and sophisticated metering systems to ensure that you have accurately exposed images (and to serve as a valuable sales feature for their cameras).  As a result, these systems do a remarkable job of deciding precisely how much light needs to enter your camera to properly expose an image.

But, despite all their sophistication, these are only machines, and machines can be tricked into making errors.  There are specific situations in which the metering systems of all cameras will consistently make bad exposure decisions, resulting in bland, oddly colored, or poorly exposed images.  You have undoubtedly had some of these images yourself, but were perhaps at a loss to explain how it happened.

How Light Meters Work

Light meters are designed to calculate how much light should fall onto your digital sensor (or film) based upon the current shutter speed, ISO setting, aperture, exposure mode, and flash mode settings of your camera.  Sophisticated metering systems in quality cameras are able to sample and average light from numerous areas of the scene to give a highly accurate exposure reading.  These same metering systems often allow you to select alternate metering modes that enable you to specify, for example, which part of the image should have the most weight in this metering decision.  These metering systems are extremely accurate, unbelievably flexible, and amazingly fast.

But regardless of how sophisticated the metering systems are in a camera, they all use the color gray as the basis for measuring exposure levels.  There is a U.S. standard for this gray (ANSI PH3.49-1971) that recommends (but does not require) it to be the color of gray that reflects 12.5% of the light that strikes it.  There is no international standard for a specific reflective shade of gray to be used by metering systems and camera manufactures do not always conform to the U.S. standard.  However, camera manufacturers almost universally base their metering systems on some shade of gray with a specific reflective value (usually somewhere between 10 and 18 percent). The metering systems from two different camera manufacturers are likely to be based on a different reflective value. For simplicity, we will refer to the reflective level as 12.5%, but realize that your camera manufacturer may use a somewhat different value as the basis for its metering system.

The shade of gray used in the design and calibration of metering systems is essentially a mid-tone gray.  It is not very bright, nor is it very dark.  It is generally thought to be the average level of light reflected back from a typical scene.  If you were to calculate the reflected light from all of the highlights, shadows, and mid-toned points in a typical scene, they would generally average out to about 12.5%. This average reflective value is what your camera is looking for when it tries to determine the correct exposure for a photograph. It will assume it is looking at a 12.5% scene and will adjust the aperture or shutter speed to correctly expose for 12.5%. So, while you are thinking of a photograph with brilliant reds, blues, or greens, your camera is thinking about how beautiful your photograph will look at 12.5% gray.

In reality this metering works extremely well for most images.  The 12.5% gray is a mid-tone color, so as long as your scene has a lot of mid range colors or hues in it, your camera will provide a proper exposure reading.  The vast majority of images fall into this mid range category and so cameras produce excellent metering results in the vast majority of cases.

Images consisting largely of neutral colors are easily and accurately metered by most cameras.

When Light Meters Sin

But, have no doubt about it, your light meter will lie to you.  It has lied to you in the past, and it will lie to you in the future.  We have all been lied to, by our cameras, by acquaintances, by sales people, and by people we don’t even know.  One of your responsibilities as a thinking individual it is detect when we have been the recipient of a lie.  As we become more worldly, we naturally strive to detect situations in which we are about to fed a lie.  As a photographer you will want to view your camera’s metering results with a healthy bit of skepticism and do some additional fact checking before deciding if the camera’s perspective on things is accurate.

Light meters are prone to fabrications when their basic measurement assumptions are violated.  If a scene does not consist predominantly of neutral colors that on average net out to 12.5% gray, then the meter will produce inaccurate results. It will presume that the scene should be 12.5% gray and will produce a meter reading accordingly.  So, if your scene is one of a vast snowy field, the camera will assume that all the white should really be gray, and will produce an exposure reading that produces, well, gray snow.  If you’ve taken pictures in the snow, and everything looks rather drab and gray, you’ll know exactly who (or what) produced the underlying fabrication.

Naturally, light meters can produce exposure errors in other situations as well.  If you photograph the side of a black car, the resulting image will likely look like you photographed a gray car. Again, the camera is trying to set an exposure in which it presumes everything will net out to 12.5% gray.  The camera has no way to realize it is metering a black car.  It just does its programmed thing and yields an exposure setting that presumes the scene is of a mid-toned subject.

Scenes that consist predominantly of bright colors can also cause metering errors.  These colors are outside of the 12.5% gray norm and as a result the camera can produce an exposure level that will leave the bright colors muted and lacking in vibrancy.

Images consisting largely of white, black, or vibrantly colorful subjects are the most susceptible to metering errors.

Well, what are you going to do about it, that’s what I want to know?

If your scene is predominantly white, dark, or vividly colorful, then you would be wise to know that your camera will likely not produce accurate meter readings.  In a sense, you know it is going to lie to you before you ask it to meter the scene.  The only remaining questions are how big is the lie, and in which direction is it slanting the truth?

Lets first address the directional question.  If your subject is bright (snow or vibrant colors), then the meter will produce a reading that will result in under exposure.  It essentially adjusts the exposure level until it is comfortably in the 12.5% region. The snow will be gray, the vibrant colors will look flat because of insufficient light entering the camera (think of how colors are washed out on a moon lit night).   If your subject is predominantly dark (many dark shadows, black objects, extremely overcast) then the meter will over expose the scene, yielding gray shadows and over exposed highlights.

Now for the more difficult question.  How much is the meter in error.  This will often prove very difficult to ascertain, especially in scenes with mixed subjects, for example a snowy field with some gray sky and a tree line in the distance.  The exact metering error can be difficult to ascertain.

Compensation Strategies

There are some rules of thumb and practices that can be employed to ensure an accurate exposure in these complex metering situations.  The first and most widely used method is bracketing.  Take a picture with the camera’s suggested metering values, then take at least two additional images that progressively favor the likely error direction of the meter.  So, for snowy scenes, you might bracket by taking two additional images that open the lens (or reduce the shutter speed) by 1/3 and 2/3 of a stop.  Some professional photographers will bracket one full stop in such situations, just to be sure they have covered the full range of likely possibilities.  If the scene is predominantly dark, then bracket by closing down the aperture (or increasing the shutter speed) in the same 1/3rd increments.  One of the bracketed images should be correctly exposed.

By using bracketing it is possible to obtain an accurate exposure in complex metering conditions.

Another method for obtaining accurate exposures is to rely on the camera’s metering facilities.  If your camera has the ability, select spot metering.  Spot metering limits the area of the scene being metered to a small circle that is somewhere between 1 and 3.5 degrees. Now identify a portion of the scene that is a mid-toned area that has light representative of the overall lighting on the scene.  Meter on this area and then lock this metered value (usually by holding the shutter release button depressed half-way) and reposition the camera for your desired composition.  Press the shutter release all the way to capture the image with an accurate meter reading.

Another accurate way to obtain an exposure in these situations is to use a separate hand held ambient light meter (also called an incident light meter).  Use the light meter to measure the amount of original light hitting the scene and then set your camera to match the indicated shutter speed and aperture settings.  No compensation is normally required since these meters read the amount of light hitting the scene, and not the amount of light reflected back from the scene.  Simply put the light meter near the intended subject, point the meter toward the camera and then take your reading.  These meters are extremely accurate and will help you produce images that are properly exposed.

It is not always possible to use an incident light meter (for example, you may not want to disturb freshly fallen snow to take the meter out into the scene). In such cases you may be able to measure similar light that is falling somewhere else.  Simply place the meter in this light and point it at the same angle you would have used if you were pointing the meter from the scene back to the camera.  The meter reading you take should be identical to the one you would have obtained from the actual scene.  If obtaining an incident meter reading is not possible, then rely on spot metering or bracketing (or perhaps some combination of the two) to obtain an accurately exposed photograph.

As a photographer you must develop an appreciation for light.  As many photographers have said in the past, “It’s all about the light.” One of our primary tools for capturing this light is the exposure meter built into our camera (or a separate hand held meter for those of us who use larger cameras or do studio work).  It is essential that you recognize lighting situations in which this essential tool can produce inaccurate exposure values.  In these situations you will need to intercede and adjust the exposure settings on your camera to accurately produce the image you have in mind.

Depth of field refers to the span of distance in which portions of a photograph are in reasonably sharp focus.  For example, let’s say you are taking a picture of a creek and notice through your view finder that everything from a tree on the near side of the creek to a large rock on the far side of the creek are in focus (this will only occur if you have the depth of field preview button on your camera depressed, but hopefully you get the idea even if your camera does not have a depth of field preview button).  You further notice that items in front of the tree and beyond the rock are not in sharp focus.  What you are seeing is depth of field in action.  The depth of field in this case is the distance between the tree and the rock.  If you are taking a picture of a large meadow, with nearby shrubs and distant mountains that you want to be in focus, then you would want a substantially larger depth of field, ranging from a few feet in front of you to the distant mountain peaks.

How Much Depth of Field Do I Need?

Depth of field is one of the artistic control mechanisms available on nearly any sophisticated camera.  The right answer to the above question, within certain limitations, is as much or as little as you want. By proper selection of lens, subject distance, and lens aperture, you have a great deal of control over the depth of field in your photographs.

Low light and slow film forced a small aperture selection, resulting in a limited depth of field in this shot.

Only the geese are in relatively sharp focus. The portions of the pond in the foreground and behind the
geese have been rendered out of focus. This serves to highlight the geese as the subject of the image.

You may wish to use a shallow depth of field to keep your subject in sharp focus, while allowing other elements in the photograph to fade away into soft focus.  On the other hand you may feel it is important to show your subject in its full context and may therefore wish to have everything in the image appear crystal clear.  How much depth of field you present to your viewers is primarily your artistic choice.

Controlling Depth of Field

The three primary elements you can utilize to control depth of field are lens selection, aperture selection, and subject distance.  Large format cameras have additional depth of field control mechanisms that we won’t discuss here.  Instead, we’ll briefly touch on each depth of field control available on most 35 mm digital and film SLR cameras.

A wide angle lens (perhaps 35 mm) inherently has a larger depth of field than a high powered lens (say a 300 mm lens).  To get the largest depth of field when capturing images of wide open spaces, most professional photographers utilize a wide angle lens (though they may use another lens selection for artistic reasons).  A wide angle lens captures a broader area of the landscape, and perhaps more importantly, offers the most depth of field, which is important when you wish to hold both nearby flowers and distant trees in sharp focus.

But what if you want to take a picture of a somewhat distant deer at the edge of the forest. If you select a wide angle lens you will have great depth of field, but the deer may appear as a small speck in an otherwise great outdoor photograph of a forest.  Clearly a higher powered lens is required to narrow the subject of the photograph to the deer.  You should be aware in this case, however, that your lens selection will result in a shorter depth of field than would have been provided with a wide angle lens.  However, the subject of your photograph requires, almost demands, that you utilize a more powerful lens and you must therefore rely on other mechanisms to control depth of field.

If you have the opportunity to photograph a deer in the wild you will probably be able to maintain significant depth of field even with a high powered lens.  It is unlikely a deer in the wild would be very close, so you have the advantage of distance to control your depth of field.  The further your subject is from your lens the greater depth of field you will experience, even with a high powered lens.  As your subject comes closer to your lens you will experience an increasingly smaller depth of field.  This shrinking depth of field can be very obvious in extreme close ups.  For example, detailed pictures of parts of a flower require the lens to be very close to the subject, perhaps only inches away, and the resulting depth of field may be only a very small fraction of an inch (a quarter of an inch or less in many cases).

A shallow depth of field can draw attention to a portion of an image

But all is not lost when you find you have a limited depth of field due to lens selection or subject distance.  An additional control mechanism for depth of field is your lens aperture selection.  Using a smaller aperture (for example f16) will result in greater depth of field than will a wider aperture (lets say f4). So, if you wish to increase depth of field you could to use a smaller aperture (higher f-stop number).  If you desire to minimize depth of field, then selection of a wider aperture is a fast and convenient option.

How Much Depth of Field Do I Have?

OK, now that we have some idea how to control depth of field the next logical question is naturally, “How much depth of field do I have with my current subject distance, lens selection, and aperture selection?”  This information can be accurately obtained from a series of tables printed out for your specific lens size.  There are countless web sites that will tell you the depth of field for a specific camera format (e.g. 35mm), lens size, subject distance and aperture setting (do a search on Depth of Field Calculator to find hundreds).  These calculators are great and they provide a good sense for how depth of field varies, but they are often of little practical use in the field where you need to set depth of field quickly.  After all, that deer may not wait for you to refer to your depth of field tables before moving off into the forest. Even though these tables are somewhat limited for field use, I would still recommend reviewing them because they will provide  you with significant insight and will help you establish some “rules of thumb” for the types of images you regularly capture.

Some lenses have a calibrated dial on the barrel from which you can directly read the depth of field for any selected aperture.  Simply focus on your subject (to accurately capture subject distance) and then read the depth of field from your lens barrel for your selected aperture.  For example, if you decide to use f8 as your aperture then you can read directly from the dial how much depth of field you will have at f8.  A left ‘f8′ mark on the lens barrel will indicate the minimum distance that will be in focus, and a right ‘f8′ mark will indicate the maximum distance that will be rendered in focus.  If you want a different depth of field, then you can review the other aperture markings on the dial to determine which aperture would come closest to your desired depth of field. All you need to do now is set your aperture to the value you read from the depth of field dial.  This feature is increasingly rare on modern lenses, but many lenses still offer the feature.

Use wide angle lenses and small apertures to obtain the greatest depth of field in landscape images.

If your camera has a Depth of Field Preview button (generally available on more expensive cameras) then you can use it to visually see what portion of your image is in sharp focus.  Depressing the button will stop down your lens to your currently selected f-stop (the lens is normally opened to the widest aperture to let in the most light for focusing - when you press the shutter release the camera sets the lens to your selected f-stop just before opening the shutter).  When the lens is stopped down two things happen.  You will be able to see in the view finder exactly how much depth of field will be rendered in your captured image, and the amount of light will be reduced (assuming you have not selected your widest lens aperture).  If you are working with adequate ambient light and a moderate aperture setting (perhaps f8) then it should be fairly easy to see whether the current depth of field satisfies your artistic intent.  If there is limited ambient light or you have selected a small aperture (say f16) then it may be difficult to see the image through the view finder in enough detail to make an assessment of the current depth of field.  In that case you may need to fall back on your general understanding of what controls depth of field and make an educated guess as to the best f-stop setting for your subject.  This is where previously established “rules of thumb”, the depth of field dial on your lens barrel, or printed depth of field tables may be of benefit.  You may also wish to bracket your image using several different f-stops to ensure one of the images has your desired depth of field.

Macro Lenses and Depth of Field

Many people enjoy using a macro lens to capture close up images of smaller subjects.  Flowers and insects are common subject material for macro photography.  Depth of field can play a very critical role in determining the viability of a photograph captured with a macro lens.

When taking a photograph of a normal subject with a typical camera lens it is not always obvious that the distance from the camera to the subject plays a critical role in depth of field.  Aperture selection can generally be used to select a reasonable depth of field so that the resulting photograph is pleasing to the eye. But as the camera comes ever closer to the subject then the distance between lens and subject increasingly becomes the most significant factor in determining depth of field.

Extreme close up photography results in very limited depth of field

If you examine close up images of flowers you will generally find that only a portion of the image is in sharp focus.  This is because the lens is so close to the flower that subject distance has become the predominant factor in determining depth of field.  Even at f16 or f20 the maximum depth of field may be as little as 1/4 of an inch.  Moving the lens back a few inches will provide a significant increase in the depth of field.  Photographers generally have to make compromises between composition (a tight close up versus a more distant image) and depth of field.

One common misconception people have about macro photography is that by selecting a higher powered macro lens they will be able to have greater depth of field.  On the surface this seems to make sense.  To capture the same portion of a flower, a 200 mm macro lens will allow you to be further from the subject than a 100 mm macro lens.  This reduces the effect of subject distance on depth of field.  Unfortunately, this is considering only one variable in a multi-variant equation.

The factor that is typically ignored in this equation is lens selection.  Recall that a higher powered lens has less depth of field than a wider angle lens.  As it turns out, the increase in depth of field afforded by the greater distance is almost exactly countered by a decrease in depth of field from a more powerful lens.  If you take a picture of the same portion of a flower with a 100 mm lens and a 200 mm lens at the same f-stop, the depth of field in the two images will be virtually identical.  The primary advantage of a higher powered lens in macro photography is that the additional distance it provides between lens and subject allows flash to be more easily applied to the subject.  It is also beneficial in cases where a skittish subject, such as a lizard, may not tolerate a closer camera lens.

Experiment with Depth of Field

Depth of field is a powerful tool for artistic control of your images.  Try various lenses (or zoom settings) to see how, for a given f-stop, they can produce dramatically different depths of field.  For a given lens you might also experiment with minimum and maximum aperture settings to see how depth of field can vary substantially over this range.  And finally, take some close up pictures and pictures of distant subjects to see how depth of field varies when you hold the lens selection and aperture selection constant, but vary subject distance.  You will soon be amazed by how much sway you have over your image composition and presentation using this single artistic control element.

Here is a brief list of the tools we utilize to produce our fine art products.  I’ve also included a brief discussion about the usefulness of each tool to help those of you who are considering purchase of a similar product.  Many of these tools are somewhat pricey, but they are intended to be professional tools that yield quality results and can withstand frequent and repetitive operation.

Mat Cutter:
We utilize the Speed-Mat Esterly Standard 40×60 wall mounted mat cutter (Speed-Mat web site).  This has proven to be an excellent tool that produces very precise cuts and outstanding bevels.  It is essentially two cutters in one.  On the right side of the cutter is a sizing station that allows mat board, foam-core and even glass to be cut to size.  A built-in measuring tape along the bottom of the cutter allows the operator to cut material precisely to size.  The cutter operates very smoothly, and since the entire mat cutter is mounted on the wall, the sizing station is at a very comfortable working height (and the cutter doesn’t occupy valuable floor or bench space).

For cutting the interior windows in mats the cutting head on the left side of the cutter is utilized.  It allows easy and precise left, right, top and bottom cutter positioning.  Easily positioned production stops allow rapid setting of the desired cut positions. The actual cutting process is accomplished by pressing to insert the cutting head and then moving the cutter from one location to another.  The cutting head is then retracted by pushing a button.  The head is then rotated 90 degrees (a fast and simple operation) and the next side is cut.  Once the production stops have been set, cutting a mat window takes only about 15 seconds.  If you need to cut a number of mats of the same size, then each (previously sized) mat can be installed in the cutter and cut precisely within about 30 seconds.

Blades are very easy to change in the cutter heads.  New blades last quite some time, but a rule of thumb would be to change the blade every 10th mat or so - your mileage may differ and depends largely on the materials you are using and the size of your artworks.

This is a professional tool and is not inexpensive.  But if you want professional results, this has proven to be a fast, reliable, accurate, and elegant tool.

Framing Joiner:
For joining wood frames we utilize the Fletcher 5500 Corner Pro underpinner.  This is a free-standing, manual, foot-operated underpinner that can join a frame corner in a few seconds.  It allows one or more v-nails to be easily inserted into a frame joint to produce a sound and solid frame corner.  The resulting frame corners are precisely aligned and quite strong.

The foot-operated insertion lever allows the operator to hold the frame corner in position with both hands while inserting the v-nail using foot pressure.  This works very nicely and is simple to do.  The foot pedal can be configured so that it can be operated from either the front or the rear of the machine.  This is a preference thing, but many frames may require you to stand off to the side when depressing the pedal if the machine is configured for front operation.  If the pedal is operated from the back, then the frame is on one side of the machine and the operator is on the other.

The joiner has optional side (extension) wings that provide good support for adjacent frame sides.  This makes it very easy to put two corner pieces into the underpinner and insert a v-nail.  The two sides rest comfortably and reliably on the side wings.  When joining two identical frame halves, it is usually necessary, especially for larger frames, to provide some form of support for the opposite frame corner which can sag if it is allowed to hang in mid-air.  This can cause the joint to be ill formed if a proper support is not provided.

The Fletcher 5500 is actually manufactured by Pilm, but is sold in the US by Fletcher-Terry (and places like FramingSupplies.com).  Setup, configuration, and maintenance of the 5500 is very simple and straight forward.  This is a very easy machine to utilize and provides clean, efficient, and professional results.

The underpinner comes with an excellent video that explains how to setup, install, and maintain the machine for peak performance.  Often product videos are vague, self-serving, or confusing - but this video is excellent, right to the point, and will have you up and running in no time. 

Pilm also manufactures a number of automated underpinners that can make larger production facilities more efficient.  If you make more than a few frames an hour, then these pneumatic underpinners may prove beneficial.

Woodworking Equipment:
No framing shop is complete without at least some woodworking equipment.  We have the following tools available should we have need of them:

• Floor standing drill press (you just never know when you need to put a hole in something)
• Planer (for providing smooth faces on boards)
• Jointer (for providing precisely square wood edges)
• Miter saw (for cutting framing stock to size)
• Table saw (for rough cutting stock as reqiured - also great for cutting acrylic glazing to size)
• Scroll Saw with stand (used for cutting intricate design patterns into various materials)
• A HVLP sprayer (for applying various sealers and protective finishes)
• Numerous power hand tools including, drills, sanders, skill saws, routers, etc.

Hand Tools:
In addition to the normal screwdrivers, tape measures, pliers, and utility knives, we utilize numerous hand tools including:

• Flex point drivers (used to secure a matted artwork in a wood frame)
• Paper trimmers (trims backing paper flush with the edge of a frame)
• Adhesive Transfer Guns (when acid-free adhesives are called for)
• Canvas Stretching Pliers (for mounting canvas artworks onto stretcher bars)
• Self healing cutting mats and rotary cutters

I’m sure I’ve omitted inumerable tools, but this should provide a good idea of the type and quality of tools we utilize to produce art pieces for our customers.

We offer general information about framing tools, practices, techniques, and materials.  We will use this category to discuss the practices, tools, and materials we utilize for our products, but we will also discuss other items that we do not provide.  For example, we may discuss our fine art products and our utilization of cotton rag mat board.  This is the only mat board we use for our fine art since it is the only mat board that is of archival quality.  But not everyone needs or wants museum quality artworks.  To provide a more complete discussion we will also discuss other mat board materials that we do not utilize so that there is a complete discussion of the various products and offerings available in the general market.  Not everyone needs or wants an archival quality art piece.