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Friday, May 13, 2011

Blog pics for Magazines~are you ready?

Note: Blogger deleted this post yesterday so I have loaded it back up.
Sorry to all who are subscribers and are getting this twice.
******
If a magazine came calling to publish
your blog pics, would you be ready?
Well I did get a call from a magazine
as well as a call from an editor interested in my blog!
Yes~ it is so exciting to think of the chance to be in a magazine!!
However....
they need high resolution photos for publishing.
All this time I have been taking pics, I have been cropping, 
adding brightness and contrast and while doing so
I have been reducing the resolution of my images.
I didn't realize that!
Many bloggers make copies of their images before they 
start playing around with the pics, but I had no idea.
So now most of my old images are unsuitable.
I got my camera manual and started reading up.
I had played around with so many settings I didn't know what I was doing.
I finally found a reset button
to restore my camera's original settings.
I selected the highest quality level for images.
Then I started practicing taking better pics at higher resolution.
That means doing the work while taking the picture
instead of doing the work at your computer monitor.
Making sure I put only what I want in my view finder,
knowing that I won't be cropping.
Framing each image...
Making sure that I adjust the light so it doesn't need correction.
Taking many pictures to get one shot right. 
The shot of the room above is too light.

This lighting is better. 
The best images need to be taken in natural light.
Turn off your lights and your camera flash and pray for sun~
then start shooting.
I don't have a tripod so I use a drapery cardboard tube
 to balance my camera on so it is perfectly still. 
Sometimes I use the end of a broomstick.
Or put your camera on a steady surface
 like a table top to take pictures that are clear.

Have you noticed that magazine pics have lots of 
closeups and partial room shots?
I like to take a picture of the entire room 
because I like to see the context of a room. 
It is frustrating to me to see only a small section of a room.
Its like a tease~I want to see more.
However partial shots are prettier shots.
I have to start thinking  like a magazine photographer.
So I will keep practicing. 
Photography is a big part of a blog's success.
I find it fun but also frustrating to compose a lovely image.
I wish I knew then what I know now
so all of my images could be published if needed.










30 comments:

  1. Excellent - how exciting! Your photos are marvellous. I know what you mean about playing with the camera settings. I have changed so many things on mine I forgot where I started. I've never changed the resolution though. I like to keep them big to cut down on pixels when cropping and enlarging etc.
    Well done!
    Dianne
    YONKS

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  2. How exciting is that! And thanks for all the tips on taking photos... I don't do a lot of cropping and editing (except for my header pictures) but I also wasn't aware that it reduced resolution! The above photos are fantastic!

    ~Chris

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  3. I thought they come to your house to shoot. Three of my friends had they houses shot and they came and took their own photos. Not sure why you would have to do their work??? Exciting for you!

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  4. How exciting for you! Congrats! This is really good information for the rest of us too...thank you for sharing! Great tips! Your house is gorgeous! I hope they publish a whole book about it! I'd buy a copy for sure!
    Blessings,
    Amanda

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  5. So happy for you!:)
    Thanks for the tips but unfortunately with my old point and shoot camera I cant do all of those things with it..bummer.
    Hope you are having a beautiful day!Hugs,Rachel

    French Farmhouse 425

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  6. That is awesome about the magazine. Like the person who commented above me, I also thought they came to your home and took the pics. I totally agree with you tho, I love to see the whole room rather than just little close ups!

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  7. wonderful news!
    Great photos, it will all be so beautiful!

    blessings
    barbara jean

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  8. I was asked to submit a few pics, how I wish they were coming to shoot my whole house! But then again I would probably be a nervous wreck!!

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  9. Oh my gosh.. I love that dash of pink.. and the pink mirror.. gorgeous!!

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  10. Your home is beautiful! You amaze me with everything you do! I can understand why a magazine would want photo's of your home. When Country Living came to my home for a shoot, they used a Poloroid camera to set up the shots then used the larger camera to take the picture to publish. Could the EYE-FI wireless photo upload be a way you could upload your photo at the time of taking the picture to see how it looks? Thanks for all of your sharing!

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  11. what beautyfull rooms! love all the little details you put in; and the pink mirror is so great to! want to be a follower if thats ok. love your style very much! warm wishes and a creative week! di
    ;0)

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  12. Great tips! So, now I have an excuse not to doctor my photos up! I'm going to have get my manual out to see if I'm taking photos on the highest resolution. The above photos are beautiful! Doesn't hurt that you have lots of pretty subjects to photograph either.

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  13. Congratulations! You are so deserving of a magazine shoot.

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  14. How exciting Amy! These pictures look beautiful! Martina

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  15. Woo hoo getting those calls!! I doubt I would ever be called by a magazine but I would love to take better pictures and always read all the tips. My camera is definitely needing updating and my brain does weird things when I hear aperture etc!

    So love your home!!
    I finally got a few pics of the guestroom I have been working on done and would love for you to peek if you have time.

    bee blessed
    mary

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  16. Hi Amy,
    I am not surprised a magazine would be interested-your home is beautiful!
    Good tips for photographing your home- I didn't know about the cropping.
    Congratulations-someday you can do your own book!

    Carolyn

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  17. Beautiful Amy,
    When Romantic Homes came to me they wanted high resolution images and that was a job for me to retake shots that I could capture what they could use. Your photos look great, and the home will wow any pages of any magazine!

    xoxo
    Dore

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  18. I think all your photos are wonderful. Congratulations on a magazine calling!! Can't wait to see it in print.
    Blessings~
    PS My friend always says she HATES the teaser posts with just little pieces of a room and not the whole room .She is too funny!! lol

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  19. Congratulations, Amy! Your home is beautiful and how exciting for you!

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  20. How very exciting for you! I would have no clue how to take resolution shots. Fortunately, when a magazine did call me, they actually sent out a crew:) It was a bit stressful though until they actually got here, and they were so cool and made me feel relaxed. You are right though, it is all little shots they do take and then one big one to get the gist of how it comes together. Enjoy the process, and congrats!

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  21. I'm not surprised you were contacted...your home is beautiful. Congrats!!!

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  22. I am so excited for you! Congrats! I read today that the best time o take indoor photos os when the level of light outside s the same as the level of light inside...I.e., dawn or dusk. I think from looking back at my photos that the best were at dusk.
    -Stacy @ www.conspicuousstyle.com

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  23. Uuuuugh...sorry for all the typos. I do my comments at night on my iPad, and it is so hard not to make typos!

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  24. Congratulations Amy...so HAPPY for you!!! Great info on photo taking. Keep us posted :)

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  25. So, so. so exciting...whoever it was that called must have an eye for ah-maz-ing!

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  26. Let us know what magazine you end up getting published in. Congrats!!! Katharine

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  27. Hello Amy,

    So does that mean no magazine feature??????

    I hope not...your home is lovely!

    Janet xox

    PS...reading my manual now ;->

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  28. I hate looking back at my pictures when I first started blogging......they sucked. I'm not good but so much better. It sure does take a lot of practice.

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  29. Excellent!!.....Congratulation!!!

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