New Horizons

New HDR Haybale Wall Print

2011-11-25T12:20:00.001Z

I've been digging through my photo archive and found a haybale image which I really like, but had forgotten about! This one is an HDR image comprised of three separate photos with different exposures, blended together in the great HDR software that is Photomatix.

The picture has been on one of the leading royalty free stock photo sites for a while now and it's generated a fair amount of interest so I'll shortly be adding it to the Fotoviva landscape collection, available to purchase as wall art.

I'm not keen on the overly saturated and halo-esque hdr imagery that some photographers do. Personally I just find it a great way to turn a shot into something resembling how it looked. Hdr works especially well with high contrast scenes like sunsets, where you either end up with a blown out sun or no detail in the shadows. Subtlety is the key with Hdr processing as it can turn an image into a right mess!

Once the hdr image had been processed I moved the picture into Photoshop to tweak the finer detail and create what you see here. So what do you think? If you have an hdr photo gallery feel free to post your link in the comments, it's good to see other photographers work.

My Photography Gallery Profile Page

2009-10-27T12:34:00.003Z

Finally I have got around to creating individual portfolio pages for the photographers on Fotoviva Art Prints. Mine is the first to be launched so please take a look in my Photography Portfolio Gallery

It brings in all the images I have for sale over on Fotoviva and also includes a short biography about me and my photography. Don't laugh at the photo, it will have to do until I find one better!

All my photo collection are available to buy as canvas prints which are wrapped around a chunky wooden frame and ready to hang. Also acrylic mounts are available which are a more modern alternative to canvases. These are printed on high grade artists paper and sandwiched between two sheets of acrylic panels which gives a great finish. The print is pushed away from the wall thanks to the brushed aluminium fixings in each corner.

Have a look at my images and see if there is anything that takes your fancy.

karmasix Photoblog - Creative Art

2009-06-12T15:08:00.007Z

I like to explore the web and its usages and one thing I found interesting is Wordpress. As most people who blog will know, this is a blogging software that is free and easy to use and yet very powerful once you get into it.

I have several different Wordpress blogs which are hosted on certain servers but thought I would try the free hosted wordpress.com version, hence my new photoblog called karmasix.

The free version is limited in its functionality and expandability but for most people it is absolutely fine. You can add various extensions and plugins to it for a small annual fee if you want to delve a bit deeper but then you may as well just use the full package and host it yourself as hosting costs hardly anything these days.

I'm using karmasix to present some of my photographic work that I have created recently. Some of it is not what you would call standard photography as I have discovered the joys and creativity that Photoshop and textures can add to an image, bringing it into another visual dimension.

Take a look at karmasix and please feel free to make a comment on the photos I upload. It's always nice to get some feedback on artwork and another eye can point out issues which I may not have noticed when creating and uploading a picture late at night when my eyes are tired!

UKBF - UK Business Forums

2009-05-21T11:59:00.002Z

If you run a business then there is no better place than the UKBF for learning things related to running a business, helping others and finding answers to questions you might have.

The forum is moderated well and there is a wealth of professionals offering free advice to everyone (and a few plugging their services) but overall it is an active, lively and thoroughly helpful forum for business owners or anyone looking to setup a business in the UK.

Many sub forums are available such as Legal, SEO & Marketing, Accounts and IT. This means no matter what your business related questions is, you are sure to find someone who knows an answer.

There are also over 45,000 members on the UKBF and whilst a proportion of those will not be active members, the forum does seem very active with many posts appearing every day. I've tried a few forums in the past but this one is one of the more helpful ones around and doesn't seem to be spammed too badly with the usual stuff! I've even ugraded my membership to the paid level which gives you even more useful resources for running a business.

Shoot over to the UKBF and see how they can help you.

Canvas Wall Art Makeover

2009-01-08T12:09:00.003Z

Fotoviva has had a makeover for the new season which many say is a vast improvement on the already stunning looking design! The new colour scheme and tweaks here and there help to create a more focussed online gallery which is clearer and easier to use to buy your canvas wall art prints from.

We have gone for a clean, green look and added a dark background that helps to draw the eye into the main content better. The individual product pages have been revamped and now list the whole print finish and sizes together rather than in a dropdown. The homepage now features more images in the centre which helps to show the wide selection of art we have available.

There is more to come in the near future as Fotoviva expands it's range of stunning photographic art and continues to grow into the only place you need to go to buy inspiring prints as canvas wall art, acrylic mounted prints and fine-art posters.

LinkedIn Networking

2008-12-15T16:19:00.002Z

After several years of dismissing LinkedIn requests from friends and business acquaintances I finally relented and opened a LinkedIn account to begin networking with people. If you don't have a clue what it all is have a look at my LinkedIn Profile and have a read.

LinkedIn is all about networking, mainly in business circles rather than the friendly Facebook side of things. There are no Pokes, apps or comments to waste time with, but with a little searching you will find many people you know already on LinkedIn.

Business Consultancy in Worcester

2008-10-29T12:41:00.002Z

Ruth Edwards Consultancy is a Worcestershire based company that helps you and your business to run more effectively so you can concentrate on the things you do best. Ruth offers a wide range of consultancy services such as Recruitment, Diary Management, Event Planning, Word Processing and many more helpful skills.

Ruth has run change management workshops and made many presentations on marketing and proposal topics. She operates as an internal consultant offering research and data analysis services amongst others.

If your business is based in Hereford, Worcester, Gloucester, or the West Midlands you could save your company time and money by calling Ruth to discuss how she can help your company improve its efficiency and returns.

Visit the website www.ruthedwardsconsulting.co.uk for more information or call her on 07891 777464

Your Photos Printed on Canvas

2008-10-13T09:58:00.004Z

With Christmas fast approaching we all get the annual "what am I going to get them this year?" thoughts and begin to trawl through Amazon and the 'real' shops in search of that special gift that stands out from the rest.

Well here's an inspirational idea for you - get a canvas printed from one of your own images! These stunning canvas prints look great on the wall and will really show off your camera skills. Fotoviva Art Prints now offer a great value for money Photos on Canvas service which will enable you to put those holiday, family or pet digital photos to good use rather than sitting on your PC hardrive.

It's simple to create your canvas wall art. Just upload your digital file, fill in some details and your size preference and you're done in under 5 minutes! With prices starting at £35 you really can't go wrong as they make a gift that shows you have put a lot of thought into. You can pay by credit card or Paypal so all transactions are safe and secure.

The canvases themselves are printed on 100% artists cotton canvas and wrapped around a thick 38mm wooden frame that is sourced from sustainable forests. We try to do our best to protect the environment with all aspects of our printing and finishing. A low vapour emitting UV varnish is applied to protect the final canvas from dust and marks. They come ready to hang on your wall with a metal fixing that attaches to a screw on the wall.

Simple. Beautiful. Stunning.

Helen Steward - Worcester Florist

2008-08-29T11:28:00.003Z

If you are looking to buy flowers online in the Worcestershire area of the West Midlands then take a look at the website of Helen Steward Floral Services. You can buy a selection of flowers via the easy to use and safe website but Helen also offers a very personal service to suit your floral needs in Worcester.

Helen is friendly and professional and can offer her floral services for weddings, funeral, events or just for thank-you gifts. So take a look at her business for Flowers in Worcester and see what beautiful arrangements she can offer.

Support the World Wildlife Fund (WWF)

2008-07-22T10:48:00.001Z

Squidoo Photo Lens

2008-04-29T10:09:00.002Z

Check out the new Fotoviva Art Lens at Squidoo for another dose of Fotoviva funkyness! If you haven't heard of Squidoo it's a website where you can build a 'lens'. A lens is one person's view on a topic that matters to them. It's an easy-to-build, single web page that can point to blogs, favorite links, RSS feeds, Flickr photos, Google maps, your eBay auctions, etc. Free advertising in effect!

Global Warming News Blog

2008-04-25T13:36:00.003Z

The Green Republic is a news blog site that aims to highlight the growing need to promote and understand about the environmental issues we face today. It features green product reviews, climate change news stories and animal welfare topics, together with views on the main green news items that are featured. The Green Republic is a great place to keep up to date with all the issues we need to know about if we are to revert a global landslide and save our planet and its species.

EDIT: This website is no longer available

A Thought for Life

2008-03-14T16:00:00.001Z

"We are consuming the earth's resources 20% faster than they can be sustained."

What to do with £26m?

2008-02-07T15:26:00.000Z

So just imagine theoretically speaking you find yourself with £26m to spend on anything you like - what would you buy or do with such an obscenely vast amount of money? Perhaps buy an island? Maybe a nice pad in every country you like together with a chopper to get you there?

Or maybe you would donate £20m to various charities around the world to help starving children, animals or whatever. You know, do the right thing. Still keep £6m for yourself? Not too bad.

Just think how you could change so many peoples/animals lives with that money, what good you could do for humanity!

Or you could do what some selfish idiot has done and spend it on a Francis bacon Triptych painting to hang on the wall. Words cannot describe how crazy this is. I don't care if the new owner has spent £200m on charity - it still doesn't make it right to blow 26 BIG BIG ones on a painting.

Rant over...

Art Prints Going Green

2008-02-01T15:35:00.000Z

As can be seen in more detail on the Fotoviva Photo Blog, we are now a more eco-friendly art company as our canvas prints are going green! It's a step in the right direction which we all need to do to help save our planet, but if you have any other suggestions on how to reduce our carbon footprint then please do let us know :-)

Pacman will never die!

2008-01-29T14:40:00.000Z

Fotoviva get Nikon approval

2008-01-22T10:28:00.000Z

Finally got some complementary calenders in the post this morning to confirm my own wildlife photograph entitled 'Rising Swan' has been used in the official Nikon calender for 2008. They had already paid me for it but until I saw it in the flesh I never really believed it! This picture has received heaps of praise since I took it in 2006 and it is my greatest photographic achievement so far!

You can see the image by clicking on this Swan Art link which will take you through to the main site and a direct link to the award winning wildlife photo itself. You can buy the print online there as a poster or canvas art for your walls.

New Photographic Gallery

2008-01-05T18:08:00.000Z

I have a new showcase for my photographic work at jasonwickensphotography which is a Clikpic based online photo gallery. This is another website to sell my own art prints from, along with Fotoviva Canvas Art and my ImageKind Photo Print Pages. Clikpic is useful for photographers who want their own online photo portfolio website to showcase their work from.

Have a look around, it's still work in progress at this stage but does include images not found on Fotoviva. Contact me through that site if you would like to purchase one of my prints.

Imagekind Gallery Art

2007-12-05T10:36:00.000Z

I have just opened a gallery at Imagekind to sell some of my work to customers in the USA. You can see the available art prints at my Imagekind Art Gallery where you can purchase prints as canvases or framed posters. Currently at Fotoviva Art Prints we do not offer framed prints so this is a bonus to buyers, especially from the USA.

I'm just testing this online gallery out first to see how sales go so for now there is only one gallery with the allowed images uploaded.

New Blog Site!

2007-03-18T15:51:00.000Z

We have been busy working on a new photoblog which has just launched so please amend your bookmarks and head on over to the new site from now on. Sadly this will therefore be the last post on this site but it all continues at the new location so fear not ;-)

See you on the other side folks...

New Photo blog coming

2007-03-16T15:11:00.000Z

If you're a regular visitor here and are wondering why it has been a little quiet lately, that's because we are working on a lot of 'stuff' behind the scenes. There are big expansion plans for the main Fotoviva Photography site but also we have been busy applying the final touches to a new blog which will be finished next week.

We will post the new blog link here when it's done and hopefully we'll have a big announcement when the new blog goes live.

Until then, keep shooting and please visit the site!

Free Desktop Wallpaper!

2007-03-01T09:28:00.000Z

On Fotoviva we now have a monthly wallpaper you can download for free to pimp your computer screen! Different pictures will be made available every month so you can choose as you like and bring a bit of beauty to that dull old PC!

Come and have a look at this month's free wallpaper and check out our new photo uploads while you're there. We have some nice snow pictures and a wonderfully atmospheric hay bale image in our landscape photography section.

New Picture Upload

2007-01-27T15:14:00.000Z

Here's a new photo you can buy on fotoviva in the Architecture series of images.

This has been enhanced using Photoshop to really show off the gold colours against the gritty walls. It was taken in the quaint town of Lagos in the Algarve which is a really nice ancient maritime town to visit if you go to Portugal. The old town has some fine examples of old school architecture which looks so much better than the bland structures that go up these days. I guess it's all down to money in this day and age where it's cheaper to build plain buildings than make them look individual and with character. I know what kind of building I would like to look at though!

For more information on Lagos go to the wikipedia page.

Create a soft focus effect

2007-01-27T14:47:00.000Z

Here's an easy way to create the effect of a soft focus filter on your camera using Adobe Photoshop. You may have to adjust the settings to suit your photograph and the resolution but it gives you the general idea.

1. Open your photo in Photoshop.
2. Duplicate the layer by going to the LAYER menu and selecting DUPLICATE LAYER.
3. From the FILTER menu go to BLUR>GAUSSIAN BLUR and apply a setting of 15-25. This is based on a 6MP image. Use a little less for smaller images or more for 8-10MP pictures. This will apply the blur to the duplicated top layer.
4. From the layer pallete, reduce the opacity of the top blurred layer to around 10-40%. Play with the opacity until you are happy with the result. This allows the sharpness of the original layer to show through whilst creating the soft focus effect on the top layer.
5. Go to LAYER>FLATTEN IMAGE to make the photo just one layer and save.

You can play with the layer effects in the layer pallete before flattening to create some special effects. From the blurred layer select OVERLAY or SOFT LIGHT and see how it effects the image. You can create some really interesting effects by choosing how the top layer blends with the original. Play with the opacity again if you choose another blend mode.

Here's an example of the soft focus effect as seen on one of my dogs...click for larger photograph

New Picture Upload

2007-01-20T21:41:00.000Z

Our newest addition to the fotoviva library is a nice monochrome photograph of Coniston Water in the Lake District. This shot was taken a couple of years ago using my old Fuji S7500 camera. I have retouched it in Photoshop and added a subtle soft focus glow.

You can purchase this art print in our Black and White section of fotoviva.

In the coming weeks I'll be posting a blog showing you how to create a really nice soft focus effect to your images using Photoshop. Stay tuned folks!

Another New Upload

2007-01-14T12:52:00.000Z

Another addition to the black and white images category on the fotoviva website, this twisted old tree was captured in the Lake District last year on a hike up around Coniston Lake's hills. There really is so much photo opportunity up in the Lakes and we hope to go there again later this year.

You can find this image in our Black and White section of fotoviva.

New photograph uploaded!

2007-01-13T16:05:00.000Z

We have just uploaded this beautiful Amaryllis photo taken just a few days before it fully flowers. This image is available in all sizes and was taken with a Nikon D50 in RAW mode. It is available in all sizes as either giclee canvas print or as a quality poster. You can find the image in our Macro category and is available to purchase using the secure Payapal system.

Shoot in RAW

2007-01-05T19:50:00.000Z

One of the best things I have come across to help perfect your photos is to shoot in the RAW format rather than JPG. Some photographers would disagree and say you should get the shot right first time in camera without post processing on the computer, but I disagree. With RAW you can either make minor adjustments to make it perfect or drastic changes to give your image a different 'feel'. Most of the pictures on fotoviva are taken in RAW mode.

If you have a point and click camera, chances are you won't have the RAW option, but if you have a DSLR or bridge camera you should find it under your settings. You will also need a program such as Adobe Photoshop or some other image software that supports RAW files. Photoshop is one of the best and has some great features in the program.

So what is so good about RAW?
When shooting in standard JPG format your camera takes the settings and creates a jpg with them. With RAW your camera takes the settings but does not embed them into a file. It simply says "these are the settings you used, but feel free to change them to suit before finalising to jpg.

You can change the white balance, exposure, contrast, and many more settings. It's well worth it to get that perfect result. But remember, it's always best to try and get it as near to perfect as you can in the first place, rather than relying on with RAW settings.

You can find a great tutorial by Adobe here.

Happy New Year!

2007-01-02T10:58:00.000Z

Thanks for checking out fotoviva's first blog posting, and a happy new year to you!

Back on fotoviva you can expect some changes to the site and many more quality photographs being uploaded. We hope to offer a framing service soon and are currently looking for a good supplier in the UK. Plenty of other secret surprises are planned for the site so stay tuned!

Best wishes,
fotoviva