A big hello from the bedbound crafters - Page 2

Gwyneth George · 20-02-12, 02:36 PM

Hi Jo

I've found that, if I take my pictures against a white background, my pictures don't come out as well as they do on a black background (unless of course the card has a black base and lots of dark colours). It's down to how every camera reacts differently to light on their automatic settings. With my camera, if the background behind the card is white, especially if the card is light, then there isn't any contrast in what the camera sensor sees, and the darkest bit isn't really dark, so the camer adjusts to a sort of middle ground shade. By putting everything bar cards with black backgrounds on a black leather chair in front of a window I find that I get much better pictures than I ever did taking everything on a white or cream background. So I'd suggest experimenting a bit with the background.

I also take several pictures with the camera at a slightly different angle to the card, and with the card at slightly different angles to the window/light source. And take some from really close and some at various distances away. This means I've got more photos to choose from and can do fine/custom rotation if I was holding my camera at a bit of a squiff, and then crop more neatly into the card photo before resizing to around 800 pixels dimension before saving and uploading the best up to CUP. I use a piece of software called IrfanView to do any image manipulation like this that's needed. This also allows for colour correction if needed as well. You'll find that there's an assortment of different software that us CUP crafters prefer for these jobs, so if one doesn't suit you then another may.

Have a play around and experiment would be my best advice. You are then sure to find the right combination of circumstances that produce great photos for you.

GG

John Brighter · 20-02-12, 03:40 PM

Originally Posted by joanna

Hi There i,m Jo,

A huge hello from the bedbound crafters and a massive thanks to the 5 minute game last night won almost £30.00 you never guess where thats going to be spent on lol, i broke my spine hence being bedbound as i was a professional football coach for englands mens team with sven at the time, i,m also the mother of football having 4 kids and doing al i did volountary for all our local disabled kids before this happened with my heart on my sleeve, I wanted to give back to football what football had done for my son stephen who suffers from cerebral palsy and he wanted flat feet and straight legs so he could kicka ball after the england team supporting him along the way with extensive surgery on both legs it was the least i could do was to give back my time, everyone told me to slow down i was doing too much but they needed the help so i formed a league and club at charlton athletic that was 6 years ago, then one day snap, thats whre i took up card making i havnt been to use my hands that well since my lumar canal in my spinal cord causing fluid to constantley go to my pituritygland inmy brain which filled with tumors and has now packed up working, so its good days and bad days , so glad i found this site i seem to get my cards completed but not uploaded in time either too dark, shadow, so i get so disapointed especially when you go through so much cramp in your fingers to get the cards done feels like a waste of time, if anyone has any tips or tricks on how and where to take a good photo of a card as hubby has been doing it for me so far, i,m on a hospital air bed and can adjust to different angles, my bedroom is more like a crafters den i,m not joking i have the cricut and sillouhette not quite figured out the sillouhette yet so any advice would be really grateful, well thats me jo I am so lucky to have found this site and the staff have been brilliant in the office especially rob last night to call me and confirm i had won and it was,nt a hoax ITS FOR REAL so dont forget to take a look up on the left hand side it might be the change in luck i needed, hugs

Hello Jo. It's John here again. I used to take my pictures outside, but this is not really practicable during the winter. I bought a "Light Tent" from Amazon. I think it was about £30. It comes in it's own bag, with two lights and four coloured backgrounds, white, red,blue and black. It made a real difference to my photos. I take several shots with the lights in various positions and choose the best after I have run them thro' Adobe Photoshop 9, or Corel Paintshop Pro. There I enhance the pictures and Crop them so that there is little or no background showing.
The Light Tent was definitely a good buy and I bought the 80mm one.
I have not regretted buying it and really enjoy using it. Brilliant results.
All the very best to you and yours, John.
PS. It also has an adjustable column for the camera.

Margaret McCartney · 22-02-12, 06:59 PM

Wow you are one amazing lady. I was exhausted just reading about all the things that you have done over the years.

I am glad that you have found this wonderful site and enjoy making cards. When I take my photos I like to have a white background behind the cards and I sit at my desk with a window behind me to take my photos. I also have a really old photographic package that I use to crop and resize my photos before uploading to the site. If you want to send me any of your photos I will gladly crop and resize them for you no problem.

Funnily enough I find the worst time to take photos is when the sun is shining directly into the window or when it is just starting to get dark.

Happy crafting.

Margaret
www.craftsuprint.com/margaret-mccartney

Mary Murphy · 22-02-12, 07:25 PM

Hi Jo what an inspiration you are to all crafters I used to have trouble with my photos but have a new camera now and it has helped a lot. A good lot of advice there and am sure it will help others too.

Hugs,
Mary x

Susan P.B. · 22-02-12, 07:46 PM

Hi Jo. So great to hear you are joining us in the forum and thankyou for sharing with us your massive achievments. To sound so cheerful after all you have gone through shows us all anything is possible.
Photographs were the bane of my life till I got a new camera. I have a Lumix now. I use black card to back my cards and if need be extra lights on. My house faces north so I am all over the place trying for natural light if that doesn't happen then I have two portable lights that I shift around.
All the best, I hope you get many hours of pleasure with your card making. God Bless x

Kohanna · 22-02-12, 09:54 PM

Hi Jo, I'm really so sorry to hear your hardships no one should have to go through all that but it's great that your able to keep yourself occupied and find a bit of pleasure in bob's cards. It is a great site, I also find it takes my mind off my health problem, although there no where near as bad as what your having to deal with. Every time you feel low you'll have to talk to your friends on bobs crafty forum. Well enjoy your winnings. Kohanna x x x x

Helen Williams · 22-02-12, 10:06 PM

Welcome and congratulations on the win.......you are an inspirational lady thats for sure.

joanna · 24-02-12, 07:21 AM

morning friends

You dont know how much it means to me to be back with crafting friends again and having the use of my right hand hand and arm, and using my left hand and arm as a guiding hand, This site site truely is genuine and heartfelt, I never thoughti would craft again but as they sau never say never, poor hubby took nearly a week getting my crafting stuff from the attic just as well he packed it well , whilst i,m on my air bed with one of thos table top bed tables giving evering everying a wipe over, now its a matter of whre do i put everything,and what with having to catch up with the lastest treands mods and cons hubby also bought me the silouhette and the lastest cricut to help my hands stopping going into cramp every 5 mins, I sincerley treasure your welsomes and advice on the photos i will try that today, even my 9 year old daughter loves t-bag folding and decoupge shame there was,nt a kids section, Now back to you my lovlies youhave made my day as idid,nt know how crafting was now, as i always say crafters are the nicest people who share,help andlaugh with one another my motto " THERES NO POINT IN HAVING THE KNOWLEDGE, IF YOU CANNOT SHARE IT

" Please dont be strangers i notice some faces i have actually purchased some designs from and its helping so much to stimulate mymind again its untrue just takes so long , but i think thats more down to frustration, john i will post somepics as me as a england coach with svemjust before the accident soon,still abit raw but they are great pics from allover the country and training with eric harrison hes been david beckhams coach since david was 13,they reallyare lovley guys,football is a beautiful game but a horrible bussiness trust me,
well hugslove and happy crafting today everyone
Jo xx

Helen Jennings · 24-02-12, 09:12 AM

Have a fabulous crafty day.

SalG74 · 24-02-12, 01:31 PM

Hi Joanna, all I can say is wow! You are truly inspirational! I'm looking forward to seeing some of your crafty creations

Sal x

Site Navigation

Help & Info

Copyright