Category: Photography Page 6 of 24

Tips and guides for readers who want to take better photos to display on their Nixplay Frames.

5 creative ways to showcase your valentines day pictures

5 Creative Ways To Display Your Couple Photos

On February 15, 2019

If you celebrated Valentine’s Day like many people around the world did, you probably took lots of photos of your dinner, the presents you received, and your significant other. It was probably a memorable day for you, and the memories you captured on your phone or camera deserve to be displayed in their full-color glory.

Instead of letting the images languish on your phone, you should take out your precious photos and show them to the world! Sure, you can set the photos as a screensaver or wallpaper for your phone, but your photos still won’t escape the vice grip of your gadgets.

It’s time to get out of the box and start thinking of brilliant new ways to showcase your photos. Here are some ways to do so.

Compile them into a photo book

Before you dismiss photo books entirely, we have to let you know that these aren’t the same as the photo albums of your childhood. Today’s photo books let you showcase the specific images you want, straight from your device, edit them for a personal touch, and print them out in the layout of your choice. You can do this yourself, or use a service like Blurb to create photo books worth displaying on your coffee table. And since you can customize the number of images that will go in each photo book, you can create separate ones for your relationship milestones, like your Valentine’s Day celebration.

Make a photo collage

Feeling more creative? You can gather all your favorite photos of your Valentine’s Day celebration, print them out, and arrange them into a heart which you can then frame. You can even add movie tickets, pressed flowers, and other memorabilia. That’s such a cute way to show all your Valentine’s Day memories, right?

Display them on a digital frame

Speaking of framed pictures: You can always print out your images and display them on picture frames, but this route severely limits the number of pictures you can display. Not to mention, you can only display so many frames around your home until it gets overrun by photo frames. Marie Kondo will say that this situation will definitely not spark joy.

You know what sparks joy, though? Having all your Valentine’s Day photos, as well as images from other occasions, on a single frame on your mantel, displayed crisply and vividly on an HD screen. You can achieve this by investing in a Nixplay Frame, the bestselling digital photo frame brand in the US. We recommend getting one for your home and gifting another to your significant other, and sharing your photos via playlists. It’s a brilliant way to stay connected, no matter where you may be.

Have them printed on a tumbler

Another smart way to display your favorite photos is to have them custom-printed on a tumbler or a flask. There are several sellers that offer this service, and the price should be quite reasonable. Want to go the easy DIY route? Get a double-walled tumbler that you can customize, and decorate it with photos and messages to one another. Now you’ll always be reminded of your lover whenever you take an h2o break!

Display them on a magnet or cork board

Here’s another great way to always see your images of your Valentine’s Day celebration: Print them out and arrange them on a magnet board or a corkboard in your home (or even your office!). Use cute pins and magnets to hold up your images, as well as letters, movie tickets, maps, playbills, and other small documents that mark milestones of your relationship.

Whichever way you choose to display your photos, always remember the most important thing: To prioritize your relationship and spend quality time with one another, photo-taking optional. Keep the love alive, Nixplay fam!

How To Make Your Valentine’s Day Photos More Interesting

By Nixplay Team

On February 13, 2019

In Photography

Valentine’s Day is almost upon us! We’re sure you already have most of the day’s essentials: A great dining destination, a gift, and loved ones to spend the day with.

But wait—you might be forgetting something. Whatever your plans for Valentine’s Day involve, you shouldn’t forget to take pictures! Make sure to have lots of space on your camera or phone, for you’ll surely be capturing so many photos.

But this year, you should strive to make your Valentine’s Day photos more interesting. Here are some easy ways to do so.

Make your flatlays more romantic.

You’ll probably be taking photos of your Valentine’s Day dinner—as you should, on such a special day. Make sure your special meal reflects the romantic air of the holiday by adding heart-shaped elements to your place setting. Consider heart-shaped coasters or placemats, maybe even a heart-shaped plate! You can also sprinkle rose petals or paper heart cutouts on the table.

Capture the tender moments.

Valentine’s Day is all about romance, so take this chance to capture all the precious moments you’ll share with your loved ones. Each stolen gaze, every tender embrace—they all mean so much more on Valentine’s Day. Even the simplest and silliest moments hold more significance on this special day. Go out, be happy, silly, and be yourself with the one you love.

Use props.

Planning a photo shoot? Don’t forget to stash some cute props! Get a bunch of red heart balloons, have a bag of candy hearts on hand, and play around with flowers. It’s easier to relax and act more natural in front of the camera when there are things you can play around with. These add a fun touch to your photos, too!

Use rose-tinted glasses…or rather, filters!

Your photos should evoke the thrilling romance of Valentine’s Day, and an easy way to go achieve this is to stick to a soft pastel-colored palette. Don’t be afraid to be a bit heavy-handed when color-grading your photos, and bathe your images in a rosy glow. If you’re posting on social media, it’s a good time to add filters to your images.

Make heart-shaped bokeh

Feeling a little creative? If you have a DSLR camera, a wide-aperture lens with a lens cap, and a string of lights, you can add cute heart-shaped bokeh to the images you capture. Get dark paper, a cutter or a pair of scissors, and some tape. Lay your lens cap on the paper, draw a circle around it, then cut the circle out. Next, cut out a heart in the middle of the paper, then tape it to the end of the lens. Now, use your camera’s manual mode, and set its aperture to its widest opening. Set your shutter speed to 1/60th, and set your ISO to 400. String up your lights in a darkened room, and focus—every light should produce a heart shape.

Don’t forget to display your images on a Nixplay Frame! Nixplay is having a Valentine’s Day sale, and take our word for this: It’s the best time to get a frame. Take this chance to get the Nixplay Iris at up to 25% off, only until February 14!

How to Make a Great Photo Book

By The Blurb Team

On February 8, 2019

In Photography

Many people who dedicate their time to making photographs also devote time for printing those images. Photo books have always been considered the ultimate final statement when it comes to showing off one’s images. But how do we make great photo books? What are the main ingredients? What about tips or secrets?

For us, it all begins with having fun. Compiling a photo book is one of the most entertaining things you can do, but the idea of doing so can sometimes seem daunting. This thought can lower the activity’s level of fun. In this case, remember to focus on the spirit of print, even if you aren’t entirely sure about every single detail.

What Do You Want to make?

Do you want to create a travel book? A portfolio? A catalog? A cookbook? Defining your project is a quick way to establish your basic needs in terms of size, page count, design, and other aspects.

Next up is the edit. Editing is truly an art form and something that can take a good book to greater heights. Think of editing as doing a giant puzzle: Start with the edge pieces first, those images that contain critical moments or information, and gradually allow the reader to fully understand what it is you wish them to experience.

Organize Away

Once you have chosen the images, it’s now time to arrange them in order. Sequencing images for a photo book is the secret step that many beginner bookmakers overlook. This of this step as the construction of the roller coaster ride you are asking your readers to undertake.

Next up is the cover. But don’t feel pressured to create the cover first. Sometimes the book needs to play out a bit before what makes sense on the cover becomes apparent. and just because you have a favorite image, doesn’t mean that picture should be on the cover of your photo book. What if your favorite photograph carries more weight when placed at the end of the book?

Be Consistent

Borders, number of images per page, image size–staying consistent with these small details allows the reader to engage with the flow of the book. You can throw in a surprise now and then, but overall consistency leads to readability.

When your masterpiece is complete, get a second opinion. Another set of eyes can save you from yourself. That image you love in your heart might not resonate with anyone else, and a trusted friend or editor can add insight and offer suggestions without damaging your feelings.

Hit Print

Don’t be afraid. Use a reputable printing service like Blurb so you know your photo book will be in good hands. The beauty of Blurb is that you can order ONE copy at a time, and that copy can remain private until you are ready to unleash it on the world. Now, all you have to do is wait–and trust us, there is still nothing more exciting than receiving a new book on your doorstep. Good luck making your photo book, and have fun!

Moments by Facebook Is Shutting Down–Here Are Other Apps You Can Use

By Nixplay Team

On February 8, 2019

In Photography

In case you missed it, Moments, Facebook’s proprietary photo-sharing tool, will be shut down for good on February 25, 2019. Moments was created in 2015 as a means for Facebook users to privately share photos outside the social media website.

“Syncing photos with the Moments app is a private way to give photos to friends and get the photos you didn’t take,” reads the app’s press release. “Moments groups the photos on your phone based on when they were taken and, using facial recognition technology, which friends are in them. You can then privately sync those photos quickly and easily with the specific friends, and they can choose to sync their photos with you as well.”

Moments by Facebook

If you don’t know what the app is all about, don’t worry—we’re not very familiar with it either. In fact, Facebook is pulling the plug because of low download numbers. From a high of 10.7 million downloads in June 2016, the app’s adoption rate plummeted to around 150,000 in December 2018—an unacceptable rate for the social media conglomerate.

If you’re an avid user of Moments, there are other apps you can use to store and share your favorite photos in a secure manner. Here are three of them.

Google Photos

Google Photos is a photo-sharing service developed by—you guessed it—Google in 2015. It gives Google users 30 GB of free storage, with the option to pay extra for up to 30 TB of space (that’s a LOT of pictures). Google Photos uses facial recognition and machine learning to identify the subjects in your images and automatically sort them into smart albums, letting you navigate your collection of memories with greater ease.

Nixplay

If you’re here, chances are you have a Nixplay frame. And while our smart frames are amazing, did you know that our app is pretty neat, too?

The Nixplay app works with Google Photos, Instagram, Dropbox, Facebook, Amazon Alexa, and Flickr, letting you display your images wherever they may be. Nixplay Frames have 8 GB internal storage, which you can fill up with hundreds of your favorite pictures. Display your chosen photos on your frame by creating playlists, and share them with your loved ones with a few clicks. Easy, right?

SmugMug

SmugMug was born from its photographer founders’ dream of having a suitable channel for their work. “Photographers needed a place online that was tailor-made for them—a place where they could stand out, shine, and share,” says our website. This cloud-based photo storage system lets you keep your treasure trove of memories—everything from scanned photos of your grandparents to your dog’s pictures–easily accessible online, without compromising security and image quality. The catch? It’s not a free service—plans start at $47.88 per year. If you’re a hardcore photographer, this is perfect for you.

4 Netflix Shows You Should Watch If You’re Into Photography

By Nixplay Team

On January 31, 2019

In Photography

It’s easy to dismiss photography as an easy art. Unlike more traditional art forms like painting or sculpture, you can see photos in seconds, with seemingly minimal effort. Anyone can take pictures—you just have to pick up a camera, fiddle with it a bit, point it at a subject, and start clicking away. Right?

That may be technically true, but it takes more than the possession of a fancy gadget to be called a photographer. There’s an art to taking frame-worthy photos, and it takes an enormous amount of passion and grit to be among the best. If you’d like to be a better photographer, take inspiration from these Netflix shows. Grab some popcorn and start binge-watching!

Harry Benson: Shoot First

Harry Benson is the acclaimed photographer behind some of the most iconic images of The Beatles. That photo of the Fab Four having a pillow fight in their room at the George V Hotel? That’s Benson’s genius at work. His repertoire is not confined to celebrities: His impressive portfolio includes images of every U.S. president since Dwight Eisenhower, magazine covers for Time, Life, and Vanity Fair, and photos of Robert F. Kennedy’s assassination in 1968. Harry Benson: Shoot First is a brilliant documentary of Benson’s storied career, sprinkled with interviews and insights into the elements that make his pictures breathtaking.

Abstract: The Art of Design

Abstract is a Netflix original documentary series that deftly picks the brains of some of the most brilliant creatives in the modern world. For shutterbugs, episode 7 (Platon: Photography) is a must-watch, letting you follow the journey of renowned British lensman Platon, who has shot portraits of some of the world’s most notable leaders, including Vladimir Putin. In the show, he photographs former U.S. Secretary of State, Colin Powell. As you watch, you’ll be able to pick up crucial lessons in preparing for shoots, establishing rapport with subjects, and communicating the right story to viewers.

Hondros

Whoever thinks photojournalism is a walk in the park obviously has no clue about the struggles and immense pressure involved when covering major events. This is especially true for photojournalists covering war zones—in order to take the perfect shot, you have no choice but to come close to the action despite the perils. And yet, for 13 years, American photojournalist Chris Hondros took photos of major conflict zones, from the 1999 war in Kosovo to the 2011 Libyan Civil War, where he was fatally wounded in a mortar attack. Hondros, directed by his childhood friend Greg Campbell, narrates the late photographer’s life and career milestones, telling the stories behind his most iconic photos and his influence on people around the world.

Tales By Light

Tales By Light, a joint venture between Canon and National Geographic, follows several photographers as they capture their adventures around the world. This Australian documentary series will take you from the jungles of Kenya to the seas of Indonesia, to the unexplored terrain of Antarctica, inspiring viewers to step up and protect our children, our seas, and our aboriginal culture. If you’ve ever dreamed of becoming an outdoor photographer, this series should inspire you to go out and start shooting.