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5 Things You Can Do With All The Travel Photos You Took This Summer

5 Things You Can Do With The Travel Photos You Took This Summer

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On August 20, 2018

In Photography

Summer’s almost over, and we’re sure you went on a few out-of-town trips to enjoy the great weather. You probably also took hundreds of photos to immortalize your trip, as you should.

Now, we’d like to ask you a question: What have you done with all the photos you took? Are they still languishing in your phone or camera’s memory card, with none of them (save for a couple of Instagrammable ones) ever seeing the light of day?

If you find yourself nodding along—we’re guilty of this, too—then here are some things you can do to truly immortalize your photos. This way, if you find yourself reminiscing about lazy days in far-off places, you’ll know exactly where to look.

1. Organize and back them up

The first thing you should do with your travel photos is to go through all of them and sort them according to place or date. More importantly, don’t forget to back them up on an external hard drive or better yet, on a cloud-based data storage system. This way, if your computer breaks down or your memory card gets corrupted, your photos will remain secure.

If you don’t have the time or the willpower to go through your images one by one, you should try using Google Photos—it automatically sorts your images and keeps them secure online at zero cost. How’s that for hassle-free?

2. Share them on social media

Just because you’re back from your trip doesn’t mean you can’t upload your vacation photos anymore! Your Instagram or Facebook account, your rules—and if you want to upload a photo from your Barcelona tour a month ago, you shouldn’t let anyone stop you from doing so.  You may be back in your “real world,” but you can still let your social media persona bask in vacation bliss.

3. Frame them

When you have dozens of photos of beautiful places and incredible moments, it can be difficult to pick a few to print and frame. The easy solution: A digital photo frame that can store and display hundreds of images. NIX digital frames have USB and SD card ports for your pictures, while Nixplay Wi-Fi Cloud Frames lets you store and access your images and videos from the cloud.

And since we already mentioned Google Photos in a previous item, here’s another great thing it can do: If you have a Nixplay Frame, you can enable your Nixplay app to access your Google Photos account so it instantly updates the images on your frame for you. Displaying your travel photos has never been so easy!

4. Create art based on them

During your trip, you were probably lucky enough to take photos of some incredibly majestic sights. It doesn’t have to be something incredibly spectacular—a vivid sunrise or a particularly tranquil afternoon at the park can be just as inspiring. If you’re artistically inclined, take out your paints and brushes and paint your interpretation of the scene. If you’re pleased with your work, hang it in your home for an instant feel-good vibe.

5. Do some scrapbooking

Do you tend to keep tickets, receipts, cards, stickers, and other small printed paraphernalia accumulated during a trip? Take them out of the box you’ve been keeping them in and arrange them in a scrapbook along with printouts of your travel photos! This way, your children and grandchildren will have a well-preserved glimpse of all the adventures you’ve had.

Mars Salazar

Marianne is Nixplay’s Web Content Editor. Her hobbies include exploring new places, playing table tennis, and cuddling puppies. Send her a message at marianne.salazar@nixplay.com.

Nixplay Guest Blog - Mark Condon

The 5 Best Investments You Can Make For Your Photography

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On July 25, 2018

In Photography

Taking photos and preserving all of life’s precious memories is so important in this fast world we’re living in.

Even if you’re just using a smartphone to capture all those special moments, that’s better than nothing.

Here are 5 investments you can make to improve your photography this year.

1. Invest in a good camera.

There’s no getting around it – a dedicated camera is still better at taking photos than your phone! Even with the ability to blur the background, take panoramas, shoot multiple frames a second, and all the other fancy features available to smartphone users, phones still can’t compete with “real” cameras.

Don’t worry though – you don’t need to spend an arm and a leg to get a great camera. There are plenty of affordable entry-level DSLR cameras available, some of which cost less than you might imagine.

There are plenty of different features on modern cameras that may or may not be relevant to you, but at the very least, I recommend that you choose a camera with good autofocus. It should also feel good in your hands.

In my experience, a lightweight compact camera is much more likely to be carried by you in your back pocket or handbag than a bulky DSLR. However, it might not feel as nice in your hands.

A nice compromise is a mirrorless camera, which offers great features in a lightweight package, and often with good ergonomics too.

2. Invest in a good lens.

If you own a camera with a fixed lens (i.e. one that can’t be changed), you can skip this section. There’s nothing wrong with cameras with fixed lenses, but I’m referring here to inter-changeable lens (ILC) cameras.

When you buy your first ILC camera, there may be a lens that comes bundled with it. This ‘kit lens’ is normally something like an 18-55mm zoom lens, which is a good way to get to a grip on your first few snaps.

You’ll soon find, however, that the kit lens is usually a little limiting, especially in low light where they typically tend to struggle.

If your budget allows it, investing in a ‘prime’ lens with a fast aperture can do wonders for your photography.

Having a fast aperture will allow you to shoot in low light without a flash, and allow you to blur certain foreground/background elements. This will help give your photos that ‘wow’ factor, making your subject pop out from the image.

Fortunately, each camera brand offers affordable, fast prime lenses. Just look out for a small ‘f-number’, which designates a larger aperture and a faster lens. (If it’s all a bit confusing, you can learn more about aperture here.)

3. Invest in a good tripod.

If I could choose one accessory for your camera which can help improve the quality of your pictures and open up a whole world of creative opportunity to boot, the humble tripod would be it.

These three-legged friends allow you to stabilize your camera, meaning you can get the sharpest possible photo. While you can certainly get a sharp shot without a tripod by combining a fast shutter speed with a steady hand, tripods allow you to really get the most out of the resolution of your camera.

Tripods also make it easier to take a proper panorama, or to experiment with panning shots or long-exposure landscape photos, like those beautiful flowing water shots that you’ve no doubt seen.

A tripod lets you take jaw-dropping images such as this one.

A tripod can help you achieve jaw-dropping photos that simply aren’t possible when you’re holding your camera with your hands. Image by Mark Condon.

There are plenty of affordable DSLR tripods available, and some that are compact enough to carry with you in a coat pocket.

Even if you’re just using your smartphone, a smartphone tripod can allow you to experiment a bit more with your photos. It’s also a good way to easily snap a selfie or group shot!

4. Invest in education.

This investment can be less about money, and more about time. After all, you can learn photography for free using all the online resources at your disposal.

Many of the professional photographers I know learned a lot from watching YouTube, or reading popular photography blogs.

Education may simply mean reading books, which is another wise investment of your time. Books about the basics of photography will help initially, and looking at photos taken over the years by master photographers will help train your eye into recognizing what makes a great photo.

Investing in education doesn’t have to mean enrolling in your local photography school, but if you have something like that available, it can be a great first step.

You can learn all you want by watching free internet videos, but having someone physically move your fingers into the right positions, or point out the correct way to frame a photo, is invaluable.

5. Invest in a way to share your work.

Getting your photos viewed by others is an essential step to improving at photography. Whether that means investing your time in building a photo blog to show off your shots, or simply uploading your photos to social media, improvement comes when you are open to critique.

Whether or not you can trust your friends to be honest enough about the quality of your photos to offer any useful critique is admittedly questionable, but at least by having your friends’ encouragement, you’ll be motivated to keep taking photos.

I remember when I did my first photo project, and posted a new photo on Facebook every day for a month. The words of encouragement I received there made me realize that there was an audience for my photography, leading to a career as a professional wedding photographer.

Another great way to share your photos is by using a digital photo frame. Last month I spent some time reviewing the best digital photo frames, and was surprised at how easy it is to share the photos that I take on a daily basis.

All the Nixplay frames are stylish in their own way, and beauty certainly is in the eye of the beholder, but for me at least, the Seed stands head and shoulders above the rest.

As strange as it may sound, I particularly I like the rear of the device. It looks clean and neat, with the power cable acting as a stand.

Although not unique to the Nixplay Seed model, I’m also a big fan of the Nixplay Frames’ Wi-Fi functionality, which makes transferring and managing the images sent to my frames a cinch…and also a lot of fun! Being able to take a photo on my camera or phone then instantly whizzing it halfway around the world to the Nixplay Seed sitting in my family’s living room is simply mind-blowing.

Knowing how happy a photo can make someone is a great motivator to keep pushing the shutter button.

Mark Condon

Mark is the founder of Shotkit, a site which gives photography enthusiasts a peek into the camera bags of the world’s best photographers.

https://shotkit.com/

This Is The Best Thing You Can Do For All Your Photos

By

On May 9, 2018

In From The Nixplay Team, Photography

Taking photos is one of the best ways to preserve life’s most precious moments, whether it’s a Sunday dinner with the whole family or your grandchild’s first steps. But what do you do with all the pictures you’ve taken? Saving them on your computer is the first step, but it seems like a waste to just let them languish on a hard drive forever.

Luckily, digital frame company Nixplay has a solution for that. Because Nixplay’s joining the Google Photos Partner Program and using the Google Photos Library API, you’ll soon be able to securely access even more of your most treasured memories on your Nixplay Wi-Fi Cloud Frames anytime, anywhere.

A concept presentation of how Google Photos will be integrated with the Nixplay mobile app. This is not the final product demonstration.

During the 2018 Google I/O Developers’ Summit held on May 8 in Mountain View, California, it was announced that Nixplay will be one of the first companies to launch its integration with Google Photos to its customers in the coming months. With this development, Google Photos will soon send your albums directly to your Nixplay Wi-Fi Cloud Frames, eliminating the need for you to spend precious time selecting photos for your playlists.

The best part is that if you’ve sent albums from Google Photos to your Nixplay frame, every time a new image is added into one of those albums on Google Photos, it will also be automatically uploaded to and viewable on your frame. This feature is especially great for people who live away from their loved ones, as this presents a new way for them to stay connected to them. Now, not only will your treasured moments be within reach, but you’ll always be in touch with those who matter most in your life.

This innovation, scheduled for release in the summer of 2018, is the latest feather in the cap of Creedon Technologies, the parent company of Nixplay and its sister brands, NIX and Nixplay Signage. Creedon Technologies has sold close to 1.5 million units of Nixplay Wi-Fi Cloud Frames, Nix Digital Frames, and Nixplay Signage Solutions since its inception in 2007, making it the global leader in its field. By harnessing the power of cloud storage, service technology, and security, Creedon Technologies has empowered its customers to display their photos and share their memories in a sophisticated manner.

Are you as excited for this as we are? Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment below!

Mars Salazar

Marianne is Nixplay’s Web Content Editor. Her hobbies include exploring new places, playing table tennis, and cuddling puppies. Send her a message at marianne.salazar@nixplay.com.

3 Tips for Incredible Portrait Photographs

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On October 20, 2017

In Photography

Three Portrait Photo Tips for better pictures

“Make sure I look great,” we’ve heard that request too. Every time a friend or family member asks us to take a portrait photograph, we get a little competitive to make sure it’s the best portrait photo of them. After a lot of trial, error and reading we’ve come up with tips for incredible portrait photos. No hidden agenda, except, of course- we want the pictures on your Nixplay Photo Frame to look great!

1.Use the rule of thirds:

Firstly, the rule of thirds is a very basic portrait photography technique that can be quite hard to master ( talking from experience.) Mentally break down the portrait photograph you’re going to take into 3×3 squares. Remember viewers eye’s are most drawn to the intersection points in the grid. So think about what the most important parts of the photograph will be and place them accordingly. Pictures using the rule of thirds, look really great on Nixplay Digital Photo frames like the Nixplay Seed. Place the frame in covered patio or the living room and you will make your house guests jealous!

2.Don’t be scared to get close:

Our second portrait photo tip is that we’ve observed a lot of portrait photos and noticed that often, the subject is too far away. To make an impact, the subject needs to be big enough to be seen clearly and make an impact on the viewer. Now, don’t take that as – get them so close that we can only see the blackheads on their nose. I mean, unless that’s what you were aiming for. Close up portrait photos look great on wall mounted Nixplay Digital photo frames, the Nixplay Edge is a great choice.

3.Focus on the eyes:

Here’s our third, final photo tip for portraits. When looking at a portrait photo, notice that your eyes will always look at the subject’s eyes first (no, that was not an intentional tongue twister.) Make sure the eyes are sharp and in focus. Additionally, if you want to make sure the lighting and angle is perfect- move your camera around until you can see the light reflect in your subjects eyes! 

Bonus Technical tip: Exposure Compensation

Keep in mind that in photography, one exposure setting does not fit all. Your camera may underexpose someone of a lighter skin tone and overexpose someone with a darker skin tone.  Backgrounds of extreme light or darkness can also trick the camera. The easiest way to deal with this is to navigate to your camera’s exposure compensation control. To lighten up faces go dial up the stops ( i.e. +1) and to let less light in dial it down (i.e. -1) The Nixplay Iris dims and brightens your photos based on the light level- lucky for you that once you’ve fixed your exposure compensation, you don’t need to worry about the display on your Nixplay digital photo frame. 

If these tips were helpful, share your enhanced portrait photographs with us in the comments section or tag us on facebook, instagram or twitter.  We’d love it if you show us how the portraits look on your Nixplay Digital Photo Frame! #Nixplayphototips

Beatrice Bisais

Bea is Nixplay’s Social Media Manager. She enjoys drinking coffee, reading about wars, and writing stories. Send her a message at beatrice.bisais@nixplay.com.

5 Reasons to Try Black and White Animal Photography

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On September 25, 2017

In Photography

If you’re a budding photographer, there are no limits to the camera skills you can learn. And when it comes to animals, the results can be truly mesmerising when working with different colors and filters. Whether you’re taking cute snaps of your puppy at home or you’re out in the wild shooting some candid animal photography, here’s 5 reasons why you should make the switch from color to noir. You might even learn some cool animal photography tips on the way!

1. It Helps You See Differently

Who says that everything always has to be colorful? With black and white effects, you’re capturing more than just a photo. But why does it work so well with our furry friends?
With animals, it can be tricky to portray the mood and feeling of a photograph. But by making the switch to black and white animal pictures, you can provide more emotion. The subtlety of tones that black and white images can have helps us to feel more connected to a subject over a colored version. This one simple color change removes any distractions, and helps the viewer to focus on other aspects of the photo, such as the textures, shapes, patterns and the composition. It’s just like magic!

2. It’s Timeless and Classic

Black and white takes everything back in time, and is still looked at as the purest form of photography by most professionals.
Another reason to give black and white animal photography a try is that the black and white effect is timeless and elegant. This impact completely transforms your photos, and might even spark ideas for the future. After looking at animals through the black and white camera lens, you won’t want to look back.

3. It Tells a Story

Our whole world is in color, so it’s easy to see how colored photography depicts a more realistic view. But when you experiment with black and white tones, your work can be viewed as a rendition of reality – or how you interpret what you see. This helps you to explore a subject more and create different ways to tell a story. If you’re working on wild animal photography for example, you can’t rely on movement, position, angles or expressions for the best visuals. In this scenario – and any other animal photography scenario – pictures really do paint a thousand words. And when you take away color, you’re encouraging viewers to discover the stronger, more powerful elements of the scene.

4. It Makes You More Creative

Photographers are always looking for fresh new ways to enhance their camera skills. But when you’re shooting with animals, it can be a challenge to make the most of your talents, as you can’t afford to be picky about lighting, camera angles or positioning – and it’s not like we can ask them to sit nicely and smile for the camera! With black and white animal photography, you can still capture something that gives you a bit more creative edge, even if the shot is a little blurred and they’re not directly looking at the camera.

5. It Makes Candid Animal Photography a Breeze

Have you ever tried to take a photo of an excited little puppy that just won’t stay still? Or a beautiful, majestic bird nestled on a tree who flies away as soon as you press the shutter? Working with animals isn’t a walk in the park, but this is where candid animal photography really shines. With a candid, you want to make sure that your subject is in its natural element and living in the moment – which is all you really can do with animals. But when you’re aiming for the best black and white animal photography, try introducing a prop or getting more of a landscape view. That way, the candid is made up of several other elements that a viewer can focus on without the distraction of color.

<h2>Black and White Animal Pictures: Nixplay’s Favorites</h2>
Are you a budding photographer? And an animal lover? If your answers to both are yes, our hand-picked selection of gorgeous black and white animal pictures is perfect for you. Look through them below for some inspiration and ideas!

When you’ve achieved the perfect visual masterpiece, you’ll want somewhere just as perfect to show it off. Check out our range of Nixplay Smart Frames for a unique spin on displaying your photographs.

Kitten animal photography

cat – pexels

Horses black and white animal photography

horses – pexels

Wild animal photography

monkey – pexels

Dog animal photography

dog- pexels

Elephant black and white animal photography

elephants – pexels

Black and white lion photograph

lion – pexels

Raccoon black and white photography

raccoon- pexels

Lemurs black and white animal picture

lemur – pexels

All pictures selected are free to use and download. Feel free to upload them on your Nixplay Frame!

Beatrice Bisais

Bea is Nixplay’s Social Media Manager. She enjoys drinking coffee, reading about wars, and writing stories. Send her a message at beatrice.bisais@nixplay.com.

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