Studio 11’s blog

Team HOPE Event 2009

Jun 19, 2009
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Team Hope Event 2009 - I had the pleasure of photographing this amazing event on Tuesday evening - a fund raiser for breast cancer. Take a peek at the video.

Framer's Corner - Matting

Jun 4, 2009
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This month's topic is matting. Matting artwork serves two main purposes, presentation and protection.

Presentation:

Artwork is meant to be displayed, therefore a visually pleasing presentation is key. So, what makes up a visually pleasing presentation? Mat selection plays a very large role in the presentation, especially the top mat. Matting should extend the artwork, rather than be the focal point. When selecting mats, several aspects should be considered (color, texture, style, balance, and quality).

Color:

The obvious first aspect of mat selection is color. The top mat is typically the largest mat and thus the most important; it should complement the piece. One technique is to look for the main "theme" in the piece and use that color. If the top mat reflects the predominant color, then the theme of the piece may be lost. The focus should be the artwork rather than the matting - ask: would the top color draw too much attention? Should it be toned down? What is the theme and how can that color be enhanced? Using a color-wheel (you know ROYGBV for rainbow) to use the complimentary colors may help. Experiment, it leads to creativity.

Texture:

The next aspect of mat selection is texture. Does the piece warrant a rough look or is it smooth or delicate? Would it benefit from having a linen or suede mat? Possibly a textured mat? Mats come in many textures including lines, patterns, random markings, cloth, smooth, rough and others. Depending on the color, a textured suede mat can portray elegance, power or the softness of a babies skin .

Style:

Mats come in various styles. Let's look at mat thickness, typically 4-, 6- or 8-ply. The most common thickness is 4-ply, about 1/8". A 6- or 8-ply mat will add depth and draw a more dramatic affect. Matting styles may include double or triple matting, bevels, v-grooves, and floats. Where the outer, or top, mat extends the artwork, the inner, or liner, mat will accent colors. Bevels, the angled cut that exposes the core of the mat, gives the appearance of depth and adds a border around the art. Bevels can also be cut in reverse to hide the core of the mat. V-grooves are grooves cut into a mat to expose the core. This adds decoration and bordering. Even multiple grooves can be added for extra affect. Mats can be suspended, or floated, over mats which adds depth and shadowing to the package. Some objects that are framed are thick and require this extra depth. Extra depth, grooves, and liner mats can really make for a dramatic visual presentation.

Balance:

Balance, or weight, is the amount of mat to expose around the artwork. Should the mat be wide or narrow? Should the bottom border be wider than the rest to raise the artwork in the frame? Should the matting be elongated? How wide should the inner mats be? Should the mat be wider or narrower than the frame? Varying the weight of the mats will drastically change the presentation of the artwork. Have you ever seen a small frame with a thin mat? Does is look cheap, or even distracting? Widening a mat can, and will, give the artwork the necessary visually pleasing space. When matting multiple photos within a single frame if the photos are too close together or if the outer mat is too narrow the piece will look crowded and distracting. Wider top mats with the appropriate color, texture and style can greatly add to the presentation.

Protection:

One of the main purposes of matting is protection. Protection is achieved by inserting a mat between the art and glass, preventing the artwork from touching the glass. Matting sits over the art allowing the art to expand and contract with changing humidity. The chemical makeup of matting materials is important to the longevity of artwork. Mats are typically made of cotton or wood pulp. Wood contains lignin, cotton does not. We have all heard "acid-free", but have we all heard of "lignin-free"? Lignin is a main ingredient of wood, which over time will break down and release acid. Hmmm, not good. Now there is buffering, which is an alkaline chemical added to matboardto capture the acid. For most framing jobs, buffering is good, however will have a negative affect on organic materials, like leather. Cotton is naturally acid and lignin free. Mats vary in quality and degrees of processing. This processing may include the removing of lignin, addition of buffering agents, additional thickness or the addition of linen or suede. As the quality of a mat increases so does the price. All of these factors should be weighed when making matting choices.

Studio 11 Framing Portfolio:

To view many examples of the above mat selections, please visit our Website's Framing Portfolio at www.studio11photos.com.

Matting class:
If you are interested in Studio 11 offering a matting class, please let us know.

A Moment in Time

Studio 11 Models

Jun 4, 2009
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Studio 11 Model

I've had so much fun with our casting call sessions! Here are a few of the adorable kids I've photographed so far.

Studio 11 Model

A Moment in Time

May 1, 2009
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A Moment in Time

During my newborn casting calls, I had this idea to pose this adorable 4 day old baby next to a clock. The clock is set to the time of birth and the baby's name and birthday are "inscribed" on the face of the clock. And... this is the result! I love it and the baby's mom loved it. If you're passing by our studio, take a look in the window. Mike has transformed this portrait into a work of art with his custom framing.

Chanel's Senior Portraits

Mar 30, 2009
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Here is a sneak preview from Chanel's session this past Saturday. We had Ashley, Becca and Gaby from The Temple to do her mini-makeover and I think everyone did a great job and we had a lot of fun too!

Chanel

Baby Delilah

Mar 16, 2009
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I photographed Delilah when she was only 2 weeks old and look how she has grown! She is now 7 months old, so beautiful and full of personality.

Cupcake hat

This is one of my favorite photos from the session. Just look at that expression! And don't you just LOVE the Cupcake Hat? Her mom makes these adorable hats in all colors. If you would like to purchase one, email me at barb@studio11photos.com and I'll put you in touch with her.

Newborn Casting Call

Feb 24, 2009
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As an artist, I am always seeking new ideas to give my clients images that are unique and that they will cherish. For a limited time, I am looking for a few newborn models to help fulfill these visions.

If you are expecting, please contact me as soon as possible for your newborn to be considered for the photo session. Photo sessions will be scheduled within a week of birth. If you have twins, we would love to hear from you!

The Casting Call sessions will:

Be for newborns up to one week of age.
Be FREE of charge (however, prints may be purchased at regular prices).
May take 2-3 hours to capture the vision. The goal is to capture a single photograph, but additional poses may be attempted if time permits.
Be held at the studio or at the model's home.
Require a model release so that Studio 11 may publish the photographs on our web site or submit to be published in a magazine.

Contact me if you or someone you know may be interested in participating in this casting call! barb@studio11photos.com

Casting Call for Newborns

Newborn Baby Model

FREE Valentine's Day Sweetheart Sessions

Feb 11, 2009
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Happy Valentine's Day

A Valentine's Day exclusive!! A FREE mini photo session for you and your sweetheart with NO obligation to buy anything, it's just our sweet gift to you.

Session times are limited, so call 301-696-5944 or email barb@studio11photos.com NOW, to schedule your session.

Valentine Portrait Special

Jan 20, 2009
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Would you like to give your loved one something really special this year? Something that will last a lifetime? How about an original, creative portrait of yourself custom framed or as a museum quality gallery wrap?

You get all of this for one low price of $369 ($66 off regular price)

A fun, one hour portrait session with several set and lighting set ups created just for you. Makeup artist and hairstylist can be included for no additional charge (ask for the details!). Bring me your ideas!
Professional retouching
Your choice of a Custom Framed 11x14 Wall Portrait or 11x14 Museum Gallery Wrap
2 - 5x7 prints on metallic paper
8 wallets printed on metallic paper
25 - 5x5 custom designed photo Valentine cards with envelopes

Call or email me today to book your session. You must book your session before Feb 5, 2009 to receive your portraits in time for Valentines Day. 301-696-5944 or barb@studio11photos.com

Valentine Session

Chanel

Ashley

Jan 17, 2009
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Ashley is my 14 year old daughter. The top photograph was created in a tree in our front yard this past Fall. The photograph below was created in Niagara Falls in December 08. As you can see, she loves hats! And I love to photograph her!