211 - Presenting photo Images

Theme 1 - Presenting Photo Images


The target audience for portraiture photography could be:
Families 
Couples
Models
magazines 
catalogues 


There are many ways to present your images however the most common ways that portraiture may be presented is by portfolio, blog, websites, magazine spread, photo image book, framed individual shots, canvas, saved onto cd, press.


When presenting portfolios whether in blog format or a paper based..You must think of your audience if your target market in newly weds then only include the bridal type images and the grandness of stately homes dont have random images of mountain biking!  If it is a paper based portfolio the images may need to be sent to  photo lab who would do the calibration of the colour of the images.  The images need to be printed on high quality paper for example:


Fuji Crystal Archive Professional Super Type PD Luster
A professional colour paper.  Print outputs result in a more vivid colour reproduction and improved highlight detail.  ProDPI obtains the highest DMAX and brilliant whites resulting in a clear crisper image.

Fuji Crystal Archive Pearl Paper
Developed for digital output.  Pearl paper produces high quality glossy digital prints with a pearl like appearance.  This paper is ideal for professional or commercial work like fashion images.


Fuji Crystal Archive Professional Deep Matte Paper
This paper gives a true matte finish.  Not recomended for images with dense shadows or rich blacks.  It offers bright white and good colour range with subtle warmth.  Great for soft light images and skin tones.

Kodak Endura Metallic Paper
Its gloss finish creates images with unique visual interest and depth.  It creates rich vibrate tones and flattering flesh tones which is ideal for wedding images and also great results for commercial photgraphy.

Photo labs that could complete this professional work are

• Uk.whitewall.com
• www.theprintspace.co.uk
• www.digilabpro.co.uk

The photo labs can offer many services Professional colour management, resizing without loosing the quality and sharpness of the image, cropping, adding borders that enhance the images, different finishes to the final images as shown above. Photo labs will be more costly than using your local high street store however you need to think about the impact of the final images and the customer audience that you are trying to capture.  Photo labs are able to present images on a variety of materials: canavas paper, metal, jigsaws, blankets.

An alternative that is available are the easily accesable high street stores boots, Kodak gallery, Snapfish.  Many of these now allow you to complete your choice of presentation online.  Again they can put your images in a range of formats jigsaws, calenders, posters, plates and mugs.  They may be cheaper than the photo labs however you need to consider your target audience and the final image output you would like to achieve.

For my portfolio images I would display them in a web based portfolio as an exhibition source.  The reasons for this is the low cost elements and also the fact that the web has a global audience.  The images will not loose there quality whilst being viewed.  My work will be interactive to the viewer and could incorporate sound and even video if required.  The viewer would have a better experience that does not consist of still images that could degenerate with age, it creates a different relationship between audience and image.  It means that the web based portfolio is portable and up datable.  I would also consider a power point presentation for locations that do not have internet access. A photo book would also be good to allow viewing of the different papers and effects that would be available for chosen images.  

Theme 2 -  Presenting Landscape Images

To achieve full impact of a landscape image they need to be professionally prepared ready for display in exhibition.  Although as with portraiture photography the images could be displayed web based in a blog or web based portfolio for accessibility purposes, storage may also be be on dvd or data stick on power point presentation.  Many high street shops display canvas landscape images.   

Matting the images protects the images once it has been framed. It will make the images more sellable as customers can then chose the framing they would like for the image to suit the environment it will be displayed in.  By matting the image you are also provides the images with its own space and uniqueness. 

Matting

Matting is when you mount the image onto a matt board which has an opening the size of the image.  You attach the image to the back of the board and seal it with archival tape.  Popular size frames are 8x10, 11x14,16x20,20x30.  Obviously the larger framing sizes are better for displaying the landscape photography. Matting is available both professionally and you are also able to do it at home.  If you were to do it at home or in the early stages of setting up you could source these tools which are relatively cheap.  On the left is the Dexter Matt cutter and the tool in the right shows a more professional tool the C&H Advantage Pro Table Matt cutter.

The choice of frame is important there are many differnet effect available.  Some make the images jump out of the wall or some will sit flush - is the frame plain this would be good for an image with a considreable amount of color so it jumps out.  It the image modern perhaps metal framing or is it oldy worldy,a rustc wooden frame may enhance the images feeling  The frame must complement the image and not cause a distraction the glass in the frame needs to be anti reflection or consider where the image is positioned - not in direct sunlight.  Think about the frame sizes that will be needed, the images might need resizing by a photo lab.  To prepare for an exhibition requires alot of preparation and planning.  You need to also consider your exhibition launch  material, exhibitions can be expensive and of course the hire if the venue.

I would display my landscape images by having them professionally framed after being mounted.   Some would also be out onto canvas but I do feel depending on the image canvas can sometimes loose the image quality. I would something simple like the frames below with a neutral background: