Friday, July 31, 2009

CAS19 Redux and Chatter about Photographs



Here's a little card I made for CAS19 Sketch: Natasha's Pink Blooms and forgot to photograph. It's 4.25 x 4.25, which is a great size here in the US of A because it fits in a standard A2 envelope and doesn't require additional postage, like square envelopes do.

Well, my question about photo backgrounds was pretty conclusive: most of you prefer the colored background for white cards. The few who preferred the white background confirmed for me that I wasn't crazy, though. In the case of the card in my previous post, I like the white better, too, but only by a little bit.

For the record, I take most of my photos by the west-facing window in my craftroom, almost always in the afternoon. The window has a white sheer over it, which softens the light a bit. The light hits from the side (I position the card perpendicular to the window). My camera, a Nikon CoolPix, is set on macro (the little tulip icon) and I turn off the flash. If I have to shoot at night or on a really cloudy day, I use my Ott light and still supress the flash...which tends to make everything look yellow. The photo above was taken on a cloudy day without the Ott light, which accounts for its bluish tone.

I set up the background with two sheets of cardstock, one propped against a CD case holding clear stamps. With the white card bases, the background color sometimes distorts the white, especially blue backgrounds. I try to fix this as best I can in Picasa, but it's tough sometimes to get the card looking really white.

Have a great weekend! DH is planning a century ride tomorrow (100 miles on his bike), which means I'll get a little time in my craft room...assuming small children play nicely. Check out my blog Questioning my Intelligence for THIS POST about living with an Ironman triathlete. It's pretty funny, if I say so myself. ;-)

Supplies
stamps: Simply Said, Hero Arts (sentiment)
cardstock: real red, chocolate chip, white
ink: chocolate chip, real red
accessories: rhinestone, dimensionals

7 comments:

  1. Love the card, the stamps are pretty. thanks for the info on your photography, it would help if I knew directions... :o) Have a great weekend too.
    Hugs

    ReplyDelete
  2. Lovely card, Susan! Happy Friday!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great card and photo tips!!! I read your other post and enjoyed it very much, you really must love your husband...lol!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks for the photo tips .... I always struggle to get a decent photo. My craft room window faces east so may be thats the problem. No! just have to accept I am rubbish with a camera!!
    Another great card. TFS
    PS Didn't have time earlier to comment about the coloured bg on previous post but for what it's worth red does it for me!!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. This layout is just perfect. I really like the images you selected.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Theresa P. (stampgirl45)July 31, 2009 at 3:31 PM

    Hi Susan!
    I, too, have a Nikon. Try putting the the flash on "slow" It makes the flash get the background and the image without such distinct shadows.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I like how you spaced out the images on your background. The white space makes it easier to look at. When I stamp a background I tend to try to fill up all the empty space and it often looks too busy when I'm done.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you so much for taking time to comment!