Sunday, July 29, 2012

Picture Perfect: 4 Tips for Taking Great Photos

Have you every wanted to incorporate a photo into an invitation or card but realized that the resolution wasn't high enough or the lighting in the photo is just plain awful?  But let's face it, who can afford to hire a professional photographer each time you need a family portrait or kids snapshots taken?

Still the same, your photo choice greatly impact the layout and design of your projects.  Though I am no professional photographer, I do know a good photo when I see one!  Here 3 tips to keep in mind the next time you find yourself playing photographer:

  1. Take high resolution photos. Set your camera to the highest resolution setting possible.   300dpi (dots per inch) is typically ideal. Though the higher the resolution the more memory is taken up on your camera or disk, the resolution then ensures flexibility in during editing.  If you are sending your photo to a graphic designer for incorporation in a project, do not crop or edit the photo beforehand.  Doing so will minimize his or her ability to crop and adjust the photo to fit on the page.
  2. Don't take tight shots.  Those fun up close and personal photos from arms-length are cool for Facebook but they are awful for design purposes.  The closer the shot the less room you have to move the photo around on the card for ideal positioning.
  3. Watch your lighting.  Photos with too little light, not enough contrast, or faces with shadows don't produce very good photos.  Most cameras have instructions about which settings to use in various settings.  For instance, outdoor photos on a cloudy day require the lens setting to allow more light in than on a sunny day.
  4. Convey the right message.  Family cards around the holidays, or engagement photo save-the-dates are all about love and togethernes and closeness.  So hugging, touching, kissing (...when appropriate!) are great ways to convey the message of affection.  Highlight your folks by keeping the background simple and making sure everyone is in the shot (...no, you shouldn't cut your mother in-law out on purpose...)
Like I said, I'm no professional photographer, but I've done my homework about what makes a good picture.  If you decide to try your hand at photography, let me know.  I'd love to see if the tips were of help to you.  

Cheers!

Diera

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Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Baby Dedication Scriptures

I just recently created a baby dedication invitation for one of my Etsy customers and I began thinking about what scriptures are can be used for such an occasion. 

Trendy Baby Dedication Christening Custom Invitation
Trendy Baby Christening Invitation
https://www.etsy.com/listing/104829117/trendy-baby-dedication-christening

Modern Baby Dedication Christening Photo Invitation
Modern Baby Dedication Invitation
https://www.etsy.com/listing/104724727/modern-baby-dedication-christening-photo
Of course the internet is overflowing with blog posts about this very topic, but I could not resist posting another, so here we go!

Scriptures & Religious Introductions for Baptisms, Christenings, Dedications, Namings, First Holy Communions and Sealing Ceremonies:

"Every good and perfect gift is from above…" James 1:17

"Behold, children are a gift of the Lord…" Psalm 127:3

"Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.  Before you were born, I set you apart…" Jeremiah 1:5

"I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted what I asked of Him…" 1 Samuel 1:27

"Let the little children come unto Me." - Mark 10:14

"May the Lord give his angels charge over you, to guide you in all your ways…"
Psalm 91:11

"Dedicated to the Lord." Numbers 18:6

"I have held thee in the palm of mine hand." Isaiah 51:;16

"Train up your child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6

All of God’s grace in one little face

From the Heavens above, God has sent us a (son, daughter, sister or brother) to love!

Heaven Sent…

We welcome with love, our gift from above…

We welcome with love, our tiny new blessing, a gift from above…

Sleep in heavenly peace…

God’s miracle ~ Our precious gift

From God’s loving arms, to ours

Our tiny miracle from God…

A baby sent from Heaven above, from God to us, a gift of love.  From angels whispers we’ve been told, (he / she) is the treasure in life to behold.

Cheers!

Diera

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facebook: /DiconshaDesigns
etsy: /shop/DiconshaDesigns
twitter: @DiconshaDesigns

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Thirty-One Consultant iPhone Cases

How many times have you been asked for a business card and you realized you didn't have any on you?  Never be without your business card again!  And as a network marketer you know how vitally important this is.

With the increasing popularity of custom iPhone and iPad covers to express individuality and style, why not get the most mileage out of that sturdy piece of plastic?  Customize your case with your calling card and QR Code for easy exchange of business contact information.

It's sleek, it's trendy, and it's worth is far greater than you can imagine!  No longer do you have to worry about people losing your contact information.  With the QR code printed on the back of your phone, people can use their camera-phones record your information or visit your website instantly!

Take a look at some of the designs I created for some Thirty-One Independent Consultants.

Thirty-One Consultant Business Card Custom Design iPhone Cases
Custom Designer Business Card iPhone 4/4S Cases (Thirty-One Consultant shown)

Friday, June 29, 2012

It's Raining Babies...sort of!

Inspired by Lisa Storm's baby "shower" (literally) idea on her blog, I decided to create an invitation suite that could be used for this simple, gender neutral baby shower theme. 






Orange is my favorite color but can sometimes be overpowering if not coordinated correctly.  Pairing it with the blue-grey and yellow was just the way to tone it down.

After I created it, I decided to peruse a few other Etsy shops to see what decor I could find to match this theme.  I discovered some great finds!  Check it out on Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/treasury/OTUyNjI2N3wyNzIwNDMzMTk1/its-a-baby-showerliterally or you can view it on my Pinterest page: http://pinterest.com/diconshadesigns/it-s-a-baby-shower-literally/

It's a great theme and I look forward to being able to use it one day for a friend.