The foto source difference

Taking pictures of your pets and animals

Looking to capture that perfect snap shot of “Ozzie” playing with his stuffed toy? Taking photographs of pets and animals can be challenging but are definitely memories worth having. Planning in advance can help eliminate some of the frustration.

Adjust Shutter Speed – This will help reduce blur caused by quick moving pets and animals. Increase your shutter speed or you take advantage of using your camera’s sequence-shot setting by taking multiple photos over the course of several seconds to get the shot you want. You can also use the action mode setting to help reduce blur. If you find that you are experiencing shutter lag, press the shutter button halfway down, hold it, and then press the button down completely when ready to take the shot.

Eliminate the Flash – Many pets have the tendency to run away when seeing a sudden flash of light so it’s important to avoid using the flash whenever possible. Take your pet's photo in an area with lots of available light. Outdoor pictures should be taken early morning or evening when natural light is at its best. If you have to use a flash, avoid having the animal stare right into the camera as the light is too bright for their sensitive eyes, plus photos tend to result in red-eye or green-eye.

Catch the Moment – The best pet photos are usually taken spur of the moment. Try catching your pet interacting with a family member, engaging playfully or taking a nap in his favourite place. Capture unique things about your pet, such as an up-close head shot of your dog giving you a nice smile. These photos usually reveal their personality or tell a story. If you have to pose your pet for a photo, try using treats as bribes. If your pet is small, they can be held and cuddled. You know your pet’s personality best, so try and capture the moment.

Be Creative – If your pet is used to being dressed up, try taking some pictures of him or her wearing a hat or some other interesting item. If you want to get a photograph of your dog or cat under a blanket, put a treat or a bit of catnap under the blanket. You can also make them look like they’re eating out of a box of cereal by doing the same thing. If your dog likes soda, put a can of soda next to the dog. Use props and carefully place treats to help you get the results you are looking for. Remember to take photographs from different perspectives. Don’t be afraid to get down to their level.

If you enjoy taking action shots, you may want to consider upgrading your camera to a Digital SLR which will give you more control, a faster response time, flexibility to increase your shutter speed and more.

No matter what camera you have, it’s important to practice, practice, practice!

Tall Ships Nova Scotia Festival 2009

Come visit Halifax, Nova Scotia from July 16 to August 1, 2009 and experience the Tall Ships Festival. The Nova Scotia atmosphere makes it the perfect location for an international Tall Ships event. Take pleasure in seeing a variety of interesting large sailing vessels, such as the barquentine, ketch, schooner, barque, brig and brigantine. Enjoy the many activities along the boardwalk, including arts and crafts displays, musicians, vendors, historical re-enactors and more, or experience the view and feel of a Tall Ship by purchasing a pass to board one of the ships.

Ships will arrive in Halifax on Thursday, July 16th and will head north to Cape Breton on Monday July 20th following the magnificent Parade of Sail. Some of the ships will be making stops in Port Hawkesbury, Louisbourg and Sydney, while other designated ships will head to the mainland ports.

Halifax is also the official port for the Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge Race. Many of the Tall Ships visiting Halifax are participating in the Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge Race, a 7,000 nautical mile multi-stop ocean race broken down into seven races along the way. This trans-Atlantic regatta began in April in Vigo, Spain and will finish in August in Belfast, Northern Ireland. There are sailing vessels from Canada, the US, Germany, Netherlands, France, Uruguay, Italy, Spain and Poland. This challenge is organized by Sail Training International and the American Sail Training Association.

For more information go to www.tallshipsnovascotia.com or call 902-405-7700.

foto source in Halifax, Nova Scotia

If you are visiting the city of Halifax, be sure to drop by:

Atlantic Photo Supply foto source, 5505 Spring Garden Road, Halifax, NS, 902-423-8820. Open Mon. – Wed. & Sat. 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Thurs. & Fri. 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., closed on Sunday.

Click here to find a store near you!

Save $5 on your next foto depot order

Enter an order on foto depot between July 12 and 18, 2009 and receive $5 off!

Click here for the promo code to be entered at check out.

Congratulations to Lorrie McDonnell of Monkton, Ontario, the winner of a $25 foto depot gift certificate, for being randomly chosen from those who completed the Gallery Wrap Quick Poll from June’s Newsletter!

Cropping in foto depot

When you order prints or foto books, foto depot crops most photos automatically based on the proportions of the print size you choose (or in the case of foto books, the proportions of the various frames on each page).

To change what part of the photo is cropped after you add it to your shopping cart, click the magnifying glass icon and drag the box representing the printable area. To change the cropping on a foto book page, edit the page and drag the photo itself inside the frame.

If you want to crop to a smaller area than is possible using these methods, use the Picnik photo editor. To launch Picnik, click the magnifying glass on any photo and then the pencil icon. In Picnik, save the edited photo as a copy so that you have a back up of the original. Remember that unless you crop to the exact proportions of the print size, you may still have to adjust the printable area on the Shopping Cart page.

New Extended Warranty

foto source offers worry-free protection that’s simple! The Mack Diamond 3-year extended warranty offers the following coverage:

• Parts & Labour
• Impact Damage
• Manufacturer Defects
• Sand/Grit Damage
• Accidental and Unintentional Abuse
• Mechanical Malfunctions
• Normal and Abnormal Wear and Tear
• Spillage
• Lemon Protection

It pays to protect your investment! For more information, visit your local foto source store.

Can you spot the differences?

Find the 5 differences between the two photos and enter your answers for a chance to win a $25 foto depot gift certificate. Click here to enter before July 16, 2009.

Back Lighting

Back lighting is light directed at the subject from behind. For example, light from a window coming in from behind the subject.