March 2011

I shot the moon – the “Supermoon” that is

The "Supermoon" - seen in the top photo after manipulation in Photoshop to help the background appear more visible than the orignal photo shown at bottom.

The moon hasn't been this close to the earth since 1992. 

Because the moon’s orbit around the earth is oval, it is sometimes  closer to the earth and other times – it’s farther away.

Last night, it appeared larger and brighter than normal earning the name “Supermoon.”

Although Supermoons have a slightly stronger pull on the earth's tides, NASA states that last night's event did not cause the earth quake and tsunami in Japan.

I took this photo at Huntington Beach in Bay Village – looking east toward Cleveland and Lake Erie.

Upon returning home, I adjusted the contrast and brightness of the original image in Photoshop to better show the size of the moon in relation to the city in the background.

The actual size of the moon was not altered in these photos.

There were several “moon seekers” at the beach – observing and photographing this amazing phenomena.

I shot the moon – the “Supermoon” that is Read More »

This dad and sextuplet photo will warm your heart

dad and sextuplets
Even dad fell asleep during the creation of this photo

As a professional photographer, I really love seeing what other pros are doing with our craft. Brian and Janine Killian of Peters Photography in London, Ohio really hit a home run – no – a grand slam, with an amazing photo they created for Mia and Rozonno McGhee of their adorable sextuplets.

The photo went viral after being posted on Facebook prompting ABC's “Good Morning America” to call for permission to use it the next morning! Next thing you know, Oprah Winfrey jumps on the band wagon followed by a cover shot for Professional Photographers of America member magazine.

One of the keys to a successful photo of six newborns is a toasty-warm studio. The photo session lasted nearly five hours (due partly to a power outage during the shoot) and required seven people who passed around babies – feeding, burping and diapering throughout the process. Dad and camera were “locked down” to avoid any movement while the individual babies were brought in and photographed, one-at-a-time. In other words, this photo required six different shots that were later combined in Photoshop!

The process of creating this photo is a great illustration of why one should enlist a professional photographer for a truly memorable photograph that will be cherished for generations. Anyone can take a snapshot with a digital camera; but only a highly trained professional can create a work-of-art.

Read more about this amazing session on the Peter's Photography blog.

This dad and sextuplet photo will warm your heart Read More »

Secrets to Saving Flood Damaged Photos

 

Before-and-after restoration of a flood damaged baby photo. (Restoration by SpectraLight Photography)
Before-and-after restoration of a flood damaged baby photo by SpectraLight Photography

With the recent flooding in Northeast Ohio and possibly more high water on the way, I decided to put together several tips to save water-damaged, heirloom photos.

When floods and fires hit, most people don't grieve losing a stove or couch. It’s the loss of valued family photos, scrapbooks and memorabilia that makes them cry. Living in North Ridgeville and seeing how hard the residents were hit was a real “eye-opener.” It motivated me to do some research and put together a guide to help flood victims save their photos.

When facing piles of soggy, mud-spattered photos and other valuables – saving them may be possible by using some of following tips.

  1. Carefully extract photos from muddy water. Remove photos from soaked albums and separate any that are stuck together. Be careful not to rub or touch the wet surface on the image side of the photos.
  2. Gently rinse both sides of the photo in a sink filled with clear, cold water. Again, don't wipe the image side of the photos. Be sure to change the water often.
  3. If you have time and space, immediately lay each washed photo – picture side up – on clean blotting paper like paper towels. Don't use newspapers or printed paper towels because the ink from those materials may transfer to your wet photos. Change the blotting paper every hour or two until the photos are dry. It is best to dry the photos indoors if possible because wind and sun will cause photos to curl more severely.

For additional tips on saving flood-damaged photos and the bonus resources listed below, download our free guide: www.SpectraLight.com/SaveWaterDamagedPhotos

  • Save money with a company that allows you to back-up your files online to secure web servers.
  • See an affordable photo restoration software that will help you fix your photos on your computer.
  • Buy archival storage products for your photos.
  • More photography related resources to be added as I discover them.
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As a photo restoration specialist, I combine today's digital technology with old-fashioned artistry to repair worn, stained, spotted, torn, cracked, bleached and faded photographs to their original luster. Digital restoration costs have been reduced to at least half of what they used to be and the quality has improved substantially!

See samples of badly faded or damaged photos and how they look after restoration here. You will be amazed with the results.

Learn about our photo restoration services here. Get our FREE guide with tips for saving water or flood-damaged photos here. See a photo restored in a high-speed video here. Read our photo restoration FAQs that may answer questions pertaining to your faded or damaged photograph here.

Do you have damaged, faded or crumbling photos representing an important part of your family history? Don't give up on them just yet – they may be recoverable! For a no-cost, no-obligation appointment to examine your photographs and receive a quote – contact us TODAY through this link or call 440.748.6300… BEFORE  it's too late. (NOTE: This is a landline so text messages won't come through.)

Please subscribe to our YouTube channel and then click the bell icon to get instant notifications when we upload a new video: https://SpectraLight.com/YouTubeSubscribe

Have you have a personal experience with photos damaged by a flood? Why did you have them restored? To preserve a special memory? To remember a special family member? Please share your story with a comment, here.

Secrets to Saving Flood Damaged Photos Read More »

Warning: Your identity is about to be stolen

More than 10 million Americans are victimized by identity theft every year, according to a study conducted by the Identity Theft Resource Center in 2003 and 2004. A statistical analysis on identify theft, The Aftermath Study was created by the group to further determine ways to combat the crime.

According to the study, the post-identity theft recovery time can last as few as three hours and up to 5,840 hours depending on the severity of the identity crime, which varies from a missing credit card to social security card fraud.
To learn about a few simple precautions to avoid being an identity theft victim, read a short article at parade.com. Very simple and easy suggestions that could save you thousands of hours and dollars getting your life back in order.

Warning: Your identity is about to be stolen Read More »

Creative photos by someone who is just a touch wired

bent objects
Here's just one of many creative photos from the "bent" mind of Terry Border

Some might think Terry Border has a little too much time on his hands. After looking at many of his amazing creations, it is clear that he invests plenty of time conceptualizing and photographing just about anything but the kitchen sink (and I'm betting he'll come up with something for that as well) with a humorous “bent.”

Terry uses everyday items such as peanuts, eggs, Oreos, fingernail clippers along with wire hands and feet to make any object come to life.

If you're having a “bad day,” click on over to his blog and have a chuckle: http://bentobjects.blogspot.com

Creative photos by someone who is just a touch wired Read More »

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