Earlier this month when we were in Florida on vacation I snapped this picture of the kids. Pictures like this (where everyone is happy and smiling) are hard to come by these days as typically one of the 3 is always crabby. Also, it highlights the great distinct personalities of each of the kids so well. G (left) with a quiet confidence, Boo (center) cocky with swagger, and E (right) with a little sass. This for sure was something I not only had to archive but one I wanted to see every day.
My first thought was to make a large format print so I headed over to Shutterfly. I uploaded the pic to my account and cropped it for a 20″ x 30″ photographic print. One thing to know is the picture actually isn’t an ideal resolution for a print this size. It was taken on my 10MP Samsung point and shoot because I didn’t want to lug my DSLR around on our hike. The ideal max print size was really only 11″ x 17″ but was really in love with that large size. Anyway, I was willing to take the chance because the print from Shutterfly was only around $25. The problem, however, was in the framing. Even though I know how to matte and frame and I can save on some labor, by the time you buy all of the supplies including a good piece of glass it could run well into the $200 range. I decided to hold off for awhile. I loved the picture but I wanted to make something suitable to hang in our living room.
Last week I was hanging out with my friend Walter who is a (kickass photographer BTW) and I told him about my uneasiness with the resolution of the picture printed on such a large format. He recommended that I take a look at AdoramaPix. He mentioned that he has used them a bunch of times and they are really good at tweaking color profiles to fit their color processors. I have purchased camera equipment from Adorama before and respect their expertise in photography so I took a look at their site AdoramaPix.com.
When I got to the site I was met with something that caught my eye. It was a picture for Aluminyzed Metal Prints at large sizes and it included 20″X 30″! Immediately my mind was focused on how cool this picture would look on a piece of metal that I completely forgot my original reason for being there. I then thought to myself, “I can turn my photo into black and white, tweak some of the contrast and levels, and make it so the lower resolution looks intentional. After doing some tweaking in Photoshop I finalized the photo to look like this:
The Aluminyzed Metal printing process from AdoramaPix is pitched like this:
“We infuse your images right into the surface of a solid sheet of aluminum for a look that you’ll need to see firsthand to truly appreciate. The result of our process is a rich iridescent sheen, bright vivid colors, and a life-line depth of detail that can’t be matched by conventional paper prints.”
The other cool benefit of buying this is that it is on a thick piece of metal and includes “a floating mount that suspends your image ½” away from the surface of the wall”. No frame required! Then I found this great review from FroKnowsPhoto.com and I was sold on the glossy silver metal (there are 4 options: Matte white, glossy white, Matte silver and glossy silver) and the fact that “Not only is the image waterproof, weatherproof, and scratch resistant but it can even be cleaned with glass cleaner.” That’s a solution for me!
I uploaded the photo, upgraded to Next Day Air and hit submit. Total cost: $184.00
Ok, enough build up! Check out what I got!
Check out the cool effect the shiny metal makes poking through the white parts of the picture!
They packed these things good! Yay bubble wrap!
This is such a great bonus for this. Worth spending more on this because it’s cool floating on the wall and cheaper than a print + frame every time.
The floating mount is sturdy but not hard like the piece of metal so it doesn’t scratch your wall.
The thickness of these metal prints are perfect! Thick enough to not bend, thin enough to be super sleek and elegant.
I am so happy about how this thing turned out. So happy in fact that I reached out to AdoramaPix on twitter and told them! Libby, the awesome person that manages the AdoramaPix twitter account responded and responded with an offer that I can give to you!
AdoramaPix.com Promo Code for Aluminyzed Metal Prints
Your image is infused right into the surface of a specially treated, lightweight sheet of high gloss aluminum. Adoramapix then produces an incredible level of detail, added depth and rich vibrant colors. They offer four unique finishes to suit your needs – Matte white, glossy white, Matte silver and glossy silver. They have offered my readers a special discount of 15% off any size and any quantity. To take advantage of the sale.. simply set up an account, order your prints and input this code: PXFGREG15. This sale runs through January 31st, 2013.
If you take advantage of this offer please reach out to @AdoramaPix and tell them thanks! And then tell me how your print turned out!
Legal mumbo jumbo: I was not compensated for this. I am just a happy customer that is willing to pass along an offer from AdoramaPix to you.
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Gregory Ng
GOAL: Visit 100 National Parks as a family by 2020. Favorite Parks: Zion National Park, Mt Rainier National Park, Valley Forge National Historical Park
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