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Printing Tips from the Canon Digital Learning Center

At LexJet, we’re encouraged to see the growing range of educational resources now available for photographers who want to print professional-quality images. We plan to start featuring some of those resources on this blog.  

For example: if it’s been awhile since you visited the Canon Digital Learning Center, check it out! In addition to providing excellent advice on shooting different types of photography, you can learn more about color management and how to print from Canon’s wide-format imagePROGRAF printers and 8- and 10-color PximaPro printers.

You can download a copy of this guide in Canon's Digital Learning Center.

The instructional resources highlight some of the lesser-known features of the printers. For example, the author of an article on how to create Custom Profiles for Canon Printers points out that if you’re printing a bunch of test prints and want to remember which settings you used for each print, you can print a label directly onto your test print.

“You can actually do this right in the Canon Print Plug-In when you export an image to print. Just go up to File>Export>iPF5100 Print PlugIn (for example).  Once exported, click on the Print History tab.” Then, click on Edit Comment to create a custom label that will output directly on top of the test print.

Another useful tip from this article on custom profiles:  Before you scan your printed test charts, let them sit in a dark, dust-free environment for at least 30 minutes after printing.

An article on Basic Color Management explains a profile this way: “Basically, a profile creates a mathematical equation for my monitor to communicate to my printer and produce as close to the same printer as possible. That is why calibrating monitors is so important.”

After briefly discussing the fundamentals of color spaces, the author asks and answers this question: “Which color space should you be working in with Canon printers?” For Canon printers, Adobe RGB is recommended because “You want to capture and work with images that are close to your output device as possible.”  

With Canon’s total input-to-output solution, you can capture images in Adobe RGB on your Canon DSLR and print them in a color space very similar to Adobe RGB on the Canon imagePROGRAF printers.

The Basic Color Management article includes other useful tips, including how to soft proof in Photoshop and see when your printer can’t reproduce some of the colors you see on the screen. This enables you to make the appropriate adjustments on screen before you waste time, money, and materials making multiple test prints.

If you want more information than is presented in the articles, you can download a 21-page Digital Color Management Guidebook for your Canon cameras and printers. Also featured in the Canon Digital Learning Center site is a series of podcasts that you can view on screen or download. The podcasts range from 4 to 15 minutes, and cover topics such as:

  • Basic Color Management
  • Custom Profiling
  • Media Selection
  • Printing from RAW using Digital Photo Professional
  • Setting up Your iPF5100
  • Setting up Your iPF6100
  • Image Optimization and Soft Proofing with Photoshop
  • Using the Photoshop imagePROGRAF Export Plug-In

If you want to learn more about the Canon iPF printers that LexJet sells, or have any specific questions that aren’t answered in Canon’s Digital Learning Center, please feel free to call a friendly LexJet account specialist at 800-453-9538.

Every week, we help dozens of Canon-printer users learn how to get the most from their wide-format imagePROGRAF printers, and we can help you, too!

Posted on by LexJet Posted in News & Trends
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2010 Photography Conferences for New and Established Pros

Whether you’re brand-new to the photography business or seeking to diversify into new markets, you can find plenty of ideas and inspiration at one of the national (or international!) photography conferences planned in 2010.

Just as it makes sense to expand your photography business in new directions, each of these conferences has been steadily diversifying their educational programs in order to serve a broader pool of attendees. If you visit the conference websites, you’ll also see that most of these events offer additional learning opportunities ranging from intensive, two-day pre-conference seminars, all-day photo safaris, and hands-on computer labs to business boot camps, print exhibitions, and portfolio reviews.

JANUARY

Imaging USA: Jan 10-12 in Nashville
This conference, organized by Professional Photographers of America (PPA) is known for providing valuable business advice to photographers in markets of all sizes. Sessions have traditionally focused mostly on portrait, wedding, and sports photography. But this year, sessions will also discuss how to pursue opportunities in décor, commercial/advertising, and stock photography. In addition to learning about sales, pricing, marketing, studio operations, and productive workflows, you can attend inspirational sessions on the creative art of photography.  Imaging USA features the world’s largest annual print exhibit (and it’s open to the public). More than 2,300 elite images will be on display, mostly General and Loan Collection images from PPA’s International Print Competition.

FEBRUARY

PMA International Convention and Trade Show: Feb. 21-23 in Anaheim, CA
For the first-time, a full-day Pro Photographer Business Boot Camp will be held on Feb. 20, prior to the start of PMA Conference. Designed for professional photographers with less than two years’ experience shooting portraits, weddings, sports, and events, the boot camp will cover basic business practices, posing and lighting, legal issues, website development, and how to develop new product lines. Photographers can attend the seminar by buying an All-Conference Connection Pass which includes sessions at these five conferences: The Photo Marketing Association (Feb. 21-23); The Digital Imaging Marketing Association (Feb. 19-22); the Professional School Photographers Association (Feb. 20-22); the Sports Photographers of America (Feb. 19-22); and Professional Picture Framers Association Conference (Feb. 21-23).  

The PMA Convention provides a “big-picture, future-focused view of overall changes in the consumer markets for photography products and services, with “What’s Next?” sessions such as “The Print Is Dead! How 20-Somethings Use Photography.” and keynotes such as “Delving into the Mind of the Sports Photography Customer.” The PMA conference is attended by photographers, photo labs, retailers, and developers of photographic equipment who want to better understand how to develop and promote all types of photography-related products and services.

MARCH

WPPI: March 8-10 in Las Vegas
This conference, which focuses primarily on the wedding and portrait photography business, offers an wide array of seminar formats, including two-day PLUS classes on March 4-5, a Business Institute March 6-7, small-group Master Classes, and 50 two-hour Platform classes on March 7-10. The Platform classes include tracks on business, Photoshop, portraits, weddings, lighting and posing, photojournalism and commercial photography, and video.  Many of these sessions are led by successful, entrepreneurial photographers who describe the many different techniques they’ve used to build their businesses.

Photoshop World: March 24-26 in Orlando
Led by 35 Photoshop experts and professional photographers, this event sponsored by the National Association of Photoshop Professionals is focused squarely on the creative production and use of digital images, using a combination of solid photography skills and post-processing and design techniques in Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, and CreativeSuite.  Events held in conjunction with the Conference include a photo safari, an on-location wedding shoot, and portfolio reviews. Courses range from beginning-level Photoshop and image correction and compositing, to creating video with DSLR cameras and using rich media in social-media marketing. Some sessions show you how to integrate photography with basic grpahic design to create print-ready products such as posters.

SEPTEMBER

Photokina:  Sept. 21-16 in Cologne, Germany
Held every two years, this massive show features 1300 exhibitors from 50 countries and typically attracts more than 160,000 visitors. The goal is to present the complete spectrum of the global imaging market, including the latest products and trends of tomorrow. A special “Meet the Professionals” area in Hall 4.1 will feature educational forums and products for imaging professionals, including computer-generated imaging and large-format and fine-art printing. The Visual Galley will include ten photo exhibitions by internationally renowned photographers as well as the work of up-and-coming young artists. In early 2010, international organizations, associations, publishers and clubs will be invited to apply for an exhibition area at Photokina. The terms and conditions of the competition will be posted on Photokina’s website in January.

OCTOBER

PDN PhotoPlus Expo: October 28-30 in New York
Three full days of seminars cover nearly every aspect of the art and business of photography. This year, seminar tracks covered new techniques in lighting, Photoshop, color management, editorial, portraiture, marketing, business management, and tools for expanding your network of clients. Because of its location in one of the art capitals of the world, some of the sessions focus on breaking into the fine-art photography market, presenting exhibitions, and working with gallery owners.

Tell Us Which Conference You Prefer.  No matter which conference you attend, these types of events provide great networking opportunities. And the accompanying expositions provide a convenient way to see demonstrations of dozens of new products.

If you’ve attended one or more of these photography events in the past, we encourage you to drop us a note and tell us which one(s) you like best and why. We meet so many great people and learn so much at every conference and show we attend. But we’re always curious to hear more about what types of photography-related training and education you like most.

Posted on by LexJet Posted in News & Trends
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LensFlare35 Links Canon Pro Photographers

By Kelly Price

One big advantage of online learning is that you don’t have to read through pages and pages of information onscreen to find good information. Nor, do you have to travel far from your desk.

InFocSept09IndusIntelLensFlareNow you can simply kick back in your chair for awhile and have the information you want delivered via webinars, videos, or podcasts. Some of this information is coming from some fresh sources of expertise and insights.

One LexJet customer, David E. Warner, recently told me about LensFlare 35, an audio podcast community he has started for users of Canon cameras. He noted that one of his first interviews was with Sandra Pearce, the pro photographer/portrait painter in Okeechobee, FL who was featured in the Artist Spotlight section of LexJet’s In Focus newsletter (Vol. 4, No. 5) 

Since then, David has taped an impressive mix of other Canon shooters working in all parts of the country and in many different fields. Some of the photographers interviewed so far include: ‘famous-faces’ portrait photographer Brian Smale; author Rick Sammon; wedding photographer David Ziser; blogger and social-media expert Rosh Sillars; nature and conservation photographer Gabby Salazar; and nature and landscape photographer Jennifer Wu.

In one of his most recent interviews, David talks with landscape photographer and Outdoor Photographer magazine columnist William Neill who lives near Yosemite National Park. The interview itself is nearly an hour long but very thorough. You can preview the contents by checking out the PDF with the list of questions that Warner asks during the interview. You can also click on a special video in which Neill shows some of his images and explains how they were captured.   

In the main interview, David asks William Neill about everything from his technique and thought processes during a specific shooting scenario to how he differentiates his work from the thousands of fellow photographers who shoot popular scenes in Yosemite National Park. Neill also talks about why he likes printing his own work on his Canon inkjet printers, how he has gotten his work represented by galleries, and how he chooses which editions are limited and which ones are open. In other words, there’s a wide range of information covered in a relaxed, and conversational style.    

David Warner says, “The LensFlare 35 site emerged out of a personal desire to connect with other photographers to share tips and techniques specific to Canon equipment. It’s easy to find communities of Nikon photographers out there, but when it comes to Canon shooters, there hasn’t been much.

 “The masters of today’s digital photography are blending technique, technology and an amazing level of artistic talent,” he adds. “My vision for LensFlare35’s peer-to-peer community is that all photographers will be able to leverage this shared knowledge to enhance and inspire their own work.”

Posted on by LexJet Posted in News & Trends
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Photography Conference Stresses Need for Both Artistry and Profitability

Can I stay true to my artistic spirit and make money, too? That question has always bedeviled professional photographers and other creative souls who want to earn a decent living doing something they love. But finding a satisfactory answer has become more urgent as the recession has deepened and droves of newcomers and part-time photographers have entered the photography business.

Many photography pros are likely to be ready for some fresh ideas and inspiration come January when they start analyzing their financial results for 2009. That’s when some other tough questions tend to crop up: How can I do better financially next year? What can I do to bring in more revenues?

iusa_logoThat’s why it’s encouraging to review the conference program planned for the Professional Photographers of America’s Imaging USA Conference, Jan. 10-12 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, TN.  Along with sessions focusing on technical proficiency and photographic artistry, the PPA conference organizers have lined up sessions that explain how to differentiate yourself in a crowded market, sell new types of photo products, and update your marketing efforts.  The titles of some sessions are self-explanatory. For example:

  • Standing Out from the Crowd-Guaranteed
  • Achieve Amazing Results Against the Odds
  • Facebook was Made for Photographers
  • The One-Two Punch: Rockin’ Images + Social Networking = Business Explosion
  • Take Your Studio to the Next Level
  • What It Takes to Make the Salary You Need: New PPA Financial Benchmark Survey
  • Stop Wasting Your Time: Manage Your Workflow
  • Creating the Red-Hot Wedding Studio

In a session entitled Standing in the Shallow End of the Pool and Looking Good, Parker J Pfister will suggest many ways to differentiate your studio, including new shooting styles, unique products, and sales techniques.

During a session entitled Making the Most of Your Talents, photographers Tina and Michael Timmons of The Portrait Gallery will discuss how to diversify your portrait business by photographing, manipulating, and selling customizable portraits as interior décor. As they point out in the course description: “Every home and business is an opportunity—each has a need for imagery to be part of their surroundings.”

In the class called A Cut Above, Julie Klaasmeyer will talk about custom wall art and ways to create a demand for products that are cut above your competition.

And in the workshop entitled Product Design: Plain, Simple, and Profitable, Allison and Jeff Rodgers will discuss how to present clients with photo product designs that work in their own personal spaces.

If you start to feel overwhelmed by all of the business and sales advice, you can attend creativity-inspiring sessions such as Where Have All the Artists Gone? and The Portrait As an Art Form.  As always, one of the very best ways to differentiate yourself is to shoot visibly superior images that make a lasting impression and emotional connection.    

Newcomers to the photography business may want to arrive at Imaging USA early to attend half-day, one-day, or two-day sessions on topics such as:

  • Photographic Essentials When Turning Pro
  • The Business of Photography
  • Business and Financial Management
  • Sales and Customer Service
  • Marketing and Promotions

Other sessions cover specialties such as baby and children’s portraiture, wedding photography, and sports photography. There will also be an outstanding exhibition of award-winning prints and an expo of new equipment, software, and services.

You can keep up with all of the plans for Imaging USA 2010 through Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and the RSS Feed from the Imaging USA website.

In the meantime, if you’d like some personalized advice on fresh ways to grow your photography business and differentiate yourself in a crowded market, call one of the helpful account specialists at LexJet at 800-453-9538. We have a lot of ideas, too!

All of the Imaging USA events will be held in the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, the largest non-gaming facility in the continental US.
All of the Imaging USA events will be held in the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, the largest non-gaming facility in the continental US.