The Van Wert County Courthouse

Thursday, Mar. 28, 2024

Tips on creating photo greeting cards

In case the info given last week to set up for a photo greeting is not available for reference, this is basically what was said.

Prepare for the shot shortly after sundown or when the sky is overcast to have more even illumination. If it is bitterly cold, possibly you can position your car at the angle you want to shoot, roll the window down part way, and use its upper edge with something soft such as a towel or washcloth draped over it to steady the camera lens. Shut the engine off just before you shoot to reduce the chance of vibration. 

Use a variety of settings and locations to achieve your favorite view.  Compose your views with extra space across the top and bottom. That way, you have the space to place your holiday message in the scene for a personalized greeting card.

To make your picture more unique, you can use a cross screen (or star) filter to provide 2, 4, 6, or 8 streaks of light from each light at an angle of your choice.  This is achieved by turning the outer ring. These filters have a grid embedded in them that produces the flair and the size of your lens opening can influence this effect also.

Once you have selected the photo you like, resize it to a 4×6 image. That way, when you are done, you can put the finished project on a jump drive to have as many copies printed as you wish here in town or maybe Email the image to an on line printer.

To add the message, open PowerPoint or Open Office and insert the picture into the space.  Be careful to pull it by the corners so you don’t change the 4×6 size ratio as you fill the space.

Next, select Word Art, which allows you to select the fill color, line width and color, and shadow width and color to produce the appearance you want for the letters.

Compose the message for the top, drag it into position, and to enlarge or shrink it, pull or push at the corners to keep everything in proportion. By holding down the Control Key and tapping the Arrow Key you can move the message exactly where you want it. Make sure you’ve clicked to deactivate the indicators that are used to change the size and location of the message. Repeat these steps for the lower message, and save the slide as the largest jpg file possible.

Best wishes for the new year!

POSTED: 12/31/17 at 2:45 pm. FILED UNDER: Camera Club News