Ready or not, the time has come.

I know, crazy right?

You remember his first step. The first time she cried out for “ma-ma.” First boo-boo. First day of school. First love. The list goes on and sentimentally on.

But life moves forward and so does he. As does she. She has grown beautifully before your eyes. He has matured into a handsome, thoughtful man. Well, maybe a handsome, thoughtful boy. Either way, you are proud. As you should be!

The achievement of graduation is meant to be captured and treasured forever. As my momma always told me, “Your education is something no one can EVER take away from you.”

Of course, you want to share this momentous occasion with all of your family and friends, both near and far. With Photo Cards, Folded Cards, Folded Words and our brand new card line, WellWishes, you can do just that.

All of Photo by Walgreens Graduation Announcements and Grad Party Invites are convenient, simple and allow you to add your own personal touch.

So get started now. Show off that stylin’, smilin’ grad!

- Marina, designer at Walgreens

Hi, I’m Deb!

I’m a commercial photographer, which means that by day I shoot for advertising clients but in my down time I shoot out in the real world for myself.  I end up with scads of pics to sort thru.  Playing around with image pairings is almost as fun as shooting them!  Getting them into a concise, beauteous space for a portfolio or personal photo book can be time consuming but it’s also super rewarding.

For example, let’s say you just got back from a marvelous vacation in Maui, and your camera is jam-packed with hundreds of shots of the gorgeous lava flows, beaches and family fun.

What do you do now?

It’s time to make a collage! Or frame some of your favorite prints to hang together on the wall!

Let me share with you some easy tips and tricks to follow when crafting your photo masterpiece:

Select images that go together:

• SHAPE – Look for shapes that repeat from one image to another.  In the images above, the repeating circles connect the different images.  Shapes such as circles, squares, triangles and even lines can be seen in urban and natural settings. Find similar shapes in your photos, then see how the images look together.  Play with the order of them, too.  One picture might look better on the left than it does on the right.

• COLOR – Look for complementary or contrasting colors.  Take a look at the color wheel below.  Complementary colors are opposite on the wheel. When placed next to each other, complementary colors make each other stand out.  Like blue & orange, yellow & violet, red & green.  You can also stray a bit from direct opposites, like I did above.  Notice that the closer the colors are on the color wheel, the more similar they are, making it less likely for them to “pop.”  This doesn’t mean they don’t look good together; it just depends on the scene you’re going for!

Look for repetition of shape and color while you’re taking pictures, too.

While taking pictures:

• SHAPE – Look for repetition of shape out in the world.  Being mindful of the things around you when you’re behind the camera will help you become a better photographer.  Move your camera or move your subject until you like what you see.  Find a background composition that is as interesting as that handsome devil who is your subject.  Maybe there’s a fence in the distant background to echo the stripes in his pants.

• COLOR – When photographing color in the real world, you may not have control over some things, like what shirt your daughter is wearing. But, you should look around to see if there is a background that creates a color combination you like.  As you move around to find that perfect composition, be careful to keep the sun from shining directly into your lens.

Learn about everything Deb: www.dfletcherphoto.com

Once you have your perfectly snapped photographs, look to Photo by Walgreens to transform your prints into delightful works of art in the form of a collage poster, canvas prints, mug and more.

Hope this helps, and thanks for reading.

Happy memory making!

- Deb, guest blog writer

Photography in nature.

The untamed wilderness. The final frontier. The land where Mother Nature reigns supreme.

Wait just a second. Back that truck up. What has to be so scary about outdoor photography?  Sure, it’s different than having very carefully orchestrated poses and an indoor setting, but that’s the beauty of it! Outdoor photography can be spontaneous, serene, and if nothing else a cool change of pace! Especially in this time of year, look out that window – flowers are blooming, colors are vibrant, everything is coming to life, it’s absolutely PERFECT to shoot outdoors.

Looking for tips on how to photograph outdoors? Well friends, you have come to the right place. Here are a few tips when you get out of the studio and into the wild.

1.    It’s all in the light! Objects and even more so people look illuminated and somewhat ethereal when backlit in nature. Your photographs will have a retro quality to them, like your subject has emerged right from the sun.
2.    Location, location, location. Beautiful locations can be found all around you. Don’t discount a spot just because it’s near a less than idea area…sometimes the best outdoor photography takes place in spur of the moment spots. Just make sure that stop lights, street signs, etc. are out of the picture. (Unless you’re deliberately including them – then go for it!)
3.   Turn off the flash. Ok, you know this one. Moving on!
4.  Try a Tripod! Obnoxious puns aside, tripods give you clearer photos and will help with your depth of focus. If you have access to one, they’re a must.

Now, of course you’re wondering, “Well Marina, what do I do with my outdoor photos? Clearly they mustn’t just sit on my camera! Photo by Walgreens…HELP!!” One idea is to take a shot with a wide-angle lens and spread out a panoramic shot over three different Canvas Prints. An outdoor-themed Photo Book is also a “natural” fit (get it? Oh right, no more puns) so perhaps take a series of photographs over the course of a day starting at sunrise and ending at sunset.

Any other outdoor photography tips? Share them below!

-Marina, designer at Walgreens

Happy Monday!

My friends, today I present a challenge. (How bold of you Marina!) I’ve recently seen quite a few crafty people on Pinterest create their own DIY letters out of random objects and turn them into photographs telling a story. Basically, the idea is that they come up with a word, and then hunt for objects around town that spell the word out photographically. For example, check out the really cool way the word “CHICAGO” and “DISNEY” are spelled out up above.

Each letter is spelled using a different object, which also gives all of the letters their own stylistic flair. It’s a little taste of the town. Pretty cool right? So why not go on your own photo scavenger hunt and pick a word and find objects and scenes to spell it out! After your expedition is complete, get prints made of all of your fun finds and frame them together to form the word or name!

One other suggestion I’d have for your DIY letter photos would be to turn them into 8×10 enlargements. If you have a new baby or redecorating a kid’s room, find photos of objects spelling out their name and then hang them on their bedroom wall. Check out the example of “MAX” below.

Let us know what words you chose for your scavenger hunt and how you spelled them out!

-Marina, designer at Walgreens

Welcome to the first edition of Marina on Marina on Food!

Today’s interview is the first in a series of posts exploring one of my absolute favorite trends- food photography. I’m sure you’ve seen the pictures on Facebook, through email, other blogs…taking photos of your food is HUGE right now. To dive a little bit deeper, I’m going to be conducting an interview with someone I consider an expert on the subject…myself!

Why do I photograph food?
For lots of reasons. First and foremost, it’s to show off what you’re eating. You know the quote “Show me what you eat, and I’ll tell you what you are?”

I love that quote!
Me too! The reason I love it so much is that what we eat in many ways shows who we are. When I photograph food, my first thoughts are- “Check out this amazing dish I ordered!” Or, “Look what I just made! I can’t believe it turned out so well!”  Both of these statements are really personal in the sense that, the dishes that are photographed tell a lot about the photographer. Are they adventurous? Close to home? Do they like sharing, being social, or smaller plates that are meant for one? Are they a dessert eater, someone that enjoys the sweeter things in life? Make a note of how the food is plated as well – is there an architecture to it? Is it patterned, or expressive? Presented with soft curves or harsher angles?

What’s your favorite food to photograph?
Something very dynamic. Lots of textures, lots of colors. Food with really interesting shapes and sizes. Eggs and sandwiches are great, but finely crafted pasta dishes and sushi rolls make for much more interesting subjects. Someone (it could be the chef, it could be you!) took quite a bit of time to prepare what you’re photographing and make it beautiful, so shouldn’t it be remembered in the same way?

I think so!
That’s because you’re clever. Like me.

Ummm…back to the interview. Any tips for beginners photographing food?
Ditch the flash.

Seriously?
Seriously. It flattens your food. Makes it look much less interesting. Also, you should develop a style. And angles that you like shooting from. The goal is that someone should be able to tell that it’s your picture immediately. Come up with a routine so that it doesn’t take forever every time…do you really want your food to get cold? Finally, use apps that are perfect for photographing food, like Snapdish, Camera+, Instagram – that’s the biggest one. Also – I always like to take three pictures. One showing the people eating at the table, to give the food context. Two, I like to show just the food on the plate and a bit of the table around it. Three, I take a close up of some feature of the food that I find interesting. It might be how a fork sits delicately on the edge of the plate, or grill marks on a piece of asparagus. Just something that gives the food detail and character.

When you’re finished photographing your delicious confections, why not turn your photos into canvases, calendars, or photo books? Stay tuned for the next edition of Marina on Marina on Food!