Basic Tips to Take Perfect Photo for a Canvas

Expensive cameras do not equate to perfect photos on canvas!  However, following some basic techniques and a good camera can get you the perfect shot!  Some basic steps and suggestions from our end to get your perfect shot for the canvas:

1. Set your camera to ‘Highest’ Quality Mode & Ensure Enough Free Memory

Your camera or phone may be able to take photos of a certain amount of pixels, but this doesn't necessarily mean that all photos taken will be captured using the highest pixels possible. So, ensure that your camera is set to high quality mode and there is enough memory.  For example, if your camera or SD card is low on memory, your camera may automatically switch to taking photos using fewer pixels in order to save them to your device – the smaller the pixels the smaller the file. This, of course, will cause quality problems and when printed on canvas, this distortion will be obvious.

2. Straighten the Horizon

Always pay attention to the lines and horizons in your photograph, even if you are taking a portrait. This is because unintentional angular lines throw off the balance of the photograph – the eye prefers level lines instead of uneven angles. This is even more important when considering a canvas, as your print will be hung on a wall above a fireplace, bed, or sofa. With straight lines surrounding your canvas, your image will look extremely out of place if it has been taken at an awkward angle.

Don't just look in the foreground – the background needs to be level too. There is a really easy way to make sure everything in your picture lines up, and most phones allow you to do this too. In your settings you will have the option of turning your viewfinder on or off. If you turn it on, you will see vertical and horizontal rulers on your screen that will allow you to align your images correctly. You can then view your photos normally without the viewfinder on.

3. Shoot in a Good Light

Lighting is very important when it comes to taking photographs and even average lighting can define the difference between an amazing picture and a poor one. For printing on a canvas, you will need to take photos in a setting with a lot of natural light in order to get the highest quality print possible. If you are using a mobile phone or a compact camera try to avoid using flash and taking photographs in dark settings as the image you take will distort when it is printed big.

If you stand with the light behind you when taking a photograph, the subject of your shot will naturally light up, avoiding shadows across their structure. This isn't just relevant for portraits as photographs of nature, landscapes and buildings will be the same.

4. Stabilize – Use a Tripod

Steadiness of your hand is very crucial to the final outcome of your shot. Many a times, the difference between a great and a good shot is how steady was your hand when the shot was taken. Good old tripods can be very handy to provide that steadiness especially when it comes to nature photography, shooting landscapes and sporting shots!

These basic tips can result in great photos.  Great Photos make beautiful canvases!  Canvases make everlasting memories!  At Print Arcade, we look forward to giving your photos a life of its own through our canvases – a cheap but treasured way to soak into your memories