Digitalsilverimaging

The Fine Art of Printing in a Digital World

DSI-News

Webinars & Video Tutorials

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Visit and subscribe to our Youtube Channel to see all our videos.

Optimize Your Image for Print with Capture One – Capture One expert Scott Nidermaier walks you through the process of preparing your image for print. Capture One is powerful software that has the best inversion (negative to positive) capabilities in the business. Join us for this informative 30 minute presentation followed by an audience Q&A session.

 

Instant Image Capture, Better Than Scanning – Come along for a tour of our Instant Image Archiving Service and the hardware and software that make it all possible. Our new service digitally captures your film, print or artwork at a uniform 150 megapixels in a fraction of a second. We can make digital files of your work as quickly as we can safely prepare them for capture – transparencies/slides, negatives, prints and flat artwork can all be reproduced with the highest standards of accuracy. This webinar ends with an extensive Q&A.

 

The Art of Underwater Photography with Jake Stout – A deep dive with photographer and scuba diver Jake Stout – Jake began his SCUBA journey in 2017 and never looked back. A year later, he was the recipient of the Boston Sea Rover’s internship in which he traveled around the world doing underwater photography with marine scientists, BBC and National Geographic photographers and filmmakers. In 2019 Jake had the honor of presenting his work at the Boston Sea Rovers Film Festival, the longest continually running dive show in the world, and was inducted as a full active roster member in 2020.

 

Using Photography to Elevate Your Design – A beautifully finished and well crafted photograph can be the defining element of an interior space. As a designer or architect, you are confronted with questions like, what are the best photographic printing processes? How can I finish a photograph to best complement my design aesthetic? What should my photography budget look like? How do I work with a gallery or photographer? These questions and more will all are answered in a this Zoom panel discussion. The panel will consist of fine art photo lab owners Eric Luden and Andrea Zocchi, architect Tim Techler and art consultant Lynne Kortenhaus who has helped numerous clients acquire images and design interior spaces with photographic installations.

 

Converting Your Image to B&W with Joe Brady – How you execute your black and white conversion can make-or-break your image and your print. Simply selecting “grey scale’ results in soulless black & white conversions. Photoshop® and Lightroom® expert Joe Brady will share how he converts his images from color to black & white. Joe steps you through the process in clear easy to follow steps. Also included is a howto on the Nik Silver Efex Pro plug in. Joe and the team from Digital Silver Imaging will answer your questions live in this informative and interactive webinar. Included in the webinar: Starting your edit in color for the best black & white Using the graduated filter function to even exposure How to properly spot your image Using color channels to make amazing black & white conversions Using the brush tool to make black & white images that pop Best practices for exporting your image for print.

 

Photographing in India and Nepal: An Insider’s Guide – Join us with Roro La Velle and Craig Semetko as we take you on a journey through India and Nepal. Both of these Roro and Craig have experience as photographers, travelers, and tour leaders in these fascinating and photo friendly countries. Roro La Velle is the founder of Two Wheeled Expeditions, a company that takes participants via Royal Enfield motorcycles on tours of India and Nepal. Craig Semetko is a Leica professional and author of the book “India Unposed.”

 

Creating a Successful Kickstarter Campaign with Barry Schneier and Lou Jones – We speak with photographers Barry Schneier and Lou Jones about their successful Kickstarter projects. Barry’s book project on Bruce Springsteen was the second most popular photography book on Kickstarter in 2018. Lou has had 2 successful campaigns on this crowdfunding platform. We will discuss what made their campaigns successful and some important tips and suggestions. We end with Q&A from the attendees.

 

Online Printing Made Easy – We will walk you through the steps to using our new online Value Print Service for uploading your files for beautiful high quality prints and reasonable prices. An easy way to become acquainted with our online Value Print application. Includes a Q&A session with webinar participants.

Creative Bingo by J. Sybylla Smith

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Here is a Bingo Card of ideas to keep you engaged in your creative practice. Dig deep into areas of interest, experiment in new techniques, discover new resources and build new relationships. Your creative toolbox will expand while your photo community roots grow strong. 

BINGO

Be a student. Here is a list of courses to choose from compiled by the creative mavens at Don’t Take Pictures. https://www.donttakepictures.com/

Initiate playing a daily round of Punctum Practice – a photo-centric Concept Aware® tool. Select 10 random images from a magazine or online at sites like Foto Fever. Seek diversity  mix genres, timeframes, processes, and taste level. Set a timer for 1 minute and write 10 reactions to each photo. This exercise increases your visual vocabulary. This growing list of words can be useful to how you write about your work. Punctum is the emotional impact of an image – you want to cultivate this in your images.  

Never been to Paris Photo or Foto Fever? Go now! Take a virtual tour and/or listen to each of the photographers at Paris Photo discuss their creative practice on the Paris Photo website. Foto Fever’s  mission is to offer price points which encourage collecting. They will send an artwork and information to your inbox each day when you sign up.. 

Go back to kindergarten. Two ways to do this – tear magazines, catalogs, paper ephemera -including text and images- anything that  sparks a response. What grabs your attention? When you have complied 15 – 20 pieces start to arrange them into a collage which pleases you – no rules. The second method is to take screenshots online and create a folder of image and text to arrange. Take a photo of your creation. These mood boards offer insights into your visual propensities. They may spark an idea for your next project. 

Object study. Pick one object or place to photograph every day. This will increase your observational skills.

Special Offerings

Portrait of J. Sybylla Smith

To Find out more about independent curator, portfolio consultant, lecturer, and the creator of Concept Aware® visit the website of J. Sybylla Smith.

Using Photography to Elevate Your Design

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Join us on March 31, 2020, 6:00 – 8:30 pm.

A beautifully finished and well-crafted photograph can be the defining element of an interior space. As a designer or architect, you are confronted with questions like, what are the best photographic printing processes? How can I finish a photograph to best complement my design style? What should my photography budget look like? How do I work with a gallery or photographer? These questions and more will all be answered.

The event will start with refreshments and a tour. The lab’s team will then give a brief demonstration of several display techniques for finishing photographs. The demonstration will go beyond the basic white mat and frame, showing how to use aluminum and acrylic for a contemporary look. After the demos, architect Tim Techler will speak on his experience working with photographs, followed by Iris Gallery owner Alison Collins who will address working with galleries and photographers. A question and answer period will conclude the evening.

To give all participants the ability to interact with the presenters, the number of participants is limited to 30.

You must RSVP.  RSVP using this link.

6:00-6:30 – Craft beer, wine, and snacks. Lab tours.
6:30-7:45 – Photographic print presentation demonstration
7:45-8:30 – Presentation and Q&A with architect, Tim Techler and The Iris Gallery owner,  Alison Collins

Supporting the Photo Community

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Digital Silver Imaging believes we are all part of one big photo community. We depend on each other for commerce, support and inspiration. We strive to be a good citizen of this photo community and give back whenever we can. This is a brief list of our major partners and how we work together.

Photoville / United Photo Industries

Photoville is an annual free outdoor photo festival where photographic prints are exhibited in re-purposed shipping containers. By creating a physical platform for photographers of all backgrounds to come together and interact, Photoville provides a unique opportunity to engage with a diverse audience — a veritable cross-section of the world’s photographic community. This year, 2019, Photoville made its first appearance in Los Angeles in May and will again have its premier event under the Brooklyn Bridge in September. Digital Silver Imaging has been providing Photoville with pro bono printing services and support since 2015.

© Dylan Everett – Digital Silver Imaging Portfolio Award Winner

Social Documentary Network /ZEKE Magazine

Social Documentary Network supports a website that today has had nearly 3,300 compelling online exhibits submitted by photographers from all corners of the globe. SDN photographers tackle tough and important issues often given little or no coverage by today’s commercial media. As stated on the site, “All photographers on SDN share a common curiosity about the human condition and a strong desire to communicate their insights through words and photographs.” Digital Silver Imaging’s Eric Luden is on the SDN Advisory Board and as a company we sponsor SDN events such as Documentary Matters, and support SDN’s ZEKE Magazine with paid ads, as well as printing services.

Griffin Museum of Photography

The Griffin Museum of Photography is a nonprofit museum dedicated solely to the art of photography. Through exhibitions, lectures and workshops the Griffin is an important resource for the photographic community of the Boston Area and the United States. DSI founder Eric Luden has been involved with the Griffin for over a decade, he currently serves as the Vice President of The Griffin Museum of Photography’s Board of Directors.

WPOW – Women Photo Journalist of Washington

WPOW consists of over 350 experienced and emerging photojournalists, photo editors, videographers, producers, and students working in the Washington D.C. area. Digital Silver Imaging has supported WPOW with the printing of their annual exhibition.

Lesley University College of Art and Design

Digital Silver’s Eric Luden is on the Dean’s Advisory Council at Lesley. Digital Silver Imaging has happily assisted many Lesley students with internships and employment.

 

Other Nonprofit Organization we support through direct donations, services, or discounts

Catchlight Foundation

SPE – Society of Photographic Education

MFON: Women Photographers of the African Diaspora

Veteran’s Portrait Project

Boston Society of Architects

Leica Historical Society America

WGBH Boston Public Television

Doug Menuez and Sandro Miller on Staying Relevant as Professional Photographers

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Doug Menuez & Sandro Miller ©Doug Menuez's Leica
Doug Menuez & Sandro Miller ©Doug Menuez’s Leica

Doug Menuez and Sandro Miller continue to be creative, successful, and relevant after almost 40 years in the business of photography. On June  22, 2019, Doug Menuez and Sandro Miller generously shared volumes of valuable and entertaining information in an event hosted by Digital Silver Imaging and PhotoPolitic™. About 30 photographers and industry professionals gathered in Sandro’s beautiful Chicago studio. Also present was special guest Jim Stallman Senior VP and Creative Director of Leo Burnett and four industry movers and shakers, Patrick Rynell, EVP/ECD, Ainara Del Valle, ACD/AD, Jennifer Meinders, ACD/AD, Jon Lueken, Sr. Producer.

So how do these successful photographers define “The Art and Science of Staying Relevant?” The take away is condensed into these few brief paragraphs.

Stay Creative

Personal Projects | Pro Bono Work | Fine Art | Get out of your comfort zone

Both Doug Menuez and Sandro Miller pursue personal work as part of their work/life balance. Doug believes that working with nonprofit organizations can give an editorial photographer like himself the ability to photograph new and interesting subjects with fewer limitations. Doug has also published 4 books, most notably Fearless Genius, his unprecedented documentation of the digital revolution. Fearless Genius was #1 on the Amazon Bestseller list and it continues to provide exposure as a multimedia project, film, and a traveling exhibition of prints all produced by Digital Silver Imaging. 

Sandro Miller’s expansive personal work often starts with a project that becomes an entire large format fine art book. Projects like the one he did with John Malkovich or his trips to Cuba became books and many of the images end up as fine art prints for gallery sales and exhibitions. Although Sandro has a distinct style, and can be considered a portraitist, he is constantly finding new paths and subjects for his work.

Sandro’s spacious studio ©Andrea Zocchi

Stay Organized

Make a business plan | Strategically target your customers

According to Doug Menuez what put him on the path to success was a solid business plan and the discipline to stick to it. Both photographers emphasized that having the business acumen and the right people in that field was invaluable. Sandro Miller stressed focusing your promotional efforts on a manageable group of targeted clients/agencies and galleries. Casting too broad a net often doesn’t work and can result in work the photographer is not excited about executing. Miller stated that he focuses on about 20 potential customers at a time.

Refreshments ©Doug Menuez
Refreshments ©Doug Menuez

Stay Above the Crowd

Use prints and printed media to stand out

The consensus was that regular posts on social media were necessary but didn’t necessarily get you work. Doug said that one of his most successful and expensive promotions was his “F…You Book.” It was a portfolio of work he loved (not work that everyone advised him to show, that’s where the “F…You” comes in). He said that this piece got him more and better jobs than any other promotions.

The advice from Sandro was to send a signed print, as he said, “People just can’t throw away a signed print.” He also uses his books as a way to rekindle art director and ad agency interest in what he’s doing. Both photographers have an active fine art presence, with gallery representation and the print sales supplementing their income and increasing their exposure.

Jim Stallman Senior VP and Creative Director of Leo Burnett echoed what both photographers said. He underlined the point that as a creative director he is overwhelmed with emails and electronic communications. His advice was to do something tangible that shows your own creative genius, something that represents you, not what you think someone wants to see.

Stay Informed

Research your customers | Know the brand | Be prepared for the shoot

Before you start a job, or start to promote your work to a client, know what they do. In editorial, documentary, or product work the research is the first step. Sandro stated that he might shoot for an entire week before the actual photo session is scheduled. In the preceding week he will test lighting, concepts and other aspects before the client arrives in studio. Dig deep, acquire knowledge and be prepared.

Portfolio reviews were an optional component ©Doug Menuez
Portfolio reviews were an optional component ©Doug Menuez

Stay Personal and Connected

Pick up the phone | Meet people | Attend Events

Doug Menuez, Sandro Miller, and Jim Stallman all agreed that photography is all about making personal connections and keeping them fresh. Don’t send an email if you can call the person by phone. Expanding your community in person makes you memorable. Knowing that you can work with a person and they can work with you makes all the difference. 

This also extends to the photo shoot itself. Don’t just start blasting away. Talk to your subject. Again both photographers emphasized the pre-shoot preparation. If you know your subject you can make conversation and the shoot will be more successful.

We hope that PhotoPolitic™, Doug Menuez and Sandro Miller will choose to repeat this event in the future. It might be the best $189 dollars that you can spend on your career. We’d like to thank Doug Menuez, Sandro Miller and Jim Stallman as well as Chris Armstrong from PhotoPolitic™ for asking us to play a small part. The entire day was videoed and is available to PhotoPolitic™ members. To stay informed about future events follow us, Digital Silver Imaging and PhotoPolitic™ on social media.

Photoville 2018 “Illuminated” by J. Sybylla Smith

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Photoville specializes in throwing light where there is darkness. These five examples are beacons of creative curiosity paired with intelligent investigation. While diverse in subject matter, each exhibit shares a common intent – to reveal truth and clarify its relationship to power.

(l-r) Tomas Van Houtryve, Brian L. Frank, Sarah Blesener
Work by Catchlight fellow Thomas Houtryve, Nathan Alexander Steiner and Green River, 2017

The San Francisco-based non-profit, Catchlight, works to amplify visual story-telling to drive positive social change. Their exhibitions honored three inaugural Catchlight Fellows. Sarah Blesener in New Americanism highlights the intersection of youth, religion, nationalism and military-style training.  In Out of Bounds Brian L. Frank gives an intimate portrayal of targeted policing and criminalization of youth in marginalized communities. Tomas Van Houtryve looks at the weaponization of photography through the use of drones and other technology in Blue Sky Days. Each artist documents current U.S. activities which ask viewers to consider the complexity and validity of our national narrative. (This exhibition printed and sponsored in part by Digital Silver Imaging.)

The McFarthest Place - Mark Kauzlarich Emergicube curated by James Estrin and David Gonzalez Co-Editors of the NYTImes Lens Blog
The McFarthest Place EmergiCube by Mark Kauzlarich

The McFarthest Place is an EmergiCube based on the inspired idea of photographer Mark Kauzlarich, namely; how far away could one live from a McDonald’s restaurant? He discovers it to be a county in South Dakota and documents the social, economic and political landscape of this slice of rural Western life. EmergiCubes, scattered throughout Photoville, feature emerging photographers culled from the New York Times Portfolio Review. Co-Founders and Editors of the Lens Blog, James Estrin and David Gonzales, select participants and co-curate these exhibitions. Read about each of these talented artists here.

 

Maggie Steber, Men Born From Blossoms
Sara Terry, (Re) Thinking Dejeuner sur l' herbe

The Photo Agency VII is a powerhouse of international photographers known for their global social documentary coverage. Seven women photographers, photojournalists and filmmakers from this collective are featured in Her Take:(Re) Thinking Masculinity. Expanding on a conversation begun at their last annual meeting this exhibition provides a format to move forward an inclusive dialogue on gender, power and representation. Anush Babajanyan, Jessica Dimmock, Linda Bourname Engelberth, Ilvy Njiokiktjien, Nichole Sobecki, Maggie Steber and Sara Terry each reflect a unique and nuanced perspective to (re)consider.

64,000 Luceo

Luceo is a creative visual agency which builds transmedia platforms to inform public perception and move us towards a positive future. This year their exhibit sought to humanize drug use, to shift our public policy focus from a criminal lens to a public health one, and to decrease the stigma associated with injection drug use. Stemming from their collaboration with the Colorado-based, Harm Reduction Action Center, Luceo created the immersive experience, 72,306. It actualized in concrete forms the reality of our current overdose epidemic. A bell was sounded every seven minutes and 41 seconds (how often a death via overdose occurs) and a metal ball was released down a chute to add to last year’s total of 72,306 overdoses. Simultaneously, a wall of portraits simulating the individual drug users went from a black and white image to a red one. Visitors could not escape being emotionally moved by the reenactment of the facts.

Léon Hendrickx, Juno, Amsterdam, 2016
Léon Hendrickx, Sapphira Cristal, Philadelphia

Amsterdam-based photographer Léon Hendrickx explores drag queens’ identity beyond exhibitionism in Kings and Queens. The subject, as collaborator, staged the location, wardrobe and pose of these compilation portraits featuring themselves in and out of drag. Hendrickx’ exploration looks at identity, love, and gender. He unearthed more questions than answers within the entity he coined sexual transcendence. The exhibition was supported by the Consulate General of the Netherlands in New York. A book of the work is expected to be released in October 2020 and is available for pre-order here.

J. Sybylla Smith

This post re-published with the permission of J. Sybylla Smith. Sybylla is available for consultation, teaching, curating and lectures @ https://jsybyllasmith.wordpress.com.