I’m a big fan of the metallic photo paper offered by photo providers like Mpix and Adorama Pix, but Fracture offers a fresh new photo product that is just out of this world!

What do you get when you order a Fracture?  You get a richly colored and vibrant photo printed directly on perfectly flat and extra strong, shatter resistant glass surface, and ready to be mounted because it’s the photo and the frame in one!  It’s a beautiful, elegant and altogether amazing way to display your photography.  Because the print is transferred directly to the glass, the end result is a 3D effect with out of this world vibrancy that’ll definitely bring your photographs to a whole new level.

It’s the perfect memento, and there’s a variety of sizes to choose from, starting at 5”x7” all the way up to 11”x14”, with prices starting at just $8.  It adds a kick of contemporary sophistication to any photograph, and it’s so affordable.  In many cases it’ might even cost less than the photo frame you’ll no longer be needing.

I’m definitely excited to try it out, and hopefully soon I’ll be following up with a review of an actual Fracture if I’m one of the first 100 posters at TwitterMoms  

Disclaimer: I wrote this blog post in response to a TwitterMoms RAMBO alert, making me eligible to get a Fracture picture frame for review. You can learn more about Fracture at http://www.fractureme.com.

It’s the Fourth of July weekend, and that means awesome events, good food, mega sales and FIREWORKS!  If those beautiful fireworks shots have eluded you till now, check out the following tips courtesy of Samsung to ensure that you get some screensaver worthy shots tomorrow night.

• Turn on Image Stabilization and Use a Tripod! – When it comes to shooting fireworks, or any low-light scene, don’t go it alone. No matter how advanced your camera may be there is no better image stabilization than a tripod. If you don’t have access to a tripod, try using any surface to steady your camera, whether it be a tree, fencepost, chair, etc. Because you’ll be using longer shutter speeds, you must keep your camera perfectly still in order to capture crisp, clear images free of any blur caused by camera shake.
• Setting Your Camera’s Shutter Speed –if you have a digital camera which offers a manual shooting mode, you have the ability to adjust your shutter speed.
• Shutter speed plays a crucial role in photographing fireworks. Depending on the look that you want, your shutter speeds can vary anywhere from one to 10 seconds. Longer shutter speeds will allow you to shoot one or multiple explosions from start to finish, capturing the full bursts and light trails; however, just because it’s dark, don’t use too long a shutter speed as you’ll risk over-exposing the image.
• Setting Your Camera’s Aperture – Again, if your digital camera offers a manual shooting mode, you can manually configure your camera’s aperture setting. When it comes to setting your camera’s aperture it’s important to remember that while the nighttime sky is dark, the light that fireworks give off is fairly bright. The aperture that you can set will depend on your digital camera, but estimate using an aperture anywhere between F8 – F16. Practice makes perfect as there is no clearly defined rule when it comes to setting shutter speed and aperture. Experiment early on with the first few bursts to make sure you have the appropriate settings and to adjust where needed.
• Setting the ISO – You should also manually adjust your camera’s ISO setting. Your camera’s ISO refers to its sensitivity to light. Typically, in a lower light setting, you would want to boost your camera’s ISO, but due to the bright light given off by the fireworks, you’ll want to stick to a lower value. Try setting your camera to the lowest ISO possible. An ISO of 100 or 200 should yield good results and provide a clean image.
• If you’re using a point-and-shoot camera without a manual mode, you can still take great photos of fireworks.
  Dial up your digital camera’s scene mode menu and search for a scene mode called “fireworks.” Most of Samsung’s point-and-shoot digital cameras feature the “fireworks” scene mode. Selecting the “fireworks” scene mode will automatically adjust your camera’s settings to capture the best image possible. But remember; still try to use a tripod or other surface to steady your camera.
• And last but not least, the most important tip to keep in mind is to have fun. This is your chance to express yourself and be creative, so play around with framing the shot both vertically and horizontally. A digital camera gives you the ability to take a preview shot to see if you’ve dialed up the appropriate settings and better yet, allows you to delete those that didn’t turn out so well.
• A larger memory card will also allow you to fire as many shots as you can, improving your chances of capturing some really spectacular photos.

Also, you can check out the following links for other great photography tips and ideas for the Fourth of July.

• How to Paint Your Photo with Sparklers (Photojojo.com)
• How to Photograph Fireworks (Digital-Photography-School.com)

It’s the second official week of summer, and I know that all you snap happy mamas are going to be snapping away happily this weekend during the Fourth of July and the festivities that come with this happy holiday.  After you all upload, catalog, tag, edit and export your photos, be sure to check out York Photo Labs when you’ve decided which ones you want printed.  They’re running a few awesome deals, and if you aren’t a member yet, you get 40 free prints to start with.

The following coupon codes expire on July 20, 2010:

• $4 Off Shipping On Photo Prints! $4 off shipping on 100 or more prints. Use Code: SHIP100SAVE4 at check out. Exp. 07-20-2010.
• 60 Photo Prints for 60% off – Now Just $1.92! + 40 Free Prints. Use code: HOTDEAL at check out. S&H not included. Exp. 07-20-2010.
• 6¢ Photo Prints – Unlimited! + 40 Free Prints. Use Code: PRINTS4SIX at check out. S&H not included. Exp. 07-20-2010

York Photo promo codes and deals that have no set expiration date:

• 40 Free Photo Prints – Plus up to 100 Prints For Just 4¢ Each! Use Code: YGP44 at check out. New customers only, S&H not included. One time use.
• $10 Off Your Order of $25 or More at York Photo! Use Code: 25FOR15 at checkout. S&H not included.
• Free Shipping on Photo Print or Poster Orders of $8 or more. Enter Code: SHIP4FREE at check out. Plus your 1st 40 prints are free.
• $4 off Shipping! On orders of 80 or more 4×6/4xD photo prints. Online Only, One time use. USE Code: 4OFF8T
• Free Shipping on Photo Print or Poster Orders of $8 or more. Enter Code: SHIP4FREE at check out. Plus your 1st 40 prints are free.

Bryan Peterson’s Understanding Exposure seems to be one of the books that almost every photographer, from novice to pro, has on their bookshelf.

I haven’t had a chance to really go through it and read every page, but I’ve flipped through, read a page or two, and I must say I am excited to make use of Peterson’s tips, tricks and techniques.  There’s nothing like the push of a little solid direction from a veritable photography deity to stir your creativity!

… my Christmas wish list, to be exact.  At the PDN PhotoPlus Expo a couple of weeks ago in NYC, I had a chance to test drive one of these beauties at the Lensbaby booth, specifically the Lensbaby Composer.  Wow, what a great piece of glass!  It’s so fun to use, and automatically adds a bit of whimsy and magic to every shot taken with it, whether you want it to or not, lol.

If you read through reviews, It seems that for many photographers, the Lensbaby is just utterly irresistible.  Of course, it’s not a necessary addition to the camera bag, rather, it’s an indulgence that happens to also be an investment, a sparkly, shiny toy that yields beautiful results.

I want <3