Design
& Order your Prayer Card in:
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What Goes into a Great Photo Prayer Card?
There
are three things that make up a great prayer card. It starts with
a good photo, and one that is specifically
good for adding text, logos and graphics (especially important
for the Full
Photo Format). So check out the tips below for help with getting
the best possible photo.
Secondly,
you need a good digital image of your photo (if you use a digital
camera, this is already done!). Please see "Ways
to Create a Digital Image" for some helpful thoughts on
how to digitize your photo.
Finally,
you need a great design. That's where we work together to create something
that will keep all who see your cards remembering you in their prayers.
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General tips about getting the perfect shot
Be deliberate and creative. Think about what would make a good background,
what would make for good colors, etc. When you set out on a picture-taking
spree, we suggest that you shoot 10 to25 pictures (shoot
an entire roll if you are using a film camera) so that you can be
sure of getting a good shot. Vary the distance, setting, poses,
or even the times of day.
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Choosing a great place to take the photo
Almost
any setting that you like will do. If you can find a place that
says something about your ministry, such as a famous landmark, a
church building, or beautiful and typical landscape, those often
make the biggest impression in a photo card. If you want to use
the Full Photo Format, make sure that there is a consistently colored
background in the picture so that your text shows up well against
it (see
below).
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What is a good background for my photo?
If you are using the Frames,
Cameo, or Half & Half Formats, you do not have to worry
so much about the background of your photo. However,
if you are planning on using the classic Full
Photo Format, then you will need to be aware of
the colors in the background of your photo over which the text
and logos will float. Even though we can make your
text and logos any color you want, your card will be the easiest
to read if the background is either dark with lighter lettering
or light with dark lettering. So a picture with lots of sky, a
light colored wall, a snowy hill, etc, would all work as light
backgrounds, just as a dark wall, lots of trees, shrubs, a night
shot, etc, would all make for great dark backgrounds.
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Outdoor Shots
Outdoor
shots make for some of the most spectacular cards. The lighting is often
much better and the setting much more interesting in indoor shots. The
only real trouble with an outdoor shot from a prayer card perspective
is that the background can often be a mix of light and dark colors. For
a Full Photo Card, this can make text very difficult to read. So beware
of sunlit leaves, light filtering through trees, and excess clutter. Earlier
morning and late afternoon shots are often the best for lighting,
and midday shots usually make for much worse lighting. Make sure
the sun is not behind you because the lens will overcompensate and make
faces all dark. A fill flash may help.
Indoor
photography is much more difficult without proper lighting equipment.
Definitely do not take your picture under fluorescent lights!
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What about clothing?
Be
creative, but be bright! Colors that are coordinated and that jump off
the picture at you make the best Prayer Cards. Pastels often wash out
unless the background is nice and dark. You might want to
consider using clothes that say something about your ministry,
such as clothes particular to the country you are serving.
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Check your photo before you send it
Once
you have taken a number of pictures and found one that you like take
a good look at it to make sure that it is a good print.
Is the lighting fairly even overall especially on the faces? If one face
is darker than others, it will become darker in the Prayer Card making
process. What about the contrasts, especially between people and the background.
Dark hair against a dark background could melt together. In a professional
print, many photographers provide a soft light behind the people to eliminate
the effect.
If you
are having trouble choosing between a couple of different photos, feel
free to send us two or three of your best and let us pick
the one that will work best as a Photo Prayer Card. All photos will be
returned.
Remember,
a good photo card must begin with a good photo. Conversely, a poor print
will make a poor photo card, no matter how much magic we try to work on
it. Plan well so that your card can be everything you want it to be.
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More Links
For
more help with taking great photos, try the following links:
Kodak
Pictures Tips - Kodak's tips site for all sorts of picture
taking tips.
Saugus Photos - Good set of basic tips.
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