Pittsburgh Newborn Family Photographer | Artsy Couture Canvas Deconstruction & Review

There are a lot of choices when it comes to products for my clients.  I generally sell canvas or framed fine art wall portraits, as well as archival custom photo albums, and have shopped a number of products to find the very best in quality for my clients. In a canvas printer I am looking for, above all, extremely high image quality--sharp image and accurate color tones.  I am very actively involved in assuring my colors and tones are accurate by using the X-rite "Passport" color checker when I am shooting and editing and a Spyder to calibrate my monitor.  I double-check compatibility with each of the vendors that I work with to make sure I will get consistent, accurate color in my products. For those of you unfamiliar with how this works, what I am talking about is making sure that the color and brightness settings on my monitor are set to look like what I will get from my print labs so that I don't get skin tones that are too orange, green, dark, bright, etc. Secondly I am looking for solid, archival construction.  I want my canvas wrapped around wood with quality hanging hardware and bumpers.  NO CARDBOARD.  Just no. I was using a canvas printer that I liked very much for a few years when I suddenly started having color issues back in October 2013.  I had been hearing so much about Artsy Couture, and their prices were less than my printer at the time, so I tried them out.  What I received from them was what appeared to be a well constructed, solid canvas, but the colors were way off--super orange.  Their customer service was amazing--friendly & prompt--and they sent out a new canvas that was better but still not the color & sharpness I am seeing from the pro labs I usually work with. I ended up taking a loss on that order and paying to have my client's order printed at another lab (the one I am currently using). I went to the Artsy booth at Imaging USA earlier this week and was very impressed with the quality of their products, their cute booth, and their friendly staff.  I was told that they were having short-lived color issues at the time of my order and that I should try again.  I was also told that the canvases are stretched around wood, which really surprised me because I figured it was some sort of super rigid cardboard given they cost a small fraction of the pro lab canvas wraps. Upon returning home I decided to dig up that old canvas--the one I received with color issues, and deconstruct it!  Here is what I found...                       My overall recommendation is that Artsy "Couture Canvas" is a good option for budget photographers or for consumers who are not willing to pay literally 3x the price at a pro lab.  I do intend to give them another…

Pittsburgh Lifestyle Newborn Photographer | Baby Tyler & Family| Upper St. Clair PA

This sweetie was born a couple weeks early with the most gorgeous head of hair!  He joins big brother Brayden and a happy mama & daddy! Kissy face!  :) These boys will be wrestling in no time! I like the stripes in this photo: I think Elmo was helping me take pictures in this one, heehee... whatever works!  :) Congrats B family!  You will be well taken care of by your two cuties! *** Are you looking for a maternity, newborn, family, or baby photographer in Pittsburgh?  I would love to hear from you!  Powder Blue Photography offers in-home and studio portraits of newborn babies and maternity, and on location family portraits in and around Pittsburgh, including the South Hills, McMurray, Peters Township, Canonsburg, Bridgeville, Upper St. Clair, Fayette, and Mt. Lebanon areas..  All images © 2013 Missy Timko at Powder Blue Photography.  Please contact Missy to schedule your session.

Upper St. Clair Family Photographer | Walker Family| Pittsburgh Toddler Photographer

The Walkers... a family with two beautiful girls who love to laugh and play and watch the Little Mermaid (except for the storm scene).  There was ask a lot of talk about Sofia... Princess Sofia?  I guess I'll catch on when Mimi is talking more in a few months! This portrait was taken in December, back when I thought it was cold and had no idea what January was going to be like!  This is my second winter in Pittsburgh and I am loving all the snow!  Yes, really!  I grew up in San Diego so it's a fun change. These girls LOVE daddy! *** Are you looking for a maternity, newborn, family, or baby photographer in Pittsburgh?  Powder Blue Photography offers in-home and studio portraits of newborn babies and maternity and on location family portraits in and around Pittsburgh, including the South Hills, McMurray, Peters Township, Canonsburg, Bridgeville, Upper St. Clair, South Fayette, Mt. Lebanon, Cecil Township, Squirrel Hill, Regent Square, and Shadyside areas.  Please contact Missy to schedule a maternity appointment and a tentative date for your newborn session.  Maternity sessions take place around 33-36 weeks, and newborn sessions take place in the first 10 days of life.  Family sessions take place anytime!