Made Calendars this year (finally)

Ann McRaeAnn McRae Registered Users Posts: 4,584 Major grins
edited December 11, 2006 in Mind Your Own Business
This is one of those tasks that I have procrastinated about many, many times. Finally did it this year through lulu. They are not live yet as I am waiting for the proof editions (shipped today), but I have put the photos up on smugmug as well, so thought I'd share a preview here.

Bryce/Zion is here:
http://canadian-ann.smugmug.com/gallery/2141297

and the Fundy Coast (from my recent trip to New Brunswick) is here:
http://canadian-ann.smugmug.com/gallery/2130386

My plan for them is to order several to give as Christmas gifts to coworkers and to past supporters of my photography, and to make available for sale. I am really not sure about selling through lulu due to the currency and cross border stuff I have to deal with.

I'd love feedback - interestingly, I am feeling like my editing skills are getting much better. I've re-edited several of the Bryce/Zion shots recently and think they are improved for the effort.

ann

Comments

  • cwphotoscwphotos Registered Users Posts: 763 Major grins
    edited November 18, 2006
    Awesome Ann. I would buy one. :D
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  • BSleumanBSleuman Registered Users Posts: 18 Big grins
    edited November 18, 2006
    Great work Ann.

    You might want to check April - Fundy Coast (Font size?)

    Keep up the good work,

    Buck
  • Ann McRaeAnn McRae Registered Users Posts: 4,584 Major grins
    edited November 18, 2006
    mwink.gifmwink.gif hehe, Dean, I will let you know when they are available!!!

    Thanks!!!

    ann

    cwphotos wrote:
    Awesome Ann. I would buy one. :D
  • Ann McRaeAnn McRae Registered Users Posts: 4,584 Major grins
    edited November 18, 2006
    Thanks, Buck. I' ll check that out for sure - thats why I am waiting for the proofs before releasing - hope to catch any other errors (I know a few already that I need to work on).

    ann
    BSleuman wrote:
    Great work Ann.

    You might want to check April - Fundy Coast (Font size?)

    Keep up the good work,

    Buck
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited November 18, 2006
    Congrats, Ann!
    Very nice! thumb.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • Ann McRaeAnn McRae Registered Users Posts: 4,584 Major grins
    edited November 19, 2006
  • Ann McRaeAnn McRae Registered Users Posts: 4,584 Major grins
    edited November 23, 2006
    Got the proofs today. The Bryce/Zion calendar is really nice. Just one or two titles to fix and it is golden.

    The New Brunswick one has me scratching my head - I need to look at the origianls again, but the photos seem much grainier that they should - gotta check what ISO I shot at first, then if that doesn't explain it, well??

    Overall quality for the $ is pretty good. I am still debating placing a big order with shutterfly instead - a big order (25 calendars) gets the price to the same range as lulu.

    ann
  • FlyingginaFlyinggina Registered Users Posts: 2,639 Major grins
    edited November 24, 2006
    Ann,

    What a great selection of photos for your calendars! Good luck with the project. I know it was a lot of work to pull it together, but it was sure worth it. I hope you figure out the problem with the New Brunswick pix. They are wonderful shots. clap.gifclapclap.gif

    Virginia
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  • gusgus Registered Users Posts: 16,209 Major grins
    edited November 24, 2006
    Trully stunning ann ..you have wonderful work.
  • Ann McRaeAnn McRae Registered Users Posts: 4,584 Major grins
    edited November 25, 2006
    Hi Virginia

    Thanks. The print issues are with the following photos - they printed rather murkily and the color of the sky, subtle lighting did not print well at all. There is only one shot in the Bryce calendar that has pastel color range so maybe that is the difference.
    110287280-M.jpg



    110287384-M.jpg


    110287408-M.jpg

    110287359-M.jpg
    ann
  • Ann McRaeAnn McRae Registered Users Posts: 4,584 Major grins
    edited November 25, 2006
    gus wrote:
    Trully stunning ann ..you have wonderful work.

    Thank You very much, gus!

    ann
  • Ann McRaeAnn McRae Registered Users Posts: 4,584 Major grins
    edited November 26, 2006
    Well, I changed a few (2 I think) photos on the New Brunswick calendar and have put them both into the public realm.

    http://canadian-ann.smugmug.com/gallery/2130386

    http://canadian-ann.smugmug.com/gallery/2141297

    ann
  • frankensteinfrankenstein Registered Users Posts: 57 Big grins
    edited November 26, 2006
    Ann,
    you have chosen 2 great sets of images for your calendars - they deserve to sell well. I made my first Lulu calendar about a month ago and purchased 10 as Christmas gifts for family and friends, and when they arrived I was so impressed by the quality that I created another calendar from different images and ordered 8 of them! (that's one way to increase the sales rank rolleyes1.gif)

    And what a good idea to make separate Smugmug galleries for the calendars and feature them on your homepage! I'm just about to do the same right now!

    Frank
  • raptorcaptorraptorcaptor Registered Users Posts: 3,968 Major grins
    edited November 27, 2006
    Great work! thumb.gif You'll have to let us know if the printing holds up!
    Glenn

    My website | NANPA Member
  • Ann McRaeAnn McRae Registered Users Posts: 4,584 Major grins
    edited November 27, 2006
    Hi Frank

    Thanks!

    Well, I ordered 15 of one and 20 of the other for gifts to clients and workmates. I also emailed all my 'friends' announcing them, and have inadvertantly sold 5 so far. What I am hoping is that someone will fall in love with the photo on the calendar and need a big, high quality version of it!!!

    The idea for a gallery for each isn't mine - but it is a good one!

    Cheers

    ann
  • Ann McRaeAnn McRae Registered Users Posts: 4,584 Major grins
    edited November 29, 2006
    Hi Glenn
    Thanks. The big order shipped tonight so I should have an answer about print quality next week - interested to see if there is consistency from calendar to calendar.

    ann
  • Ann McRaeAnn McRae Registered Users Posts: 4,584 Major grins
    edited December 7, 2006
    So the large order just arrived, with the replacement photos in the Fundy calendar.
    I took a leap of faith and
    1. included a sunset photo with a really big hotspot/overexposed area
    2. ordered them without a proof

    and guess what - that photo is not a good candidate for printing.

    However, all in all, they look really good - maybe better than the first run proofs.

    They arrived with an additional $35 COD charge for custom brokerage, so are costing me about $15cdn each.

    I will be giving them as gifts to coworkers and friends and to sports photography customers. As well, I have orders for 8 so far. I am hoping that this gift will inspire future photo purchases.

    ann
  • PhyxiusPhyxius Registered Users Posts: 1,396 Major grins
    edited December 10, 2006
    Congratulations Ann! This is something I keep saying I'm going to do and I just never get around to it. There's no time like the present though, right?! :)

    Great job again and LOVELY images!
    Christina Dale
    SmugMug Support Specialist - www.help.smugmug.com

    http://www.phyxiusphotos.com
    Equine Photography in Maryland - Dressage, Eventing, Hunters, Jumpers
  • dogwooddogwood Registered Users Posts: 2,572 Major grins
    edited December 11, 2006
    Phyxius wrote:
    This is something I keep saying I'm going to do and I just never get around to it. There's no time like the present though, right?! :)

    Great job again and LOVELY images!

    I agree. Thank you for the inspiration. I had never heard of lulu but now you've really sparked my interest!

    Portland, Oregon Photographer Pete Springer
    website blog instagram facebook g+

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