Studio Astute

Holiday Pet Photos

Steve — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 18:53:21 +0000

Again this year, we will be photographing pets at Hair and the Hound pet grooming in Mendon, NY

We will be there on Sunday, November 13.

Hair and the Hound is located at: 1380 Pittsford Mendon Rd., in the village of Mendon.

There is no charge for the photography. You only pay for the prints and cards you order.

If you have any questions in regard to what we offer or pricing, contact Studio Astute.

To schedule a time call Diane at: 585-624-5120

More on restoration

Steve — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 21:43:37 +0000

There are times where the hard part is not where you think it will be.

The tricky part was not the image, it was the border. Foolishly I thought I could clone other parts of the border and replace the bad parts. I had forgotten this had been created by hand and there were no identical places elsewhere on the frame.

Digital Art

Steve — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 17:26:44 +0000

Digital photography has opened up a wonderful creative world. Blurring the line between photography and illustration.

The little things that kept a photograph from being all it could be are now correctable. Both of these images had several items removed along with a bit of creative work to make these houses look their best.

Wedded Bliss

Steve — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 20:44:01 +0000

The marriage lasted, but the document to prove it did not.

Somewhere along the line this wonderful old document was torn in half. Piecing detailed objects like this back together can really time consuming. Even with the help of computer technology.

I wanted to keep the cost down so some of the really fine detail has not been addressed. I also elected to leave in the discoloration of the paper as well as some of the creases. I feel this helps to keep the look of the old document. A project like this takes a bit more work than can be done for the base price of $20.00. However by not repairing some of the fine detail or removing the creases, I was able to do this project for $35.00 plus an archival quality 11×14 inch print for $15.00.

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Share your grandfather

Steve — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 19:53:32 +0000

This photo is the only known image of a friend’s grandfather. It was probably taken sometime in the 1940′s and was was hand colored with a textured background. Parts of the image are starting to flake off. I was pleased to find that despite the small size of the original (about 3×4 inches) and the textured surface, we were able to make a very clean 5×7 print so that each family member could have a copy. Just in time for Christmas!

The best news is I was able to take it this far for our base $20.00 fee.

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Photography of Art

Steve — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 18:52:47 +0000

A natural connection of the creation of my own photo art is the reproduction of the work of other artists, illustrators and sculptors. My commercial photography background has helped me to hone my talents to be able to determine the best possible ways to reproduce their art work. There is no one “right” way to make a reproduction of a piece of art. I’ve found the only way to approach great art reproduction is to work one on one with the artist until we have reached the best result possible. Like all things photographic, what I am producing is a representation of the original and taking a “one size fits all” outlook is not the best way to approach the reproduction of art.

Not only does Studio Astute have the capabilities to capture the art originals, but we can also produce high resolution giclee prints with state of the art equipment. We can print on papers up to 13 inches wide with the industry standard Epson K3 inks. Our preferred printer is a 24 inch Canon which uses the 12 color Lucia ink system. The color reproduction is incredible and tests of the archival properties are that this ink is at least as color fast as the Epson inks. Yes we can print on fine art papers or canvas.

The proof is in the results. Let’s work on a piece of your art work and see where it takes us. Should you decide I am unable to give you what you want, it will cost you only your time.

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Background

Steve — Tue, 04 May 2010 13:39:01 +0000

My evolution as a photographer has covered much ground during my career. Obviously the changes in technology would be a big reason for this. The progression in lighting techniques and the move from film to digital has given me the wonderful opportunity to really experience the field to the fullest. I am happy to report that I have generally embraced each new element with enthusiasm. Digital is perhaps the most significant change, speeding production and offering new creative options.

One core element of my work has remained constant and will never change. This is the way I approach every assignment. My primary objective is to first determine what is in the best interest of my client and how I may best be able to accomplish this goal. No matter how good the photograph I produce may be, I have failed in my efforts if it does not work for my customer’s needs. Be the project a capabilities brochure, an instruction manual, a magazine ad, web page material, a store display or what have you, if what I come up with is not something that connects with the customers and clients of my customer, then I have not been successful.

If you are interested in exploring a working relationship with Studio Astute, please don’t think me terribly nosy if I try to find out not only a little about your company, but also a little about who your company does business with. It can mean the difference between nice photography and nice photography that works.

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Value Added

Steve — Mon, 03 May 2010 13:01:27 +0000

When it came time to plan my parents 60^th wedding anniversary we needed to do something special. My mother’s short term memory had deteriorated significantly, so the family felt she would be more comfortable in familiar surroundings than she would at a resturant. Mom and dad’s two sons with a lot of help from their wives managed to put together a pretty special dinner party.

One contribution I made was to create a menu that included mom and dad’s wedding photo as a part of the design. It never occurred to me that I was creating a really useful tool for my mom. Frequently during the meal mom would appear to be a bit confused with the nature on the occasion. She would then notice the menu, see the photo and be instantly reminded that it was her special day. It sure made me feel good that I was able to supply something so simple that allowed her to relax and enjoy herself without the awkwardness needing to ask what the event was.

And we all got a keepsake of the evening.

The possibilities of new uses for old family photos is limitless. Be it greeting cards, a photo wall, a family reunion t-shirt or a menu, there are many great ideas. Many you can do yourself. When it gets tricky, let Studio Astute do if for you.

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The Family Jewels

Steve — Mon, 03 May 2010 12:54:22 +0000

Like many others in my field, I was first intrigued by digital photo restoration when I was scanning some old family photos to be able to share them with family members. It was a really big project, but a rewarding one. It was great fun to revisit all these old photos, transcribe the memos on the back and reproduce everything in one uniform format. I decided to print everything on 8.5 x 11 paper regardless of the size of the original.
Any written information I found on the front, back or next to the photo was reproduced beneath the image. In cases where the data on back was extremely interesting or difficult to read, I scanned and printed that with the photo. When the project was completed it was a simple task to put the prints in plastic sleeves and place them in three ring binders. I admit this is probably not the most archival approach to storing photos, but with the digital files stored on my computer, another set can be made at any time.
A basic scanner and simple imaging software is all you need to accomplish everything I did. You can even do some pretty amazing things to fix faded color, scratches, dust and tears with just a little bit of know how. There is no need to use my services for this sort of project. Not that I wouldn’t be thrilled to take on a project like this for you, but you can make better use of my talents when you come across the occasional special problem or the super photo that really should have the best treatment possible.