Page 188 - Mediapedia Mobile

PART I1I SHARING YOUR WORK
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SERVICES
OUTSIDE THE HOME
The name service bureau is competing with the name office and print center for an emerging category of neighborhood shops targeted both at businesses and personal media makers. As you cruise around your neighborhood, look for office-supply stores, mail centers, mom and pop shops, and computer cafes that offer services such as custom printing and photofinishing. When it comes to making a choice among the different shops, look for a place with a knowledgeable and accommodating staff. You will come to rely on them for:
mounting and displaying with frames
• workstations for experimenting with or using Windows and Macintosh flavors
• Off-the-shelf framing. A full range of inexpensive picture frames is available in standard sizes. Most such frames come with precut mattes and glass that protect the photo or artwork.
• high-speed and high-volume printing
• computer docking stations
• DVD and CD burning
• high-speed Internet access and Wi-Fi wireless Internet
• Custom framing and matting costs more—in fact it
is amazing how expensive it is to have a piece custom framed. Yet the choice of materials is vast, and the exper- tise of framers is worth the cost.
access.
• Dry mounting A wax tissue is sandwiched between photo and backing and then heated with an iron.
enlargements and posters
Your photography and graphic-design favorites can make their way to an assortment of branding platforms, such as: • ready-to-apply decals
• rubber stamps
• business cards
• custom letterhead/stationery
• envelopes
• vehicle magnets you can stick to the sides of a car
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CHAPTER 6: DISPLAY AND DISTRIBUTION
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You can have any printed graphic made larger than standard letter size. Posters have a range of costs, depending on
the size and materials used, such as photo paper, canvas, watercolor paper, adhesive floor vinyl, and backlit film. A standard size is 20 x 30 inches (under $25) and requires
a minimum resolution of 1800 x 1200 pixels. Indoor and outdoor banners start about around $100. They come in durable vinyl and can be up to five feet wide and virtually any length. Guaranteed as a blow-them-away gift.
• rigid signs in corrugated plastic, PVC plastic, and metal
Mounting involves affixing the relatively thin and flimsy body of a photographic print to a stable background material that will both protect and display the print.
• Electronic frames are digital wireless picture frames that come in seven- to ten-inch displays.
other options
One of my favorite frames is this inexpensive one that alligator clips a snapshot (top left). It was recently joined by a digital picture frame (top right), a gift for my wife. The mantel in our guest bedroom (bottom) has an eclectic collection of frames. The mix is nice.