When I was in high school, my grandma took my prom photo with her to China. There she had someone paint a portrait of me based on that picture. It was a pretty good representation, and I was reminded of it when I read Tiny Talker Lea’s previous post and I saw portraits from Paintyourlife.com. Take a look at some of their portraits, which are artistic takes on everyday photos. They can portray anything from your family to your pets, and the artists can do them in a variety of mediums such as oil, watercolor, pastel and pencil. A great idea would be to take the digital image of your new painting and use them in your child’s photo birthday invitation. The results look like a work of art!

Taking a picture of your pet can be difficult. Here are a few tricks and ideas on how to get the best shot of your furry friend.

1. Be prepared and patient. It might be hard at first, but keep persevering. The good thing about digital cameras is that you can take several shots, and the more you take, the more you’ll be able to choose from later. Bring treats and toys to help get your pet’s attention.

2. Take the shot from their eye level. You might have to sit or lie down to take the photo from their eye level, but the beautiful photos you’ll get will be worth it.

3. Let them be the center of attention. Photos look better when they are filled with only your pet. Get close to your dog or cat, or use the zoom function on your camera to let them fill the frame.

4. Minimize red eye. I always have this problem when photographing my bunny or my dog. To prevent red eye from happening, use natural light or turn off the flash function on your camera.

5. For more information, check out, “Learn How to Take Great Photos of Your Dog” by Sarah Dawn. For a video on how to get them in the right position see, “How to Take Your Dog’s Picture” by Eric Letendre.

After you’ve got the best shot, show it off with one of these adorable Photo Dog Announcements from Tiny Prints.

Whether you’re barbecuing, watching the fireworks display, having a picnic or staying in, here’s hoping you stay cool, take lots of pictures and make tons of memories. If you’re going to take photos of the fireworks this year, you’ll want to pick an ideal spot, choose a wide-angle lens and keep your hand steady. For more tips check out BudgetTravel. Their article on Fireworks Photography is sure to bring out the professional photographer in you. In honor of tomorrow’s special holiday, we at Tiny Prints want to wish you all a safe, fun 4th of July.