Bert Monroy

Job: Digital photo-realist artist
Favorite Red River Paper: Premium Matte papers
Printer: Epson Pro Printers
 

©Bert Monroy

He is the author of Bert Monroy: Photorealistic Techniques with Photoshop & Illustrator , Photoshop Studio with Bert Monroy: Digital Painting , and Photoshop Studio with Bert Monroy: Digital Painting (Voices That Matter) . His work is featured in many other books including The Photoshop WOW Book.

Birdseye Cards Blogs for Red River Paper

This week’s guest blogger for Red River Paper is Eric Gainer of Belleville, Ontario. Eric’s story is an excellent example of how inkjet printing empowers small business to start, expand, and offer unique products once only available from large companies.  Enjoy the story of his work and card images.  Many thanks to Eric for sharing his experience!

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Birdseye Cards was started by Eric Gainer in Belleville, Ontario as a supplemental business in October, 2007.  The line up grew to offer 200+ cards and card sets made to order using 3 Epson inkjet printers.  After months of extensive R&D with North American paper suppliers, Red River Paper was selected for their blend of quality variety and affordable high end scored card stock offering great color holdout.  The price point also helped maintain a profit contribution to the bottom line while offering a competitive advantage to both traditional retail specialty shops and a growing online consumer demand for a quality finished product not available through mass market channels.

Birdseye Cards has since grown to a full time profession, now selling social stationery for weddings, mini cards, on line image licensing and creative studio services.  With a recession setting in, Birdseye Cards used Aurora Fine Art White scored stock to expand the boxed 3×5 mini cards, by printing on flat 7×10 sheets cut in half, with images printed 2 up on a sheet, double sided, then sold with matching envelopes.  The growing demand for cards that offer more value at a reduced price point continues to be their strength in 2009.  With feedback from the test site, Birdseye mini cards expanded to include Everyday blank, Thank You, Birthday, Holiday and Personalized stationery as well).

Rebranded cards are also sold through gourmet cookie retailer Zelcovia Cookies www.zelcoviacookies.com  who offers their customers a Birdseye card with gift purchase, printed on 60 lb Premmatte Plus 2.0. 

The Birdseye brand is marketed through four web sites updated on a monthly basis, as well as e newsletters, and online advertising.  The main site consumer site is www.birdseyecards.com, the product testing and prelaunch site is www.birdseyecards.etsy.com, a monthly blog at www.birdseyecards.blogspot.com and image licensing through www.alamy.com (search by Birdseye Cards or Eric Gainer)

In this example, a larger photo fits on the front of your card, while there is room on the back for another photo. 

Each template is $10 to download. Browse the selection and order here

The Photographer
Susan McCartney is a New York City based photojournalist, teacher and writer whose magazine, corporate and advertising assignments have taken her around the US and the world. She is the author of five books about photography, has won Communication Arts and New York Art Directors’ Club awards and her classic prints are now collectors’ items.

The Client
A long-term personal book project about the people of New York City.

© Susan McCartney

The Assignment
“This shot was made on a late summer weekend in 2007 on the Coney Island boardwalk during a band performance. I hang around in interesting places and when I spot someone I would like to photograph, I ask their permission and then work with them for as long as I can, getting closer and closer. Some people will give you five minutes of their time, and some will be patient for an hour or longer.”

The Execution
“I used a Nikon D-200 digital SLR with a 20mm lens. A Nikon SB600 flash, mounted on the camera’s hot shoe, was aimed directly at the subject. At ISO 200 in raw mode, I exposed manually at around 1/250th of a second at f/16 and bracketed the exposure by changing f/stops. The fill flash was set to minus .7.”

Post Production
“Using Photoshop CS3, I played with the saturation slightly and also brought out the detail in the brim of the hat.”

The Output
“With my Epson stylus Pro 3800 printer, I printed this image using three different Red River papers- Aurora Fine Art White , Arctic Polar Satin and Ultra Pro Gloss. I had a hard time deciding which paper I preferred, finally choosing the Arctic Polar Satin print for best detail in the shadow areas. I have the Red River paper profiles, but didn’t use them as I have found that Epson’s Luster, Matte and Glossy profiles work just fine for the Red River papers.”

Contact
Susan McCartney’s web site is at susanmccartney.com. She can be reached at susmcc @ verizon.net.