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The final step to displaying great photography involves mounting it on your walls. While this sounds very simple, it may seem intimidating to people new to photography, and those who do not consider themselves do-it-yourself-ers. Actually, the process is fairly simple with a few tools. While there are many, many different ways to creatively display photography we will focus on the more basic approach of using single row of photos across a wall. Because this is a basic introduction to mounting, I will try to make all explanations as simple as possible. While different people use different methods, which eventually bring them all to the same point, I prefer to start from the middle of every wall, and work outwards. This article assumes that your photography will not be offset, and will indeed be mounted with equal margins at either end of the wall.

First, let’s talk tools. Most of the time you can get away with a tape measure, a hammer, a few small nails and a screw driver. My personal recommendation is to acquire a leveling tool, as well as a long metal ruler. You will need a tape measure in order to measure distances between your photographs and of course to assure that spacing is proportional. A hammer will of course be necessary to drive the nails into the drywall. A screwdriver may be necessary, if your frames do not have mounting hardware already attached. In many cases, store bought frames will include a little comb looking hanger, which will require a small Phillips screwdriver to attach to the frame. As I mentioned a minute ago, it is a good idea to acquire a level, if you expect to hang photography more than once. A laser lever is a great tool for a home owner, as it will produce visible straight lines across your walls, which will make a snap for you to measure to mount frames. If you begin shopping for one, make sure that it has some sort of a wall mount, which will not damage the walls, but will attach securely. There are many different models out there, and with a little research and brand comparison, you will find a good tool, which will make you thank me for suggesting it.

Let’s get started. First of all, determine how many photographs you are going to mount and whether or not the wall is long enough to accommodate all of them. Obviously, if the total width of your framed photographs is more than the length of the wall end to end, you will have to reconsider the number of photographs to be mounted. Measure your wall, end to end, in order to get the total length, and divide that length into half. This will give you the middle of the wall. Now place a mark wherever that middle happens to be. Place a mark with a pencil at approximately your eye-level. Do not worry, pencil erases easily. Now figure out how many photographs will be to the left and to the right of this mark. Remember, you may choose to use this mark for one of your photographs, or you may choose to leave it empty.

Hopefully, all of your frames are the same size. This makes things much easier. Determine home much space you want to leave between your photographs and add ½ the length of the frame to that number. Try to keep the numbers whole, as it makes things much easier. You want to use a few pieces of cardboard, cut out to the same size as the frames, to figure out what looks good on your wall. It is easy to tack these templates to the wall with a few pieces of tasking tape.

Now figure out how high you want your photographs. Try to keep them at eye-level. Measure from top of the ceiling to where the top of the picture frame will be. Now, measure from the top of the frame to the wall mount on that frame. Add the first number to this and you will have the height at which you will be driving in your small nails. Record this number.

Now that you know how high the photographs will be mounted, and the intervals between them, it is time to mark all points which will receive a nail. If you have a laser level, you are in luck. Just place it at either end of the wall at the same height as you recorded earlier. The laser level will project a straight line to the other end of the wall, and you will have a reference line. Now from the middle of the wall move in either direction and put a mark where the nails will go. This distance was determined earlier. This distance will be equal from one mark to the next. All marks will be done on the reference line from your laser level. Once all points are marked, hammer a small nail, on a downward angle to create a simple hook at every mark.

That’s it. While it may seem daunting at first, just use this guide, and it will make things quite a bit easier. This article does not discuss vertical alignment, where different types and sizes of frames are used. This will be discussed in future articles.

Written by Professional Photographer, and an owner of a Photography Selling Service. To learn more about this, and many other general, as well as more specific photography related subjects, or to explore a Fine Art Photography gallery, please consider visiting WorldonPaper.com Contemporary Fine Art Gallery. Read more interesting articles in the Photography and Arts Wiki.

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Good timing is one of the most important instincts a photographer should have. A good sense of timing for photographers is as important as saying the right word at the right time. By good timing, I’m not necessarily referring to the time of day; but more importantly, it is when the flower is at its peak and the full-bloom is fresh void of any wilting. Sometimes, buds make good photographs; but usually the full-bloom is considered to be the *peak* time to capture a flower’s beauty and visual essence. In photography, premium quality photography occurs when the *peak* moment is captured and frozen in time.

If you have the software, Photoshop or other equivalent software, don’t be overly concerned about flawed petals or tiny bugs or specks on the flower especially if you know how to clone them out. If you are not sure about taking this approach, then inspect the flower for imperfections and remove the damaged petals and small insects just prior to taking your picture. If you have a bottle to mist the flower, use it! Water droplets look awesome on flowers! Drops of dew and water drops are delightful and visually refreshing.

From experience, I have learned to take not-so-tight pictures of flowers, because the closer I get to them (with my camera anyway), the odds of experiencing distortions and blurred pictures increases. My best advice is to take six or more images of each flower (from different angles). Try some with the flash on and others with it off. Make sure to watch your background.

As far as getting close-up to the flower, if you have software to crop the image at homeso much better! If not, try to get as close as you can to the flower head. One more suggestion: try to leave a natural green frame around the flower. The greenery sets off the color just perfectly! Next time you see a beautiful flower, don’t procrastinate! Lost moments, photographically speaking, are a dime a dozen! (revised 2/15/2006)

Debbie Jensen, Photographer, Graphic Designer, Web Designer
http://www.debjensendesigns.com

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Slowly I walked up to this small flock of geese. Their colorful feathers glistened in the afternoon sunlight. I was being very careful not to disturb these beautiful creatures of nature.

The four of them walked in unison closer to the wall. They were preparing to take flight if things became too much of a threat from this silver faced bird. I often wonder what I look like to the birds and wildlife I am taking pictures of. They always seem to sit up and take notice, as if to pose just for this photograph opportunity.

I got several pictures and turned to leave them to their daily routine. Then as I turned I thought of something I had told a friend not long ago. “I am just going to have to go up to a flock of geese and make them fly off. Then I will get a close enough picture of geese in flight.” I am always trying to capture these birds as they fly overhead. But they fly so high and so fast, I am rarely happy with the results.

So here I was with the perfect opportunity. If I held my camera just right, and approached them gently I was hoping they would glide into the river in front of us. I returned to my quiet approach. After all I didn’t want to scare the feathers off of them. I walked with my camera in front of me slowly, and just as I had hoped, off they went. One at a time they flew off the wall and into the river. A fellow walker even
stopped so I could get the best photograph possible. It was an exhilarating experience.

When I checked the pictures later I had two excellent shots of the Canadian geese wings as they folded to catch the wind. You can almost count the feathers as they carry those large bodies into the water. Sometimes in nature, you have to set the stage for the photographs you want to take.

Even though I got a good shot, I must say that it could be better. I do admire the work of photographers as they sit for hours sometimes behind a blind (hidden from site) just waiting for the right shot to come along. You have to love nature to want to do that.

But sometimes little tricks like a bird feeder on your patio or in your back yard can attract wildlife closer for your own nature pictures. I certainly prefer sitting in my kitchen waiting for the birds to come to me. Okay so I am a little lazy, but I do love taking pictures of nature and flowers.

I remember the picture I lost of an owl swooping down to capture a newborn duckling one spring. And another that flew off from his perch when he decided I had taken enough pictures of him. It certainly does not pay to get too excited when you are taking pictures of birds in flight.

Sally Stoneking is an enthusiastic photographer and digital art dabbler. Owner of Nature and Flower Pictures where you can share in her enthusiasm for taking pictures and creating art. Visit http://www.nature-and-flower-pictures.com for a full selection of pictures to download. Join Nature Tales for more tips and tricks in nature photographs.

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