Greetings Fellow Photographers!
Have you ever been in a situation when you really wanted to photograph something, perhaps a once in a lifetime opportunity, but you didn’t have your camera with you? Well, thanks to modern technology, many people do not run into that problem anymore. Many cell phones andmobile devices now have cameras built in. Older models of camera phones produced some pretty low quality images, but the modern devices have sophisticated cameras capable of producing some great shots. And since mobile devices are a popular gift this time of year, I figured I would spend this email talking about the benefits and features of camera phone and mobile device photography. Benefits
Perhaps the biggest benefit of camera phones is convenience. Chances are, you take your phone with you when you go out anyway, so you have it within reach if you come across a photographic moment. It is especially convenient when you want to take a photo but do not have time to go home and get your camera, like when you meet a celebrity or see something funny. Camera phones also make it easy to instantly share your photos. Many camera phones connect to various social media sites and blogs so you can share a photo seconds after taking it. Also, you should install our Android or iPhone mobile apps if you have an Android phone or iPhone. Our apps are free and allow you to quickly upload and share photos from your phone to your online account. Our iPhone app even lets you quickly order your photos when you are out and about! The ability to order from an Android phone is coming soon. Other camera apps let you add filters or other fun effects to your photos. Essentially, carrying your camera phone is like carrying a point and shoot camera with you, wherever you go.

Features
Camera phones have come a long way in a short amount of time. Just a few years ago, most camera phones were more of a novelty that was cool to have, but the photos were blurry or low quality. Recent devices have changed that, however. Now, camera phones have 5 or more megapixels, which is a high quality file size capable of printing stunning enlargements or using on photo books or other photo products.

Camera phones now have features like zoom, auto focus, flash, white balance, and viewing screens similar to other digital cameras. When you get a new camera phone (or if you already have one), take a few minutes to look over the manual to get familiar with the various features and functions you have at your fingertips. Play around and take a few pictures using different settings and features so when the time comes for a quick photo using your camera phone, you are ready to get the best possible shot

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This is a first for us. We are having a “Holiday Showcase – A gift for all Seasons” party and want you to attend if you are in the area. We have lots of samples and door prizes too, so come out and see what your locally owned supermarket can help you accomplish this year and in the future. Gift baskets, Gift cards, catering, special orders, you name it and we will get it for you. From a simple bottle of wine in a fancy box and wrap to a ribeye steak diner for four, we will have your gift presented in such a way that you will be proud to give it to the recipient. Please visit anytime, but this particular event will be at our Jordan Plaza location on October 7th, 2010 from 1-7 pm. We look forward to seeing you there!

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Are you in need of some last minute gifts and have no ideas left? Give the gift of food this Christmas season. Piggly Wiggly has gift cards available in multiple denominations as well as open ended cards that let you decide just how much you want to give.  During these turbulent economic times, food may be the absolute best gift you could give.

If your organization has a larger number of gifts to give, be sure and check out Piggly Wiggly’s discounted program for our gift cards. We are currently offering a 5% discount on all gift cards if your order is over $1000.

Piggly Wiggly also has numerous other gift ideas for your Holiday shopping. Custom made fruit baskets, a bottle of your favorite wine in a beautiful gift bag, party trays from our Deli’s, the list just goes on and on.

Want a more personalized gift? Let our Picture Perfect photo lab restore an old picture for a family member, or take a snapshot of your family and get it printed on canvas for that extra special touch. (Allow an extra 24 hours for Canvas prints to properly dry!) We even have a large selection of frames for your pictures as well. For that last minute stocking stuffer, come to our photo lab in Jordan Plaza and pick out a few previously viewed DVD’s for only $5.99 each! Enjoy the Christmas season this year. Let Piggly Wiggly help finish up those last minute details.

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Photographing Holiday Lights

Greetings Fellow
Photographers!
Is your neighborhood glowing with holiday
lights? Mine is! I love this time of year…everything is lit up
with holiday cheer, which creates some fantastic photo
opportunities. As many of you have requested, here are some tips for
taking pictures of holiday lights, both outdoors and indoors. Enjoy!

Outdoors
The most important tip for getting a great shot of an outdoor holiday light
display is to shoot at dusk. And by “dusk,” I mean the time just before the sky becomes pitch black, when there is just barely any natural light left, and the sky is a deep dark purple. This allows you to capture the house or building you are shooting, as well as
the lights. Put your camera in manual mode, and lower your ISO to around 200. Use a tripod and a 5 second exposure. Turn off the flash, and turn off autofocus if you can (manually focus if you are able to). Then, take a few shots and see how they are turning out.If they are lighter than you’d like, use a shorter exposure. If they
are dark, try a longer exposure.

As an alternative, you can try to use the night or low light setting on your camera and see if that works well for this shot. I still recommend keeping the camera on a tripod to avoid blur.

Indoors
Indoor displays or pictures of the tree can be tricky. Use a tripod and a slow shutter speed to capture some
ambient glow from the tree or display, and don’t use the flash unless there are people in your shot. Once you get the shot you are after, have fun with angles and close ups of the details of the indoor display or tree. Use the same suggestions and make minor
adjustments if needed. Have fun!

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This message was sent by LifePics, Inc. 2009 LifePics, Inc. All rights reserved. 5777 Central Avenue, Suite 120 Boulder, CO 80301

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Santa Claus is a VERY busy person this time of year, but we at Piggly Wiggly have arranged to get him to visit our stores this week for your convenience.  Santa will be in our stores on the dates and times listed below. Make sure you get the children in to make their last minute wishes to Santa!

Monday, December 14th from 4-7 pm at our Shamrock Plaza store

Tuesday, December 15th from 4-7 pm at our Roseboro store

Thursday, December 17th from 4-7 pm at the College Street store

Sunday, December 20th from 2-5 pm at the Jordan Plaza store

Come by and take a photo of your child with Santa and get a print or your Christmas card printed at our online photo lab!

Merry Christmas from your friends at Piggly Wiggly!

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Greetings Fellow Photographers!
A few weeks ago, I emailed some tips for taking a great family or group picture to use on your holiday cards
this year. How did they turn out? Hopefully you got at least one great one to use! This time around, I will walk you through the fast, fun, and easy process of creating your holiday cards online. To get started, log in to your account and click the yellow “Cards and Calendars” tab. Choose “Cards,” and click “Start a Card.”

Choose Card Type,
Orientation, and Size
The first step is to select which kind of card you want to create (slimline or folding). I will walk through the process for creating a slimline card since slimline
cards are the most popular type of holiday cards, but the process for folding cards is quite similar. Once you choose your card type, select your orientation: landscape (horizontal) or portrait (vertical). Most people choose landscape, but it is completely up to you. Finally, choose your size. 4×8 is the most common size for
holiday slimline cards. Press “Next Step” to continue.

Choose Theme and Card Template
The next step is to select your theme. Choose from Holidays, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Religious, and other holiday-related themes. There is also a “Blank” theme category that gives you a blank card, so you can design your own from scratch. Once you choose a theme, select the template you would like to use. Some templates have more design than others; click on any template to view it. You will have the ability to further customize the card after choosing a template. Once you find a template you like, select it and press “Next Step.”

Add Photo(s) and Text
Here is the fun part! The third and final step is to add your photo(s) and text to your card. Select your album along the bottom of the page, and drag your photo onto the appropriate place on the card template. Many cards have places for multiple photos, but you have the ability to use as many or as few photos as you please on any of the cards. You can add photos from different albums as well. After you add your photo(s), click the “Text” tab to add text to any of the text boxes. You can add or remove both text boxes and photos (see the next paragraph).

Once you have added photos and text, press “Preview” to view your card. If you are happy with it, press “Add To Cart” to place your order! Or, to customize the card further, press “Customize,” which will allow you to add, remove, and edit photos, text, graphics, borders, and backgrounds
(click on any photo or text box to edit it). Press “Add To Cart” when you are ready to order.

For folding cards, follow the same process as above, but be sure to preview and edit the front, back, and inside of the card.

That’s it! Have fun and be creative…the possibilities are endless!

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