Artwork spotlight - HD metal prints at Jess Bell Photography

What is a metal print? Here’s what you should know!

This is the first entry in my series taking a deeper delve into the type of artwork I offer. I’m starting the series with my very favourite medium: high definition metal wall art!

These prints have some SERIOUS wow-factor with their almost magical luminescence effect. The are ultramodern in their design and eye-catching in their appearance. They are my go-to medium to display all of my powder imagery due to their rich, deep blacks, excellent detail and incredibly vivid colour.

Because of its durable material and professional finish, metal art has immense longevity. It looks as new in 20 years as it did on day one!

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How they’re made:

My high-definition metal prints are made here in Ontario on a high quality, cast-coated aluminum display. The images offer a clear, luscious and vibrant effect. Through a unique dye-sublimation process, the colours are infused into a specifically coated metal piece. Prints are created with Epson dye-sublimation inks and then sublimated right onto a ChromaLuxe aluminum panel. These displays provide a durable life span for the image.

Prints can be ordered in two different finishes: high gloss or powder. High gloss metal prints offer the shine of glass or acrylic at a fraction of the weight. Powder finish offers a slightly more muted appearance that is well-suited to manage glare while still offering vivid and long lasting colour.

How they’re displayed:

Metal prints are printed on a 1/16" aluminum sheet with slightly rounded corners. They are then mounted on a floating frame and fitted with an internal wire hanger. These images appear to sit suspended in air approximately 1" from your walls. The floating frame sits flush with your wall, obscuring the hardware behind, leaving you with a crisp, ultramodern look and feel.

If you’re looking for additional framing options for your pieces, we can arrange a custom frame exactly to your liking.

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high definition metal - corner
HD metal

The Good

  • Incredibly eye catching

  • Vivid colour

  • Deep blacks

  • Good detail

  • Surprisingly lightweight and easy to hang

  • Available at a range of sizes from 8x10” to 40x60”

  • Very modern in appearance

  • Immense longevity due to durable material and professional finish

  • The print will not be damaged by water and can be hung in bathrooms.

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The Slightly Less Than Good

  • The high-gloss version is incredibly reflective. I recommend hanging them in places without much glare.

  • If you’re looking for something other than the standard float frame, it can get pricey as I work with a boutique framer to create a completely custom (and gorgeous!) piece.

  • The aluminum is strong, but the highly reflective surface can show dents and scratches more easily than other media. I recommend using microfiber cloths while dusting to avoid damage.

Metal - Hydro

Print competition success - Professional Photographers of Canada National Image Salon

That's a wrap! The official results from this weekend's Professional Photographers of Canada Image Salon are in. All four images were successful, which I'm enormously pleased about! (Especially considering that it was my very first competition.)

The final score was 1 Excellent, 2 Merits & 1 Accepted! For those unfamiliar with print competition scoring, images selected for inclusion in the Salon receive a score of “Accepted”, those which stand above the rest receive “Merit” and the small number which are deemed to be truly exceptional images are awarded the prestigious score of “Excellence”.

Here’s a run down of how the images scored and a bit of back story about how each was created.

 
Sway

Sway

This image of Hydro the Koolie was my Excellent image.

This was a last-minute addition to my submission, funnily enough. An excellent fellow Canadian photog convinced me to submit this one in lieu of a weaker shot. Whew!

This shot was literally from my very first foray into studio action photography. It was probably the second time I'd even set up my lights. I was enormously lucky to capture this shot of the charismatic Hydro the Australian Koolie at this event. Not half bad, I say!

Elegance & Style

Elegance & Style

This shot of these stunning Salukis scored a Merit.

I absolutely adore working with sighthounds in studio (if you've not noticed already!). Their fine features and regal poise are a dream come true as far as I'm concerned. I have big plans for future shoots involving them, as soon as this lil' pandemic is a bit more under control.

This is Bee and Beatrix. I met their owner almost purely by happenstance while looking for a special model for an entirely different model call. I fell in love with these dogs, and their owner is simply marvelous. This shot was taken at my impromptu "home" studio when I was displaced by a house fire for many months. I really enjoy how special shots arise from bizarre and unplanned situations.

Sea Wolf (aka, We Dream in Colours Borrowed from the Sea)

Sea Wolf (aka, We Dream in Colours Borrowed from the Sea)

This shot of Bazinga the Australian Koolie was taken shortly after sunrise in Toronto (at the Scarborough Bluffs, for those familiar with the area). This was taken at the epic photo collab done with the amazing photographer Claudio Piccoli and dog trainer Sara Brueske. There's a great behind-the-scenes video of the shoot floating around somewhere. Have you seen it? Needless to say, the experience behind capturing this shot (and so many others) is one of my all-time favourites.

I love the momentum in this shot, as well as the way the serene colour pallet contrasts with the energy of the dog's expression and movement. The whole thing is right out of a surreal dream.

This shot scored Merit at the national print competition. I am thrilled with my overall performance at the event! I learned SO much when spit-shining my images to perfection and can't wait to apply that knowledge to future shots.

Pardon me?

Pardon me?

This shot of my own dog, Cohen, is the oldest of my 2021 Image Salon submissions. This was taken before I had much in the way of camera gear, and zero studio lighting or props. It was achieved by punching a hole in a large piece of draft paper which was suspended on a kitchen chair. Pretty high-tech, eh?

This shot scored a mark of Accepted. It’s a cute and fun image, but lacks a bit of quality. It’s a smaller, noisier image. But it’s a shot that is close to my heart, and I’m very happy that it was accepted to the Salon.

Thank you so much to everyone who helped teach me the ropes and prepare my submissions this year.

HUGE congratulations to all the winners. You guys just blew me away with your skill and artistic eye.

 

Cleaning up after using coloured powder

Coloured powder is as eye-catching as it is messy! Here are some tips and tricks for cleaning up both your pets and the environment afterward.

The Dogs

Rye in blue powder
Rye in Blue coloured holi powder, Ontario
 

YOUR DOGS WILL GET DIRTY (as will you!) Consider the lingering colour as a memento of our awesome shoot! Wear dark-coloured clothes that you don’t mind getting stained, just in case.

Try to keep yourself and your dog as dry as possible during the shoot. Avoid dew on grass, rain, spilled water dishes etc. if you can.

Pigment tends to linger on dogs for a few days (or even weeks) afterwards. Please be mindful of this if you perform in any conformation, obedience or rally events with your dogs. CKC/AKC does not allow dyed dogs to compete. I do not recommend scheduling a photo shoot in the two months before a competition, just in case.

Don’t bathe your dogs before or immediately after the shoot. Bathing before will remove oil from your dog’s coat that would act as a buffer to the pigment, and bathing immediately after seems to make the pigment hold more fast. Reds seem to fade faster than greens, and lingering colour is most evident on white fur.

ShowSheen can help! Sprayed on in advance of the session, it can act like a barrier that prevents the worst of the pigment staining the fur.

High-velocity dryers are great. If you have access to one, use a high-velocity dryer to blow the excess powder away.

Towel them off thoroughly, brush, then repeat. Make sure there is no more loose powder before bathing your dogs.

 

The Environment

Quinn, behind the scenes
Quinn flyball, Ontario coloured powder photography

Please be considerate of your location. I insist on only working on private land with the express permission of the landowner. I will not work in public areas out of consideration for the others who use the space.

Any powder left on the ground should be worked into the soil if possible. I like to rake the powder into the sand after the session to make it look like I was never there!

Any bits of remaining powder should be able to be washed away with a hose or during the next rain fall. Just like sidewalk chalk!