Author Archives: Kevin

vistaprint canvas review

Vistaprint Canvas: Here’s My Real Review + a Sweet Coupon

vistaprint logo blueCoupons for Canvas Prints from Vistaprint.com – Not to be confused with their cheaper cousin, “mounted prints,” premium canvas prints from Vistaprint are a beautiful way to display your favorite photos as wall art. Use a coupon below for up to a 40% discount or free shipping:

  • Vistaprint: On-Site Promotions – 25-50% off or free shipping site-wide including canvas prints at vistaprint.com!
  • View our Top 10 Dealsnew – A list of all the best Vistaprint coupons, updated daily

vistaprint canvas print samples

First Things First: Don’t Pay Full Price; Always Use a Coupon Towards Their Canvas Prints!

The Vistaprint.com website displays different pricing, depending on where you arrived from. For example, if you just type their URL in and go to the site, you’ll probably pay more than if you did a 20 second search for coupons.

There is always a promo code or coupon of some sort available that works site-wide, towards photo gifts, or specifically for canvas prints. For new customers you should consider the “20% off + Free shipping on $50+ promotion, and all customers should aim for at least a 25% discount off their regular price.

Simply clicking on a promotional link will usually apply the discount, and they usually notify you which promo code has been applied as soon as you arrive on their site from a promotional link or banner.


Premium Canvas Prints From Vistaprint: My Review

Canvas prints are a way to show off or preserve your best photos and memories. After a two-week trip up the California coastline I had no shortage of candidates to print on canvas to remember our trip and some of the breath-taking views that we saw.

*Tip: Don’t be tempted to go for the cheaper, mounted prints, which are categorized under “canvas prints” but essentially printed on thicker paper stock, not canvas! 

So, here’s a review of my own experience and the final product:

Designing Your Canvas Print

First, have a large photo ready to upload, and choose a Size for Your Canvas Print: From 8×12 to 24×36“. You can print your canvas horizontally or vertically, but unlike other products, there are no design templates for canvas with borders or text. (you upload the complete design)

For the most accurate results, design your image in CMYK color mode, instead of RGB. If you have a photo-editing program like Photoshop, it’s easy to save your image in this color mode. A few reviews complain that the image printed darker than expected, which is probably due to color mode.

You can upload your image from a number of sources including Facebook or your image library if you’re a returning customer. Beware: If you do upload a photo from Facebook, make sure it is big enough!  Printing of all kinds should be done at high resolution CMYK; I recommend at least 150 dpi or more. If you have the ability to work with a 300 dpi image, go with that. That means any image less than about 2500 pixels wide won’t work on any size canvas. 

After you upload your image, you’ll see a preview screen like this:

vistaprint canvas design

*Tip: Always upload a high resolution photo! After choosing one or more photos, I can’t stress enough the importance of using a high-resolution photo. These canvas prints are much larger than a common 5×7 prints and holiday cards, and you can’t get away with using small photos. 

If you are uploading a file from a phone or device, make sure that it’s the biggest version available. Any files showing a size less than 1mb are going to be too small.

Beware of the Safety line; sides of the canvas

Unlike designing and printing on a flat surface, (like posters) you have to account for your photo to wrap around the sides of the canvas. That big outer frame in the preview (shown with your photo at about 30% opacity)  is the part of your photo that will wrap around the edges or be trimmed away.

  • Never leave important parts of your photo to the margins (lighter) preview area: Anything displayed there will be wrapped around the sides of the canvas, and likely be wrapped around the sides.
  • Never leave white space in the margins of the preview area. If you do, you’ll likely get white space on the side(s) of your canvas! A number of negative reviews describe these white bands, and they are easily preventable!
  • If you see a small exclamation point / warning icon under your image in preview, click on it for a message. Most likely Vistaprint is telling you your image is not high enough resolution, and may print blurry, especially at the larger canvas sizes.

By clicking on the image, you’ll get a few simple design tools like crop, move, and rotate.

Final preview of your Canvas:

vistaprint premium canvas review

You’ll once again notice the glaring reason that angry people go online writing bad reviews for Vistaprint’s canvas: you can’t see the sides on the final preview. Also, even when you click “view larger” it’s hard to see minute details, or whether your image could be blurry. (resolution too small) 

At this point you should see a discounted price from the coupon

Without the use of a promo code or discount, Vistaprint’s canvases are relatively expensive. Companies like Shutterfly (get promo codes) and Snapfish (get promo codes here) and even art to frames (get coupons) have raised the bar on canvas quality, and the prices have really come down. The retail price of my 16×24″ canvas is $93, which is too expensive.

After applying a 20% off + free shipping promotion, the cost comes down to about $75, which is more competitive.

vistaprint canvas print

Review: My canvas Shipped in 8 days, and looks really good!

As mentioned, the bar has been raised for custom-printed canvas online, so no major brands are printing poor quality. I notice that the photo is about a quarter inch or so off-center from the preview, which doesn’t matter for my landscape photo of the California coast. This might be an issue if you rely on text or people’s heads being near the edges of the canvas. Give yourself a little extra room to the edge so that you you have everything important with at least an inch or two of margin around the sides.

Print quality: The quality of the photo is really sharp! The colors look really vibrant, too. I uploaded my photo at 300 dpi, which means that the largest dimension of my file was a massive 7200 pixels wide! That’s a lot bigger than any Facebook or Instagram images, so be careful importing from there.

The canvas is wrapped around sides neatly and stapled for ‘a no frame’ look, which looks good on the wall. It also saves you from having to buy a nice 16×24″ frame for your print. The images are printed “full bleed,” which means that unless something went wrong during the design phase, you’ll see no white area at the edges.

Vistaprint is good, but not the best for printing on canvas

At the end of the day, I recommend Shutterfly or Easy Canvas Prints for the best combination of price & quality for custom printed canvas, and like Vistaprint, you should always use a coupon! Good

Tip: If you are not happy with your canvas for any reason, write an honest & helpful, negative review on vistaprint.com, and they will likely credit your account with the purchase amount. Hopefully this is not the case, as Vistaprint has adjusted their online design process to fix the white space issue that was creating problems and garnering poor reviews.

[yasr_overall_rating] – Review by Kevin M.

canvas design ideas

Ready to Print Your Photo on Canvas? Design Ideas & Inspiration

Here are some neat canvas design ideas on pinterest including designing a collage of canvas prints, as well as some nice black and white inspiration for canvas from Shutterfly.

Vistaprint Christmas & Holiday Cards Coupon: Up to 50% Off

vistaprint logo blueCoupons for Holiday Cards from Vistaprint – If you are looking for high-quality photo Christmas & Holiday cards at inexpensive prices, then Vistaprint is worth your consideration. Use our featured coupon below, or check out all of this week’s coupons for Vistaprint for up to a 50% discount on holiday cards and other custom printing.

  • Holiday Cards: Up to 50% Off Click to view this week’s discounts for holiday cards
  • 20% Off Site-Wide – Plus, new customers also get free shipping on $50! – Ongoing
  • More Coupons for Vistaprintnew– Up to a 50% discount or free shipping. These 10+ promotions are updated daily

vistaprint christmas card

Looking to print custom holiday cards with a photo at a discount price? Consider Vistaprint

If I’m doing any kind of custom printing, I always consider Vistaprint, even if I don’t ultimately end up placing my order with them. They have simple online design tools, and make it easy to upload your own photos to add to existing design templates.

holiday card dog vistaprint

Always look for coupons for VIstaprint; especially for holiday cards

While their regular (retail) prices are already competitive, you should always look to use a coupon with every order. While these promotions change weekly, there are a number of offers that have stayed pretty consistent over the years.

There has always been a great coupon for new customers giving you both a discount and free shipping, and there is always a free shipping coupon if you spend a certain amount. (Usually $50) We update these promo codes and deals every day on our main Vistaprint coupon page, so you can always click over to there, even if you’ve found a good one for holiday cards on this page.

Custom Holiday & Christmas Cards from Vistaprint

holiday cards photo vistaprint

As I was saying, Vistaprint is inexpensive and prints quality products, which is why they print millions of orders very year. Here’s a few highlights of their holiday cards:

  • Easily search design templates by category – Everyone has their own idea of what they want out of a holiday card, so it’s easy to get started on the right foot without having to sift through card designs that aren’t relavant to you. Narrow down potential designs by first searching: Christmas, Seasonal, New Year, Hanukkah, or Thanksgiving
  • Number of photos – Whether you want to go with the classic family photo on the front, or want to create a collage of 3 or more of photos from the year, this is another handy search feature
  • Flat or folded – Basically “flat” cards are like a postcard, while folded include an “inside” that is revealed when the card is opened. Folded cards usually cost more
  • Card size and layout – Vistaprint has holiday card sizes of: 4×8, 5×7, and 5×7 folded. You can also search for designs by vertical or horizontal (more popular) layout.
  • Holiday cards for business or family – If you are sending out holiday cards from your business, they have a number of options for you as well. While I always think it’s better to use your own photo, they do have stock winter / holiday photos that you can add into a design with your own text. Consider something meaningful to employees or customers instead of a generic photo like a Christmas tree or something. Maybe a group photo of the employees, or a great photo of a landmark in your town
  • Easily customize holiday message – Whether you are intent on keeping the “Christ” in Christmas, or just want to with everyone a New Year, most of the time the main greeting message is easily customized!


A quick video about Vistaprint holiday cards to inspire you…

Speaking of Vistaprint New Year’s cards…

We send out about 60 or more holiday cards every year now, and the list seems to grow every year. Our card recipients are a United Nations of diversity, so a long time ago we switched over to a “New Year’s” message, instead of “Christmas” as not to exclude anyone.

Consider New Year’s cards if you are frugal or a procrastinator! While you are going to look bad if your Christmas card arrives after December 25th, New Year’s cards can arrive just about any time in late December or January. Also, I always feel like it takes the pressure off of me having to get to the post office in mid-December, which is always a nightmare!

omg vistaprint holiday cards

There’s also a short list of family members who get a holiday gift in the mail, in addition to one of our holiday cards. It’s worth noting that the best deals online are right at or after Christmas, so why not turn your annual holiday gifts into New Year’s gifts, and get up to a 50% discount by waiting a few days? Here are my favorite post-Christmas gifts that go on sale:

  • Harry and David – Their pears are just as good a week after Christmas, but they are half price, and usually get free shipping!
  • Omaha Steaks – Free shipping usually starts on Christmas Day
  • Shutterfly usually has a huge after-Christmas holiday sale. If you are giving out calendars, it;s also usually cheaper to wait a few days. Check out their latest coupons here

Thanks for checking out our coupons and promotional codes for holiday cards from vistaprint.com. We update this site every day, so please come back again, or share this page with a friend!

tample cambodia photography

8 Breathtaking Photography Locations to Capture

Great photographers can find exciting photo opportunities virtually anywhere. When inspiration starts to run low, traveling to some of the world’s most exhilarating photography locations can take your craft to a whole new level.

Not sure where to start? Check out this list of awe-inspiring photography locations.

The Top 8 Worldwide Photography Locations

Whether the subject of choice is nature’s raw beauty, amazing architecture, popular tourist areas, or remote locations, there’s a photography location to meet every photographer’s needs. Here are eight of the best travel destinations for photography enthusiasts to visit.

1. Kenya, Africa

Kenya, Africa is one of the world’s most popular locations for both professional and amateur photographers. Here you can observe exotic animals in their natural habitat, capture the magic of Mount Kilimanjaro, and interact with the vibrant Massai community.

2. Ta Prohm Temple, Cambodia

(above) This ancient Buddhist temple, built in 1186, is engulfed in jungle vines. The Ta Prohm Temple is shrouded in mystery and exudes an other-worldly energy and aura. Join the thousands of photographers who have attempted to capture the essence of this experience for decades.

3. Dubai

dubai ceiling

The city of Dubai offers photographers the chance to explore the stark contrast of an explosion of humanity, thriving in the middle of a desert. Grab a great shot of the imposing downtown architecture from the top floor of a hotel or office building. Don’t take a chance at missing the gorgeous sun sett behind the Burj Al Arab, your trip will be incomplete without it.

4. Great Barrier Reef

Advances in technology have opened up the world of underwater photos to even the most casual photographer. Travel below sea level to photograph thousands of species of fish, sharks, whales, and other sea creatures. Don’t forget to take some aerial shots to capture the astonishing scale and natural beauty of the Great Barrier Reef.

5. Havana, Cuba

cuba photography

The colorful buildings, classic cars, and friendly locals in Havana make this city a photographer’s dream. Visit the streets of Old Havana, check out the pier, and be sure not to miss the El Gran Teatro de Havana.

PRO TIP: If you happen to come across a magical moment when you aren’t completely prepared, don’t dismay. You can still take a great photo with your camera phone. Make sure you’ve set up the camera grid ahead of time so your pictures come out as perfectly as possible every time.

New: Free shipping, no minimum at shutterfly.com!

6. Borneo

This remote island is home to many endangered species including clouded leopards and orangutans. Explore the diverse rainforests and photograph these majestic animals before they go extinct.

PRO TIP: To give your photos a professional look, don’t forget to adjust your camera’s aperture settings. This allows you to take artistic license by blurring backgrounds adding depth of focus.

7. Hawaii (Hawaii Volcanoes National Park) 

Capture the rarely-observed active lava flows in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Catch the locals in action as they surf and kiteboard, and photograph the area’s stunning tropical foliage and waterfalls.

PRO TIP: One of the most important pieces of advice for travel photographers is to look beyond the obvious. Some of the most interesting photography locations are well off the beaten path. Talk to the locals after you’ve arrived or plan ahead with personal travel recommendations from an excellent concierge.

8. Paris (Catacombs / Pere Lachaise)

moulin rouge paris

Beyond the obvious landmarks like the Eifel Tower and the Louvre, Paris is a treasure-trove of photographic opportunities. Expand your horizons by taking your camera deep into the catacombs, by the moulin rouge at night, or spending the day exploring the Pere Lachaise cemetery.


OMG Photos: The Ultimate in Photography Inspiration: OMG Photos features Instagram’s most breathtaking photos, informative blog posts, and deals on photo printing services. Follow the OMG Photos Facebook Page today so you never miss a thing!

event photography wedding

4 Event Photography Tips for Taking Guests’ Photos

As a creative, event photography may not be the inspiration you’re looking for to get the creative juices flowing.

But, what creative doesn’t love a challenge right? Despite this type of photography being a little on the mundane side, there are plenty of perks to taking on a job of this kind.

Events generally run on a schedule, this means that you will know that to expect when it comes to setting up your shot list. Once you have filled your quota of pre-requisite shots for the event, this leaves more time for creativity!

In order to nail your shot list and move onto the creative stuff, here are a few event photography tips to get you started.

What to Expect From an Event Photography Gig

As a photographer, you will need to know what kind of event you are shooting. Along with this, you may need do a little research into what the event could entail.

Common events which require photography include:

  • Corporate events
  • Fundraisers
  • Conferences
  • Special occasion events i.e. milestone birthdays, anniversaries
  • Volunteer days
  • Field outings
  • Concerts / performances

Very often it will be a company marketing co-ordinator who will set-up the photography gig.

In essence, they are looking at you to photograph the success and smooth running of the event. Your event photography shots should include:

  • The lay-out and set-up of function rooms, promotional signage and items.
  • Both posed and candid shots of guests, especially VIPs and executives.
  • Both wide angle and close-up shots of event speakers.
  • Engaged and enthusiast looking guests.
  • Shots which portray the event was a success and well-attended.

It’s important to remember that every event varies, while the types of people attending each event, also varies.

This in itself can make for a challenge. That’s why a little research and a few event photography tips can help.

Essential Event Photography Tips

canon event photo lens

1. Do Some Research

Do a reconnaissance of the venue and become familiar with areas with the best angles for your shots.

Study the lighting of a venue, including set-up lighting and natural lighting. Maximize the use of good, natural lighting while you can.

Don’t forget to do a little research on what the event is about and who the big players are. You will need to know who is important to photograph!

2. Have a Game Plan

This includes always arriving early so you can scout out the space and plan your shots.

Before you begin shooting, have a plan for when things go a little off schedule. Think of ideas on how to fill time or make-up time!

Even if you are just photographing the event, you are still an event attendee.

If you are part of a VIP guestlist, such as the Montezuma guestlist, you’ll want to look the part. Make sure you dress appropriately for each event and always act professionally.

3. Bring the Right Gear

One of our most important event photography tips? Do your job properly by using the correct gear!

If you are photographing an event, make sure to bring the right lenses such as:

  • A mid-range zoom lens, with a wide aperture
  • A lens designed for low-light photography
  • A wide-angle lens appropriate for large group shots

When using a flash, avoid your camera’s build-in flash. Stick to using external stand flashes for a more flattering effect.

4. Mix Up Your Shots

A good way to look like an amateur photographer is to only take shots from one perspective!

Remember to mix things up by using multiple angles. Ensure you capture wide, medium and tight shots for all events.

Wide shots are ideal for large groups of people or capturing the lay-out of an event.

Medium shots allow you to capture the action of an event, and tight shots capture finer details.

Become a Master of Event Photography

Is event photography the most exciting part of being a professional photographer? The honest answer is no.

But with enough research and preparation, you can make room for a little creativity!

Check out our blog for top tips on photography hacks, ideal for any occasion!

photography tips camera

5 Photography Hacks Perfect for a Special Occasion

Most of us associate professional photographers with expensive, bulky cameras and a process where the professional controls every single nut and bolt of their photography gear. With the simple photography hacks they use, however, it’s just not that way.

Unlike many photography enthusiasts that make a big deal over every detail and talk a lot of jargon, most professional photographers take the KISS approach (keep it simple, stupid!).

Professional photographers pursue simplicity. In fact, they even follow rules that the photography enthusiasts would consider amateurish.

Find that hard to believe? Well, it’s true.

Here are 5 incredibly simple photography hacks to use at your next special function. They’ll help you capture everything perfectly while keeping it as simple as possible.

Let’s have a look.

1. Shoot Your Images in JPEG. Yes, Really.

Talk to a photography enthusiast and they’ll tell you that shooting images in JPEG should be illegal. They believe that the only way to shoot photos is in the RAW.

That’s simply not the case.

RAW is a digital negative that’s used to process images using photo processing applications such as Lightroom and Photoshop.

The files are also incredibly large.

Fewer and fewer professional photographers are shooting RAW files these days. Instead, they’re shooting in JPEG, which is a compressed version of the image.

Do you really want to spend the money for terabytes of storage for all of your RAW files? Not to mention, do you want to spend hours upon hours to process all your RAW files once the shoot is done?

Instead, shoot in JPEG. Take a look at the image after it’s shot. If you like it, keep it. If not, hit delete.

It really can be that simple.

Doesn’t it make sense to spend more time shooting and getting the best possible images in JPEG format, rather than going through flawed RAW images and spending hours fixing them in Photoshop?

The answer seems simple.

KISS! (keep it simple…)

black white camera mode

2. Using Camera Modes is One of the Easiest Photography Hacks

Almost every camera you buy comes with a bunch of funky modes like B&W or Sepia.

Most people think that these are for amateurs and new photographers.

That isn’t the case. Professional photographers are more than happy to use them when it makes sense.

Most pros use features like miniature mode or some of the various other features that cameras offer.

They even use the grid.

After all, if you’re shooting a wedding and the bride wants several black and white photos for the album, why not do the shooting in black and white?

The different modes are fun to use and save a ton of time otherwise spent on digital editing in Photoshop or Lightroom.

Don’t be afraid to use them. They’re there for a reason!

3. Don’t Stress About Technology or Shooting Conditions

Obviously, almost all professional photographers have expensive gear. They carry around big, heavy cameras and pricy lenses and accessories they may need for a job.

But here’s the kicker: when push comes to shove, all of this ends up being irrelevant.

If, on a given day, they don’t have direct access to their Rs 4 lakh camera and have to use an RS 30,000 they’ll do it without worry.

For pros, the big expensive stuff are tools. If they’re not available they’ll pick another tool that’ll get the job done.

They know how to be creative and work around the limitations.

In addition, true pros don’t stress about lack of proper lighting, rain or other situations that aren’t perfect for photography.

They know that limitations will always exist. Not all conditions are going to be the best for a photo shoot.

In these situations, it all comes down to the eye. Creatively work around whatever limitations exist. Find scenes that are unique, and start shooting.

digital camera iso speed

4. Don’t Be Afraid to Crank Up the ISO

This is one of the more important photography hacks.

Most hobbyist photographers have a love/hate relationship with ISO. You know, the function that increases or decreases the sensitivity to light, but also runs the risk of bringing “noise” into the photos.

The truth is, the love/hate relationship ends with hobbyists. Professional photographers use it all the time and crack it up whenever required.

Let’s take the following as an example:

A lot of photographers think that shooting in 1600 ISO is going to add unwanted noise. They cringe at the mere thought.

Many have been taught not to go above 400 or 800 ISO because a higher ISO will add unwanted noise to the photo.

Then, when the images come out dark or underexposed they try to fix them in Photoshop. As soon as they begin to increase the exposure or brightness in Photoshop, guess what happens?

More noise is added!

So in fact, the final photos end up with more noise than if they were shot at 1600 ISO to begin with.

Before your next special occasion photo shoot, play around with shooting at 1600 when it makes sense. You’ll be surprised by the result.

*Developing your photos? Use these promo codes for 50% off Prints at Snapfish, and free delivery at Shutterfly!

5. Don’t Use Manual Mode

For photography enthusiasts, leaving manual mode is a big no-no. However, pros like Curtis Wallis Wedding Photographer know what they’re doing.

Rather than fiddling with controls, pros want to focus on capturing the best moments. When trying to catch a tiger leaping into the air, do you really want to be fiddling with the aperture?

You’ll miss the moment.

There are three highly important parameters when controlling an image: aperture, ISO and shutter speed.

At any moment in a shoot, a photographer should only be controlling one of these. Let the camera take care of the rest with its pre-defined settings.

When you let the camera do some of the work, you can keep on eye on the action and find the best photos.

Let the camera do the mundane work for you, while you scope out the memorable shots that’ll get you hired again and again.

Enjoy These Photography Hacks

Remember that there’s a big difference between a photography enthusiast and a professional photographer.

The next time you head out on a job, remember these hacks and start using them like a pro.

You’ll save time and end up with better results.

Follow us on Facebook for more great photography tips and tricks. We’ll see you there!

DIY: How to Make a Gallery Wall + 9 Design Ideas From Shutterfly

Designing and creating a gallery wall with your own photos: It’s really easy to create a beautiful gallery wall in your house to showcase your favorite photos.

No need to hire an interior designer; just design and print your enlargements or canvas prints from a top site like Shutterfly or Snapfish. In fact, you can do it from your phone or iPad. Just check out the video and photos below for inspiration, and use a coupon for 50% off + free shipping at Shutterfly!new  You can also find an incredible 85% off coupon for Easy Canvas Prints here!

How to Make a Gallery Wall of Your Photos (Shutterfly Video)


Here are some of my favorite photo gallery walls from the video:

Sample Framed Photo Gallery Wall (different size frames)

gallery wall sample idea

mismatched sized photos together on gallery wall

DIY Gallery Wall: Frames of Different Sizes (black and white photos)

gallery wall sample idea

gallery wall – various sized framed pictures

Gallery Wall: 6 Framed Pictures Same Size:

gallery wall sample idea

DIY gallery wall framed photos

DIY Gallery Wall: Shutterfly Canvas Prints

gallery wall sample idea

Shutterfly Unframed (wrapped) canvas gallery wall: DIY

gallery wall sample idea

unframed canvas gallery wall idea

DIY gallery wall idea (framed, different sizes)

gallery wall sample idea

DIY gallery wall framed prints various sizes

Shutterfly prints framed to make a gallery wall at home (various size frames)

gallery wall sample idea

Shutterfly photo prints framed to make a gallery wall sample idea

As you can see, making a gallery out of your photos is a snap!

*Be sure to use one of our coupon codes for Shutterfly, get free delivery from Snapfish, or 50% off 4×6 – 8×10 prints at Walgreens Photo this week!

*Need to know shipping times? Snapfish shipping times | Shutterfly shipping times and prices / Vistaprint shipping times