Inspired @ ireneabdouportraitsweddings.com » Wildlife Photography

New Stock Photography – Image Archive Site Launched

Irene Abdou — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 11:40:56 +0000

Children ride the bumper cars at the 2007 Montgomery County Agricultural Fair in Gaithersburg, Maryland. This is a cool photo that I came across as I was sorting through all my images to upload to the new stock photography site. I think I didn't fully appreciate it when I shot it in 2007, but today, I love it!

Some of you might know that over the past month, I’ve been working tirelessly to launch my new Stock Photography-Image Archive site. It’s been live for almost a full month, but I wanted to get most of my existing photographs up onto the site before officially announcing it. While it will still take me a while more to finish that upload process, I have more than 2,050 images now posted. Plus, there are a number of great features about the site that I’m very pleased with:

Search: There’s a great search engine that for the first time allows viewers to search my entire online archive by keyword, location, date, releases, license type, and even orientation (horizontal, vertical, panorama, etc.)! Note that not all images are classified in a gallery, so if you’re really looking for something particular, be sure to try the search.
Low-Res Comps: Viewers can download low-res watermarked comps after creating a free account.
Online Licensing: Viewers can license images online for commercial use with immediate downloads of the hi-res images upon payment. Licensing for personal use of low-res and/or high-res images is also available.
Lightboxes: Viewers can create their own lightboxes. It’s also very easy for me to share lightboxes with clients, so feel free to let me know your photography needs!
Fine Art Photography: My fine art photography collections, printed on either standard photographic paper or on metal (yes, metal, not metallic paper!) are now available for online ordering through the site as well. View information on buying fine art photography here.

Here are a few photo gallery collection highlights to check out:

It’s a great site (powered by Photoshelter), and I think you’ll find it easy to use. If you like it and you’re also a photographer looking for a web host, feel free to use my Photoshelter discount code, which will get you up to $30 off your own website!

Introducing…Metal Prints!

Irene Abdou — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 22:07:26 +0000

Double Float Metal Print: A smaller metal print floats before a second, larger metal print base.

New offering! Prints on metal! Range of sizes up to 40×60. Single print, double float, or framed double float. Sharp square, rounded, or scallopped corners. Float mount blocks, corner drilled holes, easel stand, or contemporary wood frame with pewter finish.

Created by infusing dies directly onto aluminum sheets, metal prints are my newest art medium offering. The print has a magical, brilliant luminescence while retaining detail and resolution because the dyes are infused into the metal surface rather than onto the surface.

These durable archival prints have an ultra-hard scratch-resistant surface, are waterproof and weatherproof, and can be easily cleaned with any commercial glass cleaner. I’m offering metal prints to my portraits-weddings-event photography and fine art photography customers, with a choice of three different surfaces:

White High Gloss – Brilliant high gloss surface that shows every detail. Excellent surface for any subject matter especially nature, water, cars and so on. Maximum wow factor.

White Satin - Smooth, very even and soft appearance. Great for portraits, weddings and if surface reflection is a concern.

Sheer - Allows the surface of the metal to show through giving the image a translucent luminescence. This unique glossy material works well with high key images and images with subtle color transitions.

Wondering how to hang and display your unique, georgeous metal print? Choose from the following:

Easel stands for print sizes up to 11×14

Corner-drilled holes (print sits flush against wall)

Float mount block (print appears to float in space 1/2 inch off the wall)

Contemporary wood frame with pewter finish (print is recessed in the frame about 1 1/2 inches for an attractive depth

For an extra special presentation, try the double float metal print, where a smaller metal print is floated off a second, larger metal print base, or even better, the framed double float metal print!

Feel free to contact me to make an appointment to view metal prints and other printing options and fine art photography!

Double Metal Float - Basking in the Glory of Sunset I, Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, Viginia. A smaller metal print (12x18) floats before a second, larger metal print (14x20). For this print, I chose the back print to be an opaque version of the front print, with an opacity gradient running diagonally from the upper right corner.

I’ve signed with the VisionLight Gallery

Irene Abdou — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 16:18:08 +0000

Just wanted to let you all know that I’ve recently signed a representation agreement with the VisionLight Photographic Art Gallery. VisionLight represents a total of only 114 artists throughout the United States. I now have 240 photographs available for sale through the website, with print sizes ranging from 8×10 to 24×36 available. Check ‘em out – images listed range in subject and include landscapes, nature, architecture, wildlife, light & movement, and people/travel. Stay tuned, too, because I’m about to leave on a trip through the parks of Southern Utah and will be adding to-be-gorgeous-images from the American Southwest!

You can purchase online through VisionLight Gallery - and of course, if you’re interested in purchasing, you can also contact me directly at irene@ireneabdouphotography.com. My work is also available through: Gallery Serengeti (Africa photography) (note listed prices are print only), VisArts Too in Rockville, MD, Art Galaxy in Germantown, MD, Soho Myriad, Parish Gallery Georgetown (Africa photography), and ArtMatters, LLC in Rockville, MD.

And if anyone would like to come by my studio to view artwork personally, give me a ring at 202-596-8147!

I am in love with the Chincoteaue National Wildlife Refuge.

Irene Abdou — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:55:37 +0000

My husband and I just spent a 3-day weekend at the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on Assateague Island, Virginia, with other members of the Gaithersburg Camera Club. It was absolutely GORGEOUS!!! There were thousands of beautiful snow geese – I’ve never seen anything like it! Shortly after we first arrived on Friday afternoon, they all took off into the air at the same time! And Saturday morning, we saw them land at the same time in these spirals. It looked like a tornado! It was absolutely incredible! Here are my photos of the Friday afternoon takeoff.

[View with PicLens]

And here are my photos of the Saturday morning landing. Is it not amazing or what???

[View with PicLens]

Saturday afternoon, we took a ride over to the Pocomoke River State Park in Maryland (about 45 minutes from Chincoteague) to see their Scales and Tails program, where we saw a red-tailed hawk, barred owl, eastern screech owls, and a broad-winged hawk. The eastern screech owls were my favorites – they were so cute! Really small, and they looked like cats! I love cats… I think that’s why I liked them so much.

[View with PicLens]

Then, Saturday afternoon, we enjoyed a BEAUTIFUL sunset with all the geese in the water.

[View with PicLens]

Sunday morning, we were on the beach watching this little bird. As the waves drew back, the bird would run in to eat what the waves had brought, and when the waves came roaring back, it would run away, water nipping at its little feet.

[View with PicLens]

Here’s a few final photos.

[View with PicLens]

This was our first trip to Chincoteague. We recommend it!!! Many, many thanks to Bill Hamm for organizing a spectacular trip and to all the Gaithersburg Camera Club members for their wonderful company!

p.s. We just bought our plane tickets for our upcoming trip to Utah! We’ll be visiting Arches, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, Escalante, Bryce Canyon, and Zion at a minimum. We are so excited!!! It’s going to be GORGEOUS!!! We spent one night in Chincoteague checking out the photos of Alan and Paula’s trip to Utah (they just got back). Thanks to them for sharing and to Alan for so very kindly picking up a tour guide and map for me!

Also, to download a pdf on buying fine art photography, click here.