GNOPPG welcomes MaryAnn Talamo as our July 19, 2010 speaker

MaryAnn Talamo, CPP presents

Giving Your Studio the Fine Art Edge

MaryAnn Talamo, CPP of Custom Digital Images

“Coming into the portrait photography world with a fine art background, I always felt giving my clients images resembling a painting would be a great way to sell larger prints. First, it was through posing and lighting, and then the added bonus was learning Corel Painter. Now with digital cameras everywhere, and more and more hobbyist and amateurs becoming professionals, having the skill to transform my images into fine art pieces takes on even more importance. It’s a way to distance myself from the start ups, give my clients something unique and different, and pull myself away from the pack. Even if they choose not to have their images digitally painted, just by having this product as the focus of my studio, I’ve managed to set myself apart and be perceived not just as a photographer, but as an artist. In an oversaturated market, finding new ways to elevate the art form of portrait photography while improving the profile of your studio will be the key to long term success.”

This program will show you how to easily and quickly incorporate painted portraits into your workflow using both Photoshop and Corel Painter. Whether you’re new to the program, or an experienced user, MaryAnn will share some time saving tricks that can give you impressive results in a very short period of time. She will show you how to simplify the process of creating a finished painting using layers, and share with you actions she created herself to streamline the process. The end goal is to demystify Painter, and make it as second hand to your studio as Photoshop.

MaryAnn Talamo CPP is the award winning photographer/owner of Custom Digital Images in Staten Island, NY. She discovered her love of photography when she shot her first roll of film at the age of 11, which she developed and printed herself in the darkroom of her first photography class. She began her formal art education the next year at the age of 12, earned a BA degree in Studio Art from Brooklyn College, and has been continuously studying the fine arts for over 28 years. She frequently uses her extensive education in art history as a reference in her work, which has helped her cultivate a classical style. She opened a subdivision of her studio, Custom Digital Artwork, in 2008 to help other photographers offer painted portraits to their clients. In 2009, MaryAnn won the prestigious Gold Photographer of the Year award from the PPA, and her artwork has been featured in both the Showcase and Loan Collections through the years.