If you are looking for a new, attractive and unique way to show off your photos, consider the self-published photo book. These digital books are easy to create, inexpensive, and totally customizable. Best of all, they make a perfect gift, especially around the holidays. A photo book can celebrate a new baby, a wedding or engagement party, or other family events, including vacations. Once you create a photo book, you can print copies on demand, and have them shipped directly to friends and family all over the world.

Styles of photo books
There are many sizes and styles of photo books from which to choose. From hard cover to soft cover to leather bound or miniature, there is a photo book that’s just perfect for any event.

Steps to making a great photo book
1. Select the photos you would like to use
2. Select the size and style of photo book that is best for your project.
3. Be as creative as you want. You can have full creative control over exactly where pictures are placed, the design of each page, and when and where to use text. Or you may choose to have the software automatically load your photos into a pre-determined template making the entire process effortless.
4. Order your book and decide to pick it up at the store or have it delivered to your door.

Complicated software is not necessary to make a professional quality book. Visit us here at the store and we’ll show you how easy it really is! Choose from many options including hard cover, soft cover, and a variety of sizes. After uploading the pictures (in jpg format) from your memory card, you can add personalized text, and captions. The pages can then be designed to feature one large image, or a collection of several smaller pictures. You can also adjust the background color of the actual page in addition to choosing from several themes. Whether you are looking for great holiday gift, a way to showcase your work, or want to create a family keepsake, a photo book is a wonderful option.

To create your own personalized photobook click below
Get your photobook now

Taking great photos of children – from newborns to teenagers –is easy if you remember a few tricks and keep the subject’s age uppermost in your mind.

In a sense, babies are easy to photograph. They’re too young to be aware of what a photograph is, so they can’t react to the idea of being photographed. Being “camera-shy” comes later. It’s a good idea to avoid using the flash when taking pictures of newborns, since it’s not known how much the bright light might disturb them. Work by available light. Indoors, during the day, have a parent hold the infant near a window without placing the child in direct sunlight, which will be too harsh. Take photos up close of just the cradled infant, and also take some pictures from a greater distance showing the child and the proud parent.

Be very careful with infants. Don’t prop them up or leave them unattended on a table while trying to take a photograph – even for a second. The safety of the young child must always be paramount. Also, be aware a person holding a camera in front of his or her face can frighten a small child. Put the camera down every 30 seconds or so, and talk to the subject to offer reassurance.

When children get a little older and have seen photographs of themselves and others, they start to be a little more self-conscious. Some will become shy of the camera, while others will ham it up and play to the camera. Both reactions make it difficult to get a true portrait of the subject. This is the age when getting good photographs becomes tougher, and for most subjects, that challenge will last through the teenage years when self-consciousness often peaks.

Try to take candid photos of kids when they’re immersed in some activity, so they’re unaware of your presence. Use a fast shutter speed to freeze action, and don’t ask them to pose. It’s possible to interrupt an activity and say, “Look at me for a second,” or

“Hey, look this way,” when the child is in the midst of an activity, but don’t ask them, or expect them, to hold a pose.

Another thing to remember about children in the 3- to 10-year-old range is they are curious. Take advantage of that. When taking a photo of a group of three or more, the best way to make them all look at the camera is not by asking them to do so, but rather by asking them a question. After the photographer gets the family, soccer team, or birthday party attendees posed, just ask, “Can you guess what’s in here?” A paper bag with half a dozen hard candies (beans, coins, or pasta bits) will make a nice rattle when it comes from behind the photographer’s back and is given a few shakes adjacent to the camera lens. Even the most determined youngster will have to take a look. If you use hard candies, distribute them after the photo is taken as a reward for the cooperative bunch you’ve assembled.

Perhaps the single most common mistake family photographers make when taking pictures of kids is taking the photo from too high an angle. Get down low for the most effective camera angle. Taking the photograph from a high elevation means we’re looking down at the child. From a low angle, the child looks more imposing in the scene, and that’s always a good thing. For a toddler’s first steps, the lower the camera is, the more exciting the photograph will be.

As with all photographs, try to get in close to the subject, avoid distracting backgrounds, and watch out for clutter anywhere in the photograph. With a little work and a digital camera that allows you to take lots of pictures, you’ll be able to capture great pictures of kids of all ages, suitable for display or gifts for proud parents, aunts, uncles, and grandparents.

To capture your child’s most precious moments with the perfect camera click below
Best digital cameras

It’s time for the family to plan its annual vacation. So just how does the photographer in you get appeased? You can still get your pixel-capturing fix by adopting a few of the following suggestions and agreeing on a few compromises beforehand.

a) While the family sleeps and relaxes in the morning, head out for a few hours at sunrise to capture the great light on whatever subject you fancy. From the tallest skyscraper to a tiny flower, subjects bathed in the warm light of sunrise look great.

b) Accept the fact sunset is family time, but expect a compromise that maybe you get to claim a few sunsets for yourself. Some sunsets may mean you’re out photographing other families involved in their activities (get their permission first!) or the same scenery from your morning shots – to see how different light can change the picture.

c) During the day, when it’s family time, keep everyone very active. You may wear them out enough so all they want to do for sunset is relax – and you wind up with a bonus family shoot.

d) During the day, when the light is not at its best, augment with fill flash, and focus on your family members. Try to keep the photography low-key so it doesn’t become the priority. Let your family have fun while you simply document the events. Orchestrating a full-blown shoot may wind up backfiring.

e) Use a trusty point and shoot rather than carting around all your gear. Having your complete pack connotes you are taking charge and infringing on their time. Using a point and shoot is less intimidating, and you’re still getting your fix.

f) Don’t expect the vacation to be like it was when you had the luxury of being on a photo tour where the entire focus was getting great shots. While you may wish it to be that way, lower your standards, which, in turn, will make every image you capture more special.

g) Give the camera to your spouse or kids. Let them take a few pictures, and allow them to share in your enthusiasm. More often than not, the photographer in the family is the person who seems to not have gone on the trip. Let the others take shots of you, and have some fun posing.

h) Use the trip to create a nice family portrait that can be used as a holiday card. Turn it into a fun event. Let the kids get goofy for a few shots. While it may not make the cover of National Geographic, you’re still practicing your skills of lighting, posing, and composition.

For printing your vacation pictures please click here
Print your digital photos

For the best digital cameras to make the memories of your vacation last forever please click here
Buy a Camera

Valentine’s Day celebration is a recent phenomenon in India but has caught the fancy of people to a great extent. February 14 signifies love for the Indian youths – a day when people express their affection for others. Just as several other countries, people in India too celebrate the Valentine’s Day by exchanging cards and gifts

Avail 20% off on  Valentine’s Day gifts which include Photo Books,Table Clocks,Wall Clock,Cushion cover,Teddy Bear,KeyChain,Greeting Cards,Calendar’s,T-shirt’s,Mugs and loads more

Apart from getting a cool  20% off  you can also customize your gifts by having your favorite picture or the most romantic message printed on your gift to make it extra special for the one you love

So go ahead and share you love here

New Arrival

GK Vale has introduced a new section on www.gkvale.com which enables you to print high resolution images with excellent quality on Glass, Marble and Wood. What’s more, the life of the product is impressive and you can choose different sizes as well. Sizes for these products start at 5” X 7” and are available up to 40” X 72”.

Hurry up!! Be the first one to get the product and get this introductory discount.

Order for Rs.500 and get 10% discount.

Use Coupon Code – GWM500

Wish you all a Happy Diwali ! The word Diwali means “rows of lighted lamps” and the occasion is also referred to as the Festival of Lights. During Diwali, homes are cleaned and windows are opened to welcome Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth.

This Diwali www.gkvale.com has lot of attractive offers for its customers.

You can win a Canon A630 Digital Camera worth Rs. 16,000 every week* & also get assured Gift worth Rs. 125 with every order of Prints/Photo Gifts worth Rs.500 & above.

If you buy Canon SLR Cameras you can save up to Rs. 5000 * & also get 50% off on Prints & Gifts online till 31/12/2008. You can also gift a box of Chocolates to your loved ones on this Diwali.

The above offers are available only at www.gkvale.com. * Conditions apply

Canon EOS Digital SLR Cameras have amazing image quality and outstanding performance.

Now, GKVale offers the Canon E0S 450D at Rs.45,595 ( MRP Rs.47,995) & the Canon EOS 1000D at Rs.31,345( MRP Rs.32,995).

If the purchase for the above cameras is made online, you will also be eligible for a discount of 50% every time you place an order for photo prints or photo gifts at http://www.gkvale.com . The discount of 50% will be valid till 31st Dec 2008.

The above offer is not available at GKVale stores.

The Single-lens reflex (SLR) camera uses an automatic moving mirror system which permits the photographer to see exactly what will be captured by the film or digital imaging system, as opposed to non-SLR cameras where the view through the viewfinder could be significantly different from what was captured on film.

Canon, Nikon and Pentax have developed Digital SLR cameras(DSLR) using the same lens mounts as on their respective film SLR cameras. Minolta did the same, but in 2006 sold their camera technology to Sony, who now build DSLRs based on the Minolta lens mount. Samsung builds DSLRs based on the Pentax lens mount. Olympus, on the other hand, chose to create a new digital-only SLR standard.

Canon EOS Digital SLR Cameras have amazing image quality and outstanding performance.

The Nikon D40 has outstanding picture quality with a design that is easy for everyone.

King Mahabali or Maveli comes to Kerala every Onam.

You can send Personalised Greetings Card to your near & dear ones at GKVale for Rs. 20 only.