EVENT PHOTOGRAPHY LENTICULAR PHOTO SOUVENIRS
Bare with us...
This page will be a work in progress and new information will be added on top of the old. Scroll down to see the old.
PHOTO BOOTH SOFTWARE!!!!!!!
LA Photo Party has stepped up and taken the lead in the Lenticular Event Photography Software race by adding the ability to easily create, interlace and print lenticular Animation and Morphing images automatically / on site with their Professional Photo Booth software, PBU (Photo Booth Upload)! The days of having to jump from one software program to the next to process lenticular images is finally a thing of the past! Thank you LA Photo Party!
Here's some history. Since 2007, LA Photo Party has specialized in Event Photo Entertainment. Manufacturing Photo Booth equipment and software. In 2011, LA Photo Party Pioneered the 1st Event Photography Sharing Software which is now used by nearly 3000 photographers around the world. LA Photo Party has offices in Los Angeles, New York City and London. Let me say, it is very cool that a company of their size and history has added lenticular to their offering!
Photo Booth owners / operators will recognize the name and already have a basic understanding of how to setup and operate a photo booth. The rest, you will have a learning curve. Luckily for us, LA Photo Party has great support and very detailed videos. SuperFlip users, after watching the videos on the software setup, check out the amount of added details for controlling specific layers for creating complex Animation and Morph Lenticular Images. My favorite is the Morph face template!
My Testing. For years I have been amazed to see what customers have done with our lenticular lenses, and I have to say it again, I didn't see this coming! LA Photo Party has found a new use for our "3D" Photo Frames. As the name applies, we have always used and sold the 3D Photo Frames for 3D only! Now I will have to rename them!
Here is how the PBU (Photo Booth Upload) software creates an Animation or Morph with Horizontal lenticules (lines) using our Photo Frames. The finished product is a Portrait 6 inch Tall x 4 inch Wide with Horizontal Lines Lenticular Animated GIF or Morph. Follow the suggested settings from LA Photo Party on creating a Lenticular GIF or Morph, you set the LPI (lines per inch) at 60.0, (thats correct no integer needed, dead on 60!) You set the width to 4.0 and the height to 6.0 to create a Portrait print to match the lenticules (lines) on the lenticular lens. LA Photo Party used a Primera IP60 Inkjet printer and I used a DNP DS40 using a 4x6 media kit for my tests.
Magic! Print the photo, place the photo in the frame, attach the provided clear silicone band and hand it to your guest! That's it!
Obvisouly, like anything else lenticular! Test, Test, Test! Do not do an event without testing your settings, your equipment, your staff! When you think you have it, do a live test.
Contact information:
info@laphotoparty.com
323-473-4893
www.laphotoparty.com
For a 2 week free software trial of the PBU you can downloaded here:
https://laphotoparty.com/photo-booth-software/photo-booth-upload/free-trial/
Here is a link for getting started with PBU software:
Here is a link for the lenticular setup:
https://support.laphotoparty.com/support/solutions/folders/5000304971
Remember, Lenticular 101, On the day of the event make all necessary sacrifices to the lenticular gods and be sure to praise them the following day for your successes!
This page will be a work in progress and new information will be added on top of the old. Scroll down to see the old. I will get as many details as I can on this page about the process we came up with to create Lenticular Two Image Flip Photo Souvenirs and 3D Photo Souvenirs at Event locations in the US, Canada, Ireland, Puerto Rico and many more. If you can not wait, I understand, I answer calls and email questions daily on how you can use what we have learned to duplicate the process at your locations. Download the Free SuperFlip interlace software to test, (free to our customers, a $10,000 renewable value annually) We sell the lens, so we need you to be successful and are willing to help every step of the way.
Free SuperFlip Interlace Software
More to come.... 3D and Flip sample prints you can download and test on your equipment, and much more.
EVENT PHOTOGRAPHY LENTICULAR PHOTO SOUVENIRS
Yes, it's true, you can create Amazing 3D (Green Screen) and Flip Lenticular Photo Souvenirs with your existing Event Photography Software and Dye Sub Printers using our Lenticular Lens. Improve capture rate, discover how easy it can be to create and Sell 3D Lenticular Souvenirs! But what lenticular lens, what printer, what software, what process, how long does it take?
All excellent questions! The only question that can be answered without more details below is how long.
• A 6x8 3D Event Photo using one of our 3D Event Photo Frames will take roughly 30 seconds to complete.
• Attaching a 6x8 3D photo to the lenticular lens using adhesive instead of using one of our 3D Event Photo Frames will take roughly 1 minute.
• Attaching a 6x8 Flip photo to the lenticular lens using adhesive with an attached lens will take roughly 90 seconds to complete.
More details on all the questions can be found below.
WAIT, WHAT ABOUT PHOTO BOOTHS!
Yes, over the year we have had several Photo Booth owners using our materials at Corporate Events and Parties. Usually Photo Booth owners use 4x6 media and not 6x8.
• A 4x6 3D Event Photo using one of our 3D Event Photo Frames will take roughly 20 seconds to complete.
• Attaching a 4x6 3D photo to the lenticular lens using adhesive instead of using one of our 3D Event Photo Frames will take roughly 1 minute.
• Attaching a 4x6 Flip photo to the lenticular lens using adhesive with an attached lens will take roughly 60 seconds to complete.
LITHO LENTICULAR LENS
The Lenticular Lens sheet is probably the most important part of the Lenticular Photo Souvenir. Without the lens the process would not work. The lenticular lens master sheets we use were originally created for the commercial print industry where multi-million dollar UV litho presses, like the Heidelberg Speedmaster CD-74 UV press are used to print hundreds of thousands of the same image lenticular postcards at a time.
These sheets were designed so that the commercial printer could print directly on the backside of the lenticular sheet using a UV litho press at speeds of up to 9000 sheets per hour. (each sheet holds 20 plus 4" x 6" lenticular postcard). With huge business potential several manufacturers invested many R&D hours and thousands of dollars designing the perfect Lenticular Lens sheets. Some sheets were designed specifically for 3D applications where the narrow viewing angle and thickness increase the illusion of depth. Other sheets were developed for Flip / Animation projects where a wider viewing angle helps with ghosting and the thinner material reduce sheet cost. There were a few developed as a universal lens that would be OK when used for either 3D and Flip, but there were trades offs.
VUETHRU INC
Briefly, in the early days VueThru was involved in the R&D of large and grand format outdoor printers using the lenticular process which lead to working with other commercial printers and suppliers. Over the years we tested many of Lenticular Lens sheets. Outdoor and indoor, from 1 x 1inch to 4 x 8 foot. 6, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 48, 50, 60, 62, 75 and 100 LPI. Thin lens, thick lens, even the newest 2 piece lens. We developed a process using an inkjet printer to allow mom and pop kiosk operators to add lenticular keepsakes to their existing business or start a new lenticular business. We have printed hundreds of thousands of the same image UV litho lenticular postcards as well as made large format lenticular 3D prints up to 8' x 8'. We have years of experience, but there is always room to learn. The lenticular field is constantly changing.
WHAT LENS - RECOMMENDATIONS
From our experience the thinner lenticular lens (75 LPI .018" & 60 LPI .020") are excellent when printed directly to the backside using a UV litho press but we caution using these thinner lens with your Dye Sub Photos. Aligning the photo to the lens can be very difficult and because the lens is so thin it can curl after the photo is attached. For this reason we recommend our thicker 60 LPI .028" 3D lens which works excellent with 3D photos up to 16" x 20" and work well with smaller hand held Flip photos up to 5x7 inches. Our 40 LPI .033" Flip lens is the same lenticular lens that is used to produce the greeting cards found in many department and grocery stores today. Event Photographers using DNP DS-40 and DS620A's have successfully created 3 image Flip photos using the 40 LPI .033" lens.
Can you use other Lenticular Lens? Sure, we know of a photo company that uses a .020" Flip Lenticular Lens on their 3D products to save money! (Update, this company no longer offer lenticular products, can't imagine why!) The .020" Flip lens is about 2/3's the thickness and weight of the .028" 3D lens and costs about half as much per sheet. So what if you use the wrong lens? There are trade offs, quality being the most important. Compared side by side with an actual 3D lens these products will not have as much 3D depth. Creating a Flip using the thinner or wrong lens could result in a photo that does not Flip correctly, pitch issues, ghosting, and more. If you have not heard the stories already, you will, from your customers who have seen terrible (being kind) Lenticular Flip and 3D products. Don't be the source of these stories. It only cost a little more to do the right job right the first time and have a satisfied customer. At VueThru, we have a vested interest in your success. We believe the more you know, the more you will sell and as a result we hope, the more Lenticular Lens you buy from VueThru.
WHAT PRINTERS - RECOMMENDATIONS - TEST PRINT
Most Dye Sub Printers work. Some work better than others but we have found only one that did not work. The chart below shows a few of our findings. The best thing to do is test your printer. If it works great, if not we recommend the DNP DS-40 or DS620A. We have added 3D test photos to test your printer and software. Click on the image and it will open in a new window. Save the photo to your desktop. Do not resize, the photo is 6x8 @300 DPI. If you do not print 6x8's, you can open the image in Photoshop or another photo editing software and crop (not resize) the image to the size you need. To print, open the photo in Photoshop or add to your Event Photography software as a background. Make sure your software does not resize or scale (uncheck borderless print) the image to a larger size. You can order a Lenticular Lens Sample which will include printed examples attached to lens and a couple of blanks that you can compare your printer / software results. (sorry the actual 3D test photos will have type on them to protect the image) Here is the Test Photo Link. Test Photos
If you need a dye sub printer or supplies check our website link Professional Photo Printer.
WHAT SOFTWARE - RECOMMENDATIONS
3D - Photoshop CC or CS6 Extended. Visit www.RussellBrown.com for initial instructions on creating 3D using Photoshop. Then call us for some Tips and Tricks. A couple of things to remember. 3D must be in RGB not CMYK and your canvas must be either a square or portrait orientation, not landscape when doing the 3D postcard (conversion) process. Again call us for Tips and Tricks.
EVENT PHOTOGRAPHY - RECOMMENDATIONS
SuperFlip or Dark Room or Photogra or PhotaMate.
3D Backgrounds - We have used Photoshop, Photo Elements, Express Digital Sport and Dark Room, Photogra Green Screen, and PhotaMate to print photos on location. Dark Room, Photagra and PhotaMate are by far the best choices. SuperFlip! does not work to print out 3D images on location.
Flip Backgrounds - We have used SuperFlip!, Photogra Green Screen, and PhotaMate to print Flip photos on location. Photagra and PhotaMate are by far easier choices over SuperFlip!
Have questions about Dark Room Software, contact Steve@imagingspectrum.com phone number 800-342-9294. For information about Photogra Software contact SKraus@photogra.com 914-288-6159. For information about PhotaMate contact support@photamate.com 855-FUN-PICS.
STEREO SOFTWARE - RECOMMENDATIONS
Triaxes.com - Stereo Tracer
ATTACHING TO LENS OR NOT?
Another great question. For over 20 years we have tested, considered, and played around withdifferent concepts and ideas of how to make a great Flip or 3D photo without actually having to attach the photo to a lenticular lens. Why, another good question. For anyone who has attached a Flip or 3D photo to a lenticular lens this is an easy question to answer, for everyone else, except for correctly reading a Pitch Test, attaching a photo to a lenticular lens can be the hardest part of doing lenticular. You can throw hours of prep time and work in the trash when you find after aligning and attaching the lenticular lens that the alignment was incorrect, or there are bubbles or God forbid a spec or dirt. Anyone who has done lenticular long enough knows what I am talking about.
So what are the alternatives?
By far attaching the photo to the lenticular lens is the best in overall lenticular quality. There are several methods of attaching the photo to lens. Using an permanent optically clear adhesive like we do is probably the most widely preferred method. Once you have attached a few dozen you get the hang of it and it is really not too bad. Another method we have tried is using a repositionable adhesive. In every case we found the photo eventually came off the lens which is no good. Another method we have heard about is using a UV liquid glue. From what we have read, the smell, the bubbles, and what really happens years down the road from using it make us stay away. So for us if we have to attach the photo to the lenticular lens using the permanent optically clear adhesive is the way to go, but what about not attaching the photo to the lenticular lens at all.
We are sad to say that still after many attempts we still have not found a way to make a Flip or Animation photo work without attaching the photo to the lenticular lens. The alignment is just too critical and any bumping and it does not work. We will keep looking.
But for 3D, Yes, we have created a 60LPI 3D Event Photo Frame and after selling thousands of the 6x8 3D Event Photo Frames we are adding a 6x4 Photo Frame for Photo Booth owners.
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