instant pictures.

Remember polaroid cameras?

Bit of a distant memory to some, I bet. And since polaroid has stop making their cameras and film, what's an instant photo lover to do?

Never fear! Fuji is here!

Fuji instax cameras are instant format cameras that offer pictures in credit card size (slightly smaller than the polaroid 600 film format). Pictured is the instax mini 55i, which has adjustable shutter speed and a lens with close up capabilities. The fuji instax mini is priced around $200 (check ebay for some good deals) and the film works out at around $1 per picture.

Here are some instax piccies that I pulled off the fuji instax room flickr group.

monopoly funopoly.

Who likes board games?

When I was a child, my cousins and I were mad for monopoly. We would play, sometimes for days, on our holidays when we were visiting each other. It used to get quite competitive. I still to this day think there might have been money stealing going on.

Well, now you can personalise your monopoly (I seem to be saying the word 'personalise' a lot lately, don't I?) with all your own photos and notes!

Photo-opoly from Photojojo looks like SO much fun. You can even name it whatever you want! 'Competitive-opoly'. 'Wells Family-opoly'. The sky is your limit.

Everything you need is included in the pack - minus your own photos and imagination, of course. Head on over to Photojojo to check it all out.

boring prints no more.

Photos don't just have to be boring old photos, you know. Not these days, with all our new fandangled technology and bright young things who defy their elders and reinvent the industry.

Okay, so I'll stop with the purple prose.

What I'm getting at is, there are some interesting things happening over on etsy. Forget buying just photographic prints for a bit of art.

One idea that I particularly like is photographs as jewellery, like this polaroid necklace by jerserymaid. So simple, but so elegant and fun at the same time. Buy one of her pieces ready made, or why don't you try this idea for yourself? Personalise it by using one of your own photographs.

And speaking of personalising, these pendants by spoiledroyalgirls are customised by your own photograph and then printed on to a scrabble tile. COOL. You can pretty much guarantee yourself a unique piece of jewellery right there.

Head on over to etsy for some more inspiring ideas on how to turn your photographs in to something stunning.

personalised story books.

flattenme

When I was a little girl, my Dad gave me a christmas story book - all about me and Santa.

It had my name in it, and the names of my brother and sister. I was mesmerised. It looked just like a Little Golden Book - only it was all about me! I had no idea how he did it, but he did, and my Dad was the coolest person ever that christmas.

Today, Flattenme have taken this personalised children's story idea one step further, and now you can order a story all about your child - with their photograph in it!

Under the sea, pirates, forests; you can pick whichever theme suits your child. All you need to do is upload a picture of your child (facing the camera front on) and Flattenme will do the rest.

Books are around $49.95. Check out the website for details.

Custom Covers.

Go on, admit it.

You love your iphone.

You use it ad-nauseum. You take it everywhere. You call it 'super phone' (well, my uncle does!)

But have you noticed that your phone seems to disappear whenever you're at a party?

You know how it is. You sit down, you put your phone on the table in front of you, maybe you move around for a bit chatting to people, and when you try to look for your phone later - there is a sea of black cases with little silver apples staring up at you.

Apple are innovative programmers and designers, but boy, their colour selection sucks!

No matter, you can buy iphone skins pretty easily these days, but why don't you go one step further and personalise yours?

Fotofone have a pretty cool product going on. You can upload your own photo on their website, and they'll make it in to an iphone skin for you! And not just iphones, might I add - ipods and other goodies can get a photographic makeover.

Iphone skins are around $29.99 and they'll deliver. Sound good?

Just think. No one will ever mistake your phone for theirs again if your Grandma Maude is grinning up at you.

www.fotofone.com.au

welcome 2010!

We're right in to the swing of things in the PGP office for this new year. Our calendar is pretty much all booked up and we're looking forward to heading out on the road next week to start photographing at Centres all over Brisbane. I can't believe how quickly the year already seems to be moving!

On the studio front, we've still got our 39.95 sitting and canvas deal happening, so make sure you book a family portrait session soon to avoid missing out!

Now here's a little bit of fun for your thursday - photo kaleidocycle!

The folks over at Foldplay have designed this great little method of making photo kaleidocycles for you to show off your photos in a crazy way. All you need to do is upload your photos and - magic! - Foldplay does the rest. Then all you need to do is print, score, cut, fold, and glue. (It sounds a lot more difficult than it actually is. Complete instructions are included for you on the website.)

We got busy in the office yesterday making some kaleidocycles of our own. (We couldn't possibly let you have ALL the fun). Why don't you show us your results? Simply reply to this post and include a link to your work. We can't wait to see!

http://foldplay.com/foldplay.action