The SunBird News is a monthly newspaper published for the residents of the SunBird community, by Robson Publishing a division of Robson Communities, Inc.
Any SunBird class, club, organization or sport/card group interested in having information about them or their services published in the SunBird News may submit an article (400 WORDS OR LESS). It is the responsibility of the writer to ensure that all names, titles, phone numbers, dates of events etc. are correct. Photos are also welcome. If submitting a photo, it must be professionally developed or submitted on a CD (no paper printed/copied photos will be accepted) or attached to the emailed article with all individuals identified. Make sure that all names are spelled correctly and all facts/dates are accurate. Robson Publishing cannot be held responsible for any harm inaccuracies may cause. The deadline for articles/photos is the 10th of the month prior to publication. All articles must be turned in by noon on the 10th in order to be published in the next month’s issue. All articles turned in after noon on the 10th or later will be held for the following month’s issue.
Articles are accepted online at robsonpublishing.com/editorial (preferred) or via email at [email protected] by the posted deadlines. Photos may also be submitted via email. Please call 480-895-4216 if you have questions or concerns submitting your articles.
The SunBird News encourages its readers to support the advertisers. However, please be advised that the SunBird News cannot guarantee or be held responsible for the quality of the goods and/or services made by our advertisers. The Managing Editor reserves the right to refuse or cancel any advertisement at any time. The deadline for display and classified ads is the 10th of the month prior to publication.
For advertising information, call (480)895-4506 or 1-800-470-0893 or visit our website: www.robsonpublishing.com
Articles for the ‘This Just In!’ section of the website will be limited to:
- Events that missed the print deadline and will occur before the next print edition is available.
- Updates to printed articles, such as correcting errors or new information.
- All materials will be reviewed by the editorial staff for suitability. All others will be considered for the next available print edition.
- Approved articles will appear on the ‘This Just In!’ page of this website on the next available business day after submission.
Photo Submission Guidelines:
NEVER produce prints from digital images to mail in, always email the photos (find a friend or neighbor to email it).
NEVER use the date/stamp on digital or film cameras. This ruins good photos.
DIGITAL CAMERAS – the beauty of a digital camera is that you have almost instantaneous feedback on the pictures you’re taking – if you don’t like what you see you can re-shoot your pictures. As with film cameras, the higher the resolution the better the picture quality – we have gotten excellent results with minimum resolution 1600×1200 pixels (2 mega pixels) is the preferred setting.
Submit photos to [email protected] by the posted deadlines. Please call 800-223-7317 ext 4216 if you have questions or concerns.
FILM CAMERAS – most people use 35mm cameras and have 4X6 prints made from their negatives/slides. Use 400 speed film for best quality photos. Prints may be submitted to:
Robson Publishing
ATTN: SunBird Editorial
9532 E. Riggs Road
Sun Lakes, AZ 85248
If you would like your prints returned, please include your name and return address on the back of the photo. DO NOT use ballpoint pen, as this can mar the surface of the print.
Helpful hints for taking photographs
When taking photos for the newspaper, remember the picture should tell a STORY!
Actions speak louder than words. If possible, people in the picture should be doing something that relates to what your article is about.
Lighting is essential to getting good pictures – sunlight is best and should come in at an angle over your back shoulder (direct sunlight into people’s eyes isn’t good) – you also have to be aware of your shadow. Reflections off of glasses can also be a problem. When in a dark area, flash is essential – in the Ballroom only close ups seem to work and spotlights improve your chances of getting better pictures.
Composition is also important – posing people should be used as a last resort – walk around with your camera at the ready and try to capture spontaneous moments. As in a good painting, centering your subject rarely makes the best picture.
Focus – most modern cameras have an automatic focus feature and for most of us it’s best to let the camera provide the sharpest focus – remember that auto focus isn’t necessarily instantaneous so wait a moment before taking the picture. It is also important to hold your camera as steady as possible – if you have trouble doing this a tripod could prove helpful.
Background – you may not have control of what’s in the background of your picture. When you can control the background, solid light colors usually make the subject of your picture stand out. Windows, venetian blinds, mirrors, table backs and messy rooms are examples of less than desirable backgrounds.
Shadows – under lighting we mentioned your shadow, but people wearing hats or ball caps sometimes create shadows that detract from your picture – it’s usually best to have people take off their hats or caps.
Captions – remember that a picture is not complete without words identifying the people and events depicted in the photo – please check the spelling of the names of the people in the picture.
A final thought – if you have pictures that aren’t the best (e.g. overexposed, too dark.) we might be able to correct them sufficiently for use, but we need time to do this – don’t despair, where there’s a will there’s a way!
What is a Megapixel?
Megapixel means one million pixels. The resolution of digital cameras and camera phones is often measured in megapixels. For example, a two-megapixel camera can produce images with two million pixels.
1-megapixel will produce an image roughly 1200 pixels wide by 900 pixels high. (6”x4.5”) if printed at 200 DPI
2-megapixels will produce an image roughly 1600 pixels wide by 1200 pixels high. (8”x6”) if printed at 200 DPI
3-megapixels will produce an image roughly 2048 pixels wide by 1536 pixels high. (10.24”x7.68”) if printed at 200 DPI
4-megapixels will produce an image roughly 2272 pixels wide by 1704 pixels high. (11.36”x8.52”) if printed at 200 DPI
5-megapixels will produce an image roughly 2560 pixels wide by 1920 pixels high. (12.8”x9.6”) if printed at 200 DPI
Basic rule of thumb is that the larger the megapixel the more flexible the final digital image will be. Always try to shoot in the “highest quality” your camera offers and the image should contain enough information for decent reproduction.