How do I format and prepare a story or essay I've written for SlickVille.com?
You can create your text directly in the body of an e-mail message using your e-mail software. Or you can compose in a word processor and save it as a file, then send the file to us as an e-mail attachment.
If you choose to write your text directly into the body of an e-mail letter, just type it in the text window of a new letter opened within your e-mail program. You can also copy the text from your word processor and paste it into the text window of your e-mail letter. Give it a subject in the subject field (eg: "story for SlickVille"), and address it to slickville@slickville.com.
If you choose to send it as a word processor text file sent as an e-mail attachment it should be saved to your hard-drive from your word processor as an ASCII text file (or Text Only). Using any other format such as the default "Word" file format in "Microsoft Word" will result in a file that may be difficult for us to use without having the exact same word processor and version number as you do. ASCII text file or "Text Only" is an option you are given — usually as a pull down menu — in the "Save" dialogue box of your word processor. This is a universal format that can be read by any program that reads text and on any computer. Now that the story is complete and on your hard-drive, it is time to send it to SlickVille.com. Follow the instructions below: "How do I send materials to SlickVille.com?"
The story itself - Always give your story or essay a headline or title. Give us your name (or pen name, or screen name) as you want it to appear in the byline. It would be helpful to give us your real name, a phone number, and your e-mail address where we can reach you to discuss your submission. We may also want to make suggestions for improvement or other concerns about your manuscript. We will not publish this contact information.
How do I format and prepare photos for SlickVille.com?
Digital scans or digital camera photos should be saved in either .JPG or .TIFF format. Digital cameras produce .JPG
We prefer to do cropping, color correction and other adjustments ourselves as we will adjust and crop to suite the needs of our web page layout and design.
We will attempt to make the following technical issues easy to understand:
RESOLUTION AND IMAGE SIZE: Generally speaking high resolution images are best for us to work with. Even though the web uses low resolution images (72 dpi) the higher resolution images allow us latitude in cropping and adjusting without ending us with too low a resolution for the web page. These higher settings are a must if you wish us to consider your shots for use on T-shirts and other photo imprint products to be sold in Downtown SlickVille powered by Cafepress.com.
Digital cameras typically store images at a fixed 72dpi but vary the image dimensions. We prefer that you shoot and send images that are 1600 x 1200 pixels. The Nikon CoolPix, for example has image size settings of: VGA (640 X 480), XGA (1024 X 768), SXGA (1280 X 960), UXGA (1600 x 1200), and FULL (2048 x 1360).
The preferred image size will result in large files. If you are concerned about excessive upload times, you may want to send them to us on Zip disc or CD-ROM. Contact us at slickville@slickville.com or call 973-458-0951 to obtain our mail address.
COMPRESSION: Digital cameras compress images when they save them to the memory stick or card. You should set your camera on its "FINE" setting. This is typically a 1 to 4 compression ratio (level 8 or better of .JPG compression). For example, the Nikon CoolPix has "Image Quality" or compression settings of "BASIC", "NORMAL," "FINE," and "HI." Consult your camera's manual.
KEEP IT IN FOCUS: Do not shoot till the shot is in focus using either the manual focus or auto focus feature of your camera. This may seem obvious, but you would be surprised how many people do not know how to focus a camera. Slicked comb lines are much more sensuous when they are in crystal clear focus. Learn to focus and produce hotter pictures.
Many cameras cannot focus objects that are less than 3 feet away from the lens. Don't get too close unless you have a micro lens attachment for extreme close ups. If you want to get tighter on the hair and face, use your camera's zoom feature to come in tight. Here's another reason we ask for high resolution images — so we can crop in tight on the heads of your model.
LIGHTING: Lighting is an art in itself, but generally speaking, work in a well lit area and have the primary source of light behind the camera illuminating the front of the subject. A subject that is mostly backlit appears dark compaired to its background. Avoid positioning so that the camera or its flash is seen in a mirror within or near the frame of the shot. Working outdoors on a very slightly overcast day is ideal with the sun behind the camera illuminating the front of the subject. You can use flash, but we advise you to experiment and read your manual and other photography books as it is more difficult to achieve natural results with a flash. It is best to use automatic exposure and flash modes unless you are expert at using manual mode. Manual modes gives greater control.
COMPOSITION: Center your model in the frame and minimize the amount of background unless the background is vital to the picture such as a vintage barbershop. Do not get the camera closer than it can maintain focus. Typically 3 feet. Use the zoom lens to come in tighter. Try many different angles. Shoot more shots than we plan on using so there is ample variety to choose from. Be creative with posing and frozen in time action. Show application of grease and gells. Show combing. Show a variety of styles. Let your imagination and fantasies go wild. See examples in KiwiSlick's section. See "Improving your photography skills" below.
THE PHOTOGRAPHER: Greasing your hair with one hand and being the photographer with the other can work for a contortionist like Cleanpart, but if at all possible get a co-fetisher or understanding friend to be camera person. Having a photographer allows for greater variety of poses and angles of shots and frees you up to slick and model with flair. It is also a collaborative effort where both the model and the photographer spring ideas off one another — feeding each other inspiration for creativity. WARNING: this can easily lead to some extracurricular slicking fun that goes beyond the photography session at hand.
The developer of this site will be happy to join you for a slicking and photography session if you are within reasonable travel distance from Northern New Jersey, U.S.A. He does all the photography of KiwiSlick.
IMPROVING YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY SKILLS: Consult your local library, bookstore or a camera store for books on taking better pictures. You may want to consult "Photography for Dummies" by Russell Hart and Dan Richards and "Digital Photography for Dummie" by Julie Adair King.
Can I send magazine or newspaper clippings?
Clippings of guys with click hair are welcome. Please favor shots that are within the hairstyle type shown on this site. See Arye's collection for examples of the older slicked styles we are looking fore. There are also several examples of well greased magazine clippings in the Brylkeen Collection even though that collection relies on magazines from the 70s to present which don't usually have a lot of greased styles.
We welcome your clippings, however, technically speaking, most photos from magazines are copyrighted. We are not deriving a profit from their use and are showing them as a point of illustration about the slick hairstyles they show. Please read the notice on such use at the bottom of the front page of this site.
If you send newspaper or magazine articles that relate to slicked hair, old time barbershops, and such, please be sure to include the publication name and issue date so we can give due credit.
I'm stuck in the 50s just like my hair. I'm using film!
Yes, we remember what that. It is still a classic medium for great pictures. Just as in digital photography, watch your focus, lighting, and exposure. Keep the subject large in the frame so as not to waste image area on background — unless the background is important. Make large sharp color prints. "Machine prints" — the ones you get in "1hr photo" places are acceptable. Prints can be mailed to us and if you indicate, we will return them to an address you specify. Write to us for our mailing "snail mail" address. slickville@slickville.com.
Can I use my scanner to scan photos or clippings?
If you are proficient at doing scans the answer is Yes. There is a lot to know to do good scans and we refer you to consult your scanner's software manual. Send the files to us as you would any other digital file as instructed below. Scans should be 200dpi or better for most medium or large sized originals. Send to us as .TIFF files. Use Stuffit by Alladin to compress if doing many scans.
If scanning magazine or newspaper photo clippings, use your scan software's "descreen" feature to remove the resulting moire effect caused by the dot pattern found in photo-offset prints. If unavailable, send to us without de screening and we will handle that here.
How do I send materials to SlickVille.com?
See the questions above for details on preparing and formating stories or photos. To send text or photos as e-mail attachments, first compose an e-mail letter as you would do normally. Enter a subject in the subject field such as "Photos/stories for SlickVille." Address the letter to slickville@slickville.com. You can still use the text window to give is any information about yourself as author or any other message for us to read. To attach the file containing your pictures(s) click on
When sending several photo files you can use a compression program such as Stuffit by Alladin to combine and compress multiple photos into one more compact file. If you are sending multiple files via AOL, use a compression program first. AOL does not handle multiple file compression very well.
Large numbers of photos will take a long time to download at high resolutions. You may want to send them to us on Zip disc or CD-ROM. Contact us at slickville@slickville.com or call 973-458-0951 to obtain our snail mail address.
I'm still confused. I need to speak with someone at the SlickVille Camera Store.
If the information you need is not here or you need further clarification, please e-mail us at slickville@slickville.com or call at reasonable hours U.S.A. Eastern Standard Time 973-458-0951. This phone is often answered by a machine which answers "Optisonics Productions," but please try at various times. We will do our best to walk you through the technical issues. Sorry, we will not be able to return calls outside the USA or Canada.
