More Than A Picture...It's Wall Art! Part Three: Canvas

We are going to continue our discussion about wall art in this blog post.  This is the third part in our five part series on the topic of wall art for your home or office. 

In the first part, we discussed the reasoning and beliefs behind offering our clients professional quality wall art opposed to pictures.  We then began discussing the first type of wall art that we currently offer - collages. 

In the second part, we discussed the differences between print quality with three local retailers in the Central Texas area and compared those prints to a professional lab's prints.  There really is quite a difference!

Part Three:  Canvas

Canvas gallery wraps are a classic way to showcase your family portraits!  Just as we discussed in last week's post with regards to print quality, the same is true with canvas gallery wraps.  Simply put, you get what you pay for. 

When I first began my photography career, I had a fellow photographer that helped me with the business side of things.  She ordered a canvas from an online retailer and was horrified when she received it due to the quality of it.  I remember it clearly, she told me that it was "fine," but she did not feel it was professional quality and felt that her client deserved the best.  She promptly ordered the canvas from a professional lab and was so much happier with the results.  Upon hearing about this, I wanted to see the quality for myself so I purchased a few canvases of my own family. 

I ordered one from CVS for less than $20 on a 50% off sale.  Upon first look and having little experience with canvases at this point, I thought it looked alright.  It didn't amaze me, but I wasn't disgusted either. 

I then decided to order one through Shutterfly for about $90 full price.  Again, it looked alright.  It was pretty much just like the CVS canvas.  I honestly expected a difference in quality due to the increase in price.  I did not find that to be true in this case. 

I then decided to order a canvas of our daughters for my husband on Father's Day from a professional lab.  Yes, there was an even larger price difference, but when I received it I was AMAZED!  The quality was substantially different and worth every penny!  The professional canvas felt much more sturdy and looked vivid, whereas the other canvases looked dull.

Advantages of Professional Quality Canvas Gallery Wraps

*  A solid wood base creates a very durable, no-sag surface

*  The tightest, cleanest canvas corners in the industry

*  A thick, black backing that comes standard with hanging hardware and wall bumpers

*  UV-free protective coating allows the product to be wiped clean with a damp cloth

An example of a canvas gallery wrap printed from a professional printing lab.

At Smith Family Photography, we offer canvas gallery wraps in two popular sizes - 11x14 and 16x20.  If you'd like one in a different size, we can definitely do that as well! 

Check back next week when we discuss Part Four:  Vivid Metals.

More Than A Picture...It's Wall ART!

It's more than a picture, it's wall ART!  That sounds fascinating to me, but what does that actually mean?  This topic is going to be a five part series, with each part focusing on a certain product that we are offering our clients.  If you visit the "About Me" page of our website you will find a lot of information about us and our beliefs.  We believe that if you are putting in all this effort for photographs, you want products that are quality - you want products that will last a lifetime. 

“We strive to provide you with the service that you and your loved ones deserve. With that being said, typically a great amount of planning and preparation goes into a photography session - everything from deciding on a photographer, choosing coordinating outfits, choosing a location, etc. All of those factors take a great deal of time and energy! We want that time, effort, and energy to shine in your portraits! For that reason we have a large selection of print products to offer you in your personal online gallery - everything from standard professional prints that will last a lifetime to beautiful canvas gallery wraps and vivid metals. The products that we offer are professional quality and will last a lifetime. They will become cherished memories for generations. They will be beautiful pieces of art that are displayed on your walls for years to come. ”

— Anna Johnson-Smith at Smith Family Photography

Part One - Collages

Collages are a popular item that we began offering last July.  I personally have always loved collages, however I wasn't sure that others shared this same love until one client received her online gallery and adored her family photographs, but asked if I could create a collage for her with certain images.  I told her that I'd love to put something like that together for her and she loved it!  After that I began contemplating the inclusion of collages in each online gallery.  I began planning and finally decided to include at least one pre-made collage in each and every online gallery and provide the option for building a personalized collage if the pre-made ones do not meet your needs and/or wants. 

Since the introduction of collages in the online galleries, nearly every client chooses at least one collage!  They have become THAT popular!  They are a great way to display your favorite photographs on one print.  This makes them a perfect addition to your wall of photographs, as well as a perfect gift for friends and family. 

An example of a customized collage that was ordered as an 11x14 print.

Most collages are ordered in print form, however sometimes they are also ordered as a canvas gallery wrap.  I had a client show me a wall display of various canvas gallery wraps to make an art piece for a wall in their home.  She wanted a large canvas gallery wrap, 30x30.  I put together a customized collage that was very similar to what she was looking for with separate canvas gallery wraps. 

An example of a customized collage that was ordered as a 30x30 canvas gallery wrap.

As you can see, collages are a creative way to display your favorite photographs from your session!  The sky is the limit and I love creating one of a kind pieces of art that are printed at professional printing labs so you know you are receiving a quality product that will last a lifetime plus some. 

In two weeks we will continue this topic with Part Two:  Prints.