A 200 Year Old Portrait

We've all heard the saying, "A picture lasts a lifetime."  But do they really?

My grandmother's favorite hobby is genealogy.  She has binders full of family trees and old photographs.  I must admit, I find these binders fascinating!  I love looking at the old photographs.  Although they differ so much from our current photographic style, they are still full of emotion.  And I can't help but wonder if my own photographs will last that long.  

There is a lot that goes into producing a photograph that will last a lifetime, such as the quality of the paper, the ink, and the elements (humidity, sunlight, etc).  As you've heard me say before, professional labs are worth the extra cost - they are worth the investment.

One of our latest products is an Art Print.  These prints are printed on fine or linen paper.  The awesome quality of Art Prints is their longevity.  They are made to last.  They will last 200 plus years with less than 8% color fade during this time.  Ah-mazing!  

And now you can try one for FREE!  After you have booked five sessions, you will receive a coupon good for one complimentary 11x14 Art Print from your next session.  I can't wait for you to experience them for yourself!  They truly are an investment for your family's memories.

Let's Make a Deal!

Smith Family Photography values the feedback of their clients.  That is why we are asking for Google reviews.  Your reviews help potential clients find a photographer that meets their needs.  We've been thinking of ways to thank our clients for leaving feedback via Google and it suddenly hit me!  

After your session, you will be emailed asking you to consider leaving feedback.  In exchange for your feedback, we will make you a slideshow of your favorite images from your session (a $20 value), which can easily be shared via social media.  This is a great way to share your images with your family and friends!  

We also have a reward system for referrals.  You will earn a $10 credit for every referral that books a session with us and the person that you referred will save 10% off their session fee.  You can read more about our reward system here.  

What do you say...do we have a deal?

Example of a slideshow you would receive after your session in exchange for your Google review.

New Product Alert: Hard Cover Books

We are excited to announce a new product - Hard Cover Books!  These books are perfect for almost every client because it allows you to show your friends and family all the photographs from your session in a professional quality book.  It will be a true keepsake for your family for years to come.

Each page of the book is designed and then placed inside your online gallery for you to view prior to purchasing.  The pages are professional matte paper that is known for its archival quality and timeless appeal.  

The covers include a variety of eurohyde or art cloth covers and are customized with foil stamping.  You can even add a custom cover with an image from your session for an additional fee.  

Foil Stamping on the cover

Another option to the cover is opting or a windowed cover.  This further allows you to customize the cover on your hard cover book without an additional fee.

Windowed Cover

I will have a sample hard cover book for you to look at during your session, as well as a Canvas Gallery Wrap, a Wood Print, a Vivid Metal Print, prints from various labs and cards.  If you've had a past session, but are interested in a Hard Cover Book, please let me know and I can design one for your past session.

Limited Edition Session Make-Over!

We are always looking for professional products that our clients will adore!  We recently found two products that we just fell in love with - Gallery Stands and Standout Prints.  These products are truly unique and so we decided to make them exclusive to our Limited Edition Sessions as an added bonus.

Limited Edition Sessions will now have the same session fee as our regular sessions, however they will have a theme, such as a Fourth of July theme, Holiday theme, etc.  Sessions will also be extremely limited with only six sessions available per theme, per year.  What sets these sessions apart from regular sessions is the theme obviously, but the two exclusive products that you will be able to choose from will be offered as a complimentary gift.  You will be able to choose a Gallery Stand or a Standout Print as a complimentary gift.  These are ONLY available to clients that book a Limited Edition Session.

So... What is a Gallery Stand?  What is a Standout Print? 

A Gallery Stand is a 5x7 print that is printed on professional grade pearl photographic paper, laminated for protection and mounted on a wood base with an easel.  They can be hung on the wall or displayed on your desk, shelf, or tabletop. 

Gallery Stand

A Standout Print is a print that is mounted on a lightweight foam, which gives it a sleek and contemporary look. 

Standout Print

Our next Limited Edition Sessions are this coming Friday and Saturday, June 24th and June 25th.  They have a Fourth of July theme and will include a firework stand, as well as flags.  We have decided to offer our most popular themed sessions as Limited Edition Sessions with the following schedule:

• April - Cap and Gown AND Bluebonnet Sessions
• June - Fairies and Princesses AND Fourth of July Sessions
• July - Huck Finn AND Cowboys/Cowgirls Sessions
• August - Unicorn Sessions AND Breastfeeding Sessions
• October - Halloween Sessions
• November - Fall/Holiday Sessions

Fourth of July Sessions will be held in Groesbeck on June 24th and 25th.

If you're interested in either of these products, they are not available for purchase.  They are only available as a complimentary gift with each Limited Edition Session.  We are looking forward to our new and improved Limited Edition Sessions!

More Than A Picture...It's Wall Art! Part Four: Metals

We are going to continue our discussion about wall art in this blog post.  This is the fourth 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!

In the third part, we discussed the differences between a canvas gallery wrap from a professional lab and a local retailer.  As with prints, there really is quite a difference!

Part Four:  Metals

Metal Prints are a completely new type of wall art!  They are incredibly vibrant and clear and allow you to experience your images in a whole new way!  They are truly a show-stopping conversation piece with an artistic edge and offer contemporary elegance to your portraits in a high gloss piece of wall art. 

I began offering metal prints in February after a fellow photographer was raving about how vibrant and clear they were.  I decided to order two - one in each type of finish - to see what all the fuss was about.  I opened the package and seriously was amazed!  The metal prints were so impressive!  Photographs of them do not do them justice at all!  They must be seen with your own eyes. For this reason, I bring them to each session to show our clients.

Metal Prints are available in two different finishes - a white base or a metal base.  Metal Prints are essentially images printed on a sheet of aluminum.  They can be mounted in three different ways:  magnet mount, float mount, and metal easel.  The magnet mount simply means that there is a magnet on the back so that the metal print will stick to any metal surface, such as a refrigerator.  A float mount means that the metal print has a mount on the back with a hole in it so that it can be hung on a nail or tack directly on your wall.  The metal easel means that there is an easel that is attached to the back of the metal print so the print can sit on a table.

Examples of the Metal Prints in each finish - white base and metal base. 

At Smith Family Photography, we offer metal prints 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 Five:  Collections.

New Product! Custom Mobile Albums!!

We are SO excited about our latest product - Custom Mobile Albums! 

What is a Custom Mobile Album?  Custom Mobile Albums are a unique way to share your favorite photographs with your friends and family in a truly social way!  They are customized digital photo albums that are put together in an app for your mobile device.  

Each order includes a Custom Mobile Album which will include your favorite photographs.  A link will either be sent to your email or to your phone as a text.  You just click the link using your mobile device and the app will be installed on your homescreen so you can easily share your photographs. 

Hunter, a senior from Valley Mills, has his own Custom Mobile Album!

Custom Mobile Albums have many benefits!

*After you place your order, you will receive your Custom Mobile Album within 24 hours.  This gives you quick access to your favorite photos while you are waiting for your prints to arrive!

*Your Custom Mobile Album is at your fingertips - you can download it to your phone, your spouse's phone, your tablet, etc.

*The app will be placed on your homescreen and can even be viewed offline.

*Your OWN photograph will be the app icon!

*You can easily share your favorite images from your photo session with friends and family via text, email, Facebook, AND face to face!

*You will always have our contact information handy and can quickly access that through the links in the app.

*Stay up to date with new offers, discounts, and promotions with automatic updates!

*Earn a FREE session by referring us to your friends and family!

We are looking forward to our clients receiving their Custom Mobile Albums!