I recently made the switch to being a print based photographer. I wanted to take a moment to explain why I made the switch, what it means and show you some of the awesome products you can walk away with after your session.
Fine Art, Matted Prints
Over the years I noticed a common theme among my clients – their images would sit in the cloud or on their computer for years before they printed them to display. Some never printed them at all! Ya’ll this pains me to think of these beautiful family moments and memories never seeing the light of day. When I asked why the most common answers were “I never have the time to sit down and do it” and “I feel overwhelmed and don’t know where to start or what to do with them.” I realized I could solve this problem by providing prints for my clients. I could guide them on choosing images for walls in their homes or for coffee table albums or gifts for family! We could do all of this and they would have beautiful, heirloom prints, albums and canvases delivered to their door within weeks of their session. It seemed like a no brainer to me!
Another reason I made the switch is I think it is extremely important to print your photos. When your house is burning down you don’t go and grab a flash drive or hard drives. You grab your photos albums. If your photos only live in the cloud you have to be at a computer to access them – you don’t really access them that often. I look at my wedding album with my children all the time because it sits on our coffee table. It’s so fun to look through and talk about the day with them. We would rarely do this if these images were not in print form. You aren’t going to leave your flash drives to your kids and grandkids, but you will leave photo albums and prints. What about when technology changes and you can no longer use a flash drive or hard drive? You will have to spend money to convert the files (kind of like VHS tapes now). Printed images are a tangible piece of time, a moment gone that is captured forever. To me, they are THE MOST valuable possession you could ever have.
Custom Photo Album
What does it mean to be a print based photographer? Being a print based photographer means that my clients will leave their experience with me having beautiful, heirloom quality prints that will be in their family for generations. It means that prior to their session we will talk about areas in their home where they want to hang images or gifts they want to give so we can make sure we get those shots! We will design gallery walls or plan a space for a giant print. It means that 2-3 weeks after their sessions we will meet in person (or via zoom), and look at every image together. I will guide them on choosing the best images for prints, for their albums and for gifts. Lastly, it means I will fulfill their order myself using the professional labs I am affiliated with and deliver the items to their front door myself (or ship them if they are out of the Asheville area).
Large Canvas
Of course we live in a digital age and those files are important and fun to have for social media sharing. I include digital files with the purchase of prints, but I no longer have an all digital package. Lastly, if you want to know what my dream gallery wall would be… look below.
I am excited to share with you a photographer friend who is an Arden Hills lifestyle photographer. She is sharing all about a recent in home session. Check out these beautiful images!
Valerie Eidson is an award winning family photographer in Asheville, NC. She specializes in families, children and newborns.
