Saturday, March 14, 2020

I Am Your Personal Memory Preservation Specialist and Family Historian By Dwayne Lee, M.Photog., Cr.-API



     We are all getting older, and in time, our memory has a tendency to slip a bit. That’s where I come in. I create timeless photographic portraits of you and your family – a moment frozen in time forever, a constant reminder of from where we came.

     The primary purpose of a family portrait, while helping you record precious memories of how your family looks like today, is actually a gift from you to future generations so they can see from where they came. It’s a modern day “Ancestery.com”.

     Family portraits are probably the most difficult portraits to make happen. The larger the family, the harder it is to get everyone’s schedule aligned. But even with this difficulty, it’s imperative to update your family’s portrait every five years.

     Why every five years? Let’s look at some of the important reasons:
  • ·        The family make-up is very volatile. Change is inevitable.
  • ·        On any given day, someone in your family could die.
  • ·        Or, you might have a birth in the family.
  • ·        Infants and toddlers grow exponentially in five years.
  • ·        Teenagers grow into adulthood.
  • ·        Marriages occur, adding new faces.
  • ·        Divorces happen, splitting up families.


     There are several ways in which you can customize your family portrait.
·        The portrait can be taken in a professional photography studio, in a park, in a home, a museum, or wherever you choose.
·        Clothing could be casual, formal, or something in between.
·        While you have everyone together, in addition to the large group containing everyone in your family, you should also do breakouts:
o   Grandparents alone
o   Grandparents with their children
o   Grandparents with the grandchildren
o   Each family unit (siblings with their spouses and children)
o   Siblings and their spouses alone
o   Siblings
o   Generations by gender
o   Individuals

     One of the best ways to help create the finest family portrait possible is to have a consultation with the photographer prior to the session day. At this consultation, there are several things to discuss that will help make this not only a beautiful portrait, but an heirloom family portrait that will be enjoyed for generations to come. Here are just a few things we will cover with you:
  1. ·        Clothing – colors, styles
  2. ·        Where the portrait session will take place
  3. ·        Time of day the session should occur
  4. ·        Hairstyles
  5. ·        Backgrounds and props

      The portrait session is about the half-way point in creating your heirloom image. About a week after the session, you will have an opportunity to view what was created. We have a theatre in our Studio where you will view the images on a large screen television. Seeing them this way, they are large and you are able to make a more informed decision on which portraits everyone looks their best. We can even put multiple images on the screen to compare when it gets down to making your decisions.

     Once the particular poses have been selected, the next step is to decide what sizes and finishes you want the images to be. Wall portraits, 16”x20”, make great décor in your home. The bigger your family, the bigger the portrait needs to be. But don’t worry about having enough wall space. If you have a regular size sofa, you can easily accommodate a 30”x40” or 40”x50” portrait on the wall above it. What a statement you will make about your family, too. It will become the focal point of that room for everyone to continually enjoy.

     And finally, after selecting the showcase wall portrait, you’ll be sure to want gift size portraits (5”x7” and 8”x10”) for family, friends, and albums. All of the portraits you select to be printed will be fully retouched and enhanced to help make everyone look their best.

     On a side note, social media sized digital files are available with all printed portraits.

     To start your family portrait session process, call or come by:
Ø  Southern Flair Photography
Ø  2214 W. Park Row Dr.
Ø  Arlington, Texas 76013
Ø  817.277.0477 or 214.773.1414
Ø  Website: www.sflair.com
Ø  Email: southernflair@sbcglobal.net

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