Saturday, December 19, 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 tends 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. Most people don’t stop and consider the value that photographs provide until it is too late. Since we are all busy in the hustle of our own lives, and it doesn’t occur to us how precious the legacy, the stories, the gifts we can leave to our family through photography can be. If I were to write a book, I would share this perspective with my audience to hopefully instill a new sense of gratitude and appreciation for this timeless art.

 

     The primary purpose of a family portrait, while helping you record precious memories of how your family looks like today, is a gift from you to future generations so they can see from where they came. It’s like the original “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? There are several different reasons to consider. The family make-up is very volatile. Change is inevitable. On any given day, people can enter or leave our lives without warning. A birth or death changes a family forever, but pictures allow you to preserve the family dynamic at that moment in time. Marriages add new love and faces to the equation and divorces can split families up. Infants and toddlers grow exponentially in five years and then teenagers grow into adulthood. Having these portraits creates a visual timeline to follow us through the years and tell the stories beyond our abilities.

 

     There are several ways in which you can customize your family portrait. Different locations are an easy and creative way, the portrait can be taken in a professional photography studio, in a park, in a home, a museum, or wherever you choose. Clothing can be another unique detail, whether you choose casual, formal, or something in between. While you have everyone together, in addition to the large group containing everyone in your family, breakouts are a great option to consider as well. Pictures containing grandparents alone, grandparents with their children, grandparents with the grandchildren, each family unit (siblings with their spouses and children), siblings and their spouses alone, siblings, generations by gender, individuals, etc. are just some options. There truly is an unlimited number of ways to make the most out of this experience!

 

     One of the best ways to help create the finest family portrait possible is to have a consultation with the photographer prior to the day of the session. 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. Clothing – colors and styles, hair styles, a location, the time of day, backgrounds and props etc. The magic is in the details and all these small things add up to one large memory!

 

     The portrait session is only the first half of creating your heirloom image. About a week after the session, you have an opportunity to view what was created. Our Studio contains a theatre where you will view the images on a large screen television. Seeing them this way allows you to make a more informed decision on which portraits help everyone look their best. There is also an option to view multiple images on the screen at the same time for the best comparisons when making your decisions.

 

     Once the poses have been selected, the next step is to decide what sizes and finishes you want the images to be. Wall portraits, including prints 16”x20”and larger images, make great décor for 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. This will not only allow your portrait to be a gift for your family, but to your guests as well.

 

     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 the portraits you select to be printed will be fully retouched and enhanced to help make everyone look their best. Social media sized digital files are available with all printed portraits as well. Regardless of your needs, there is ample opportunity to share your legacy whatever way fits best for you!

 

     To start your family portrait session process, call or come by:

Ø  Southern Flair Photography

Ø  2550 Legacy Point Dr. Dr.

Ø  Arlington, Texas 76006

Ø  817.277.0477 or 214.773.1414

Ø  Website: www.sflair.com

Ø  Email: southernflair@sbcglobal.net

No comments: