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
