Putting You and Yours On Display

Buying large-scale art can be expensive. Since I know most of my clients invest in family portraits, I try to convince them to display them prominently. The trick is to get family portraits done in such a way that kids won't cringe with embarrassment, especially as they grow older. I have seen some really fun family portrait sessions online lately. One of my favorites was the family dressed as zombies in their mid-renovation home. They were able to make a real mess and not worry about it.

Not into zombies? I'm photographing a family portrait session of one of my favorite design clients this week. We are shooting a backyard Madmen style image with grandma, in-laws and all the kids. A few 1950's style tumblers with everyone dressed period appropriate and the image will be so much more fun than the same old safe "stand at attention" group portrait.

How about a super hero family theme? I can't think of any kid who wouldn't love that.

Are you a family that loves biking? A group shot of everyone in the family on their bikes would remind you of the outdoor fun all year long. Any hobby that you participate in as a family will make great photographic fodder.

The clients in the pictured photo (who were also my interior design clients) hired me to shoot them headless. It's a great way to get your shy boys or girls to agree to the family portrait, plus it makes a visually striking focal point in their small eat-in kitchen. The cost of enlarging and mounting the image was very nominal compared to purchasing a large painting. We saved even more money by having it mounted on board rather than framed behind glass. It is very durable and spills can easily be wiped away. We chose the boys outfits to be simple and similar to one another, and their mom had this great vintage dress in her closet already. Many of you own a quality DSLR camera anyhow and I think you could easily set up your own self-portrait session with a timer and a tripod.

As in most design, scale is important. Blow up your image to the largest size you can fit on your wall for the biggest modern art effect. Or as I detailed in my last article, frame up a large grouping of family images.

Finding a photographer in Calgary who suits your budget and sensibilities shouldn't be hard. I can recommend a few myself or possibly take on your project should we be a good fit. I'd be happy to give you pointers if you plan to shoot it yourself as well. Feel free to contact me via my photography website www.loriandrewsphotography.com.

Tagged: Calgary Real Estate | Calgary Real Estate News | Design | Guest Column | Lori Andrews