I had an in-home Lifestyle Session yesterday with a sweet family who just welcomed a new baby girl to the world! I had done the newborn photographs of their baby boy last year, so I was pleasantly surprised to see this beautiful display when I arrived.
First of all, I commend them for having such a beautiful display up so soon. Now… yes, it has been over a year, but so many times people have the best of intentions, but they get busy and it takes months (or yes, even years) before they hang their portraits. Other times, they are plagued by indecision just because of the sheer number of choices out there (color of frame, color of mat, type of frame, size of frame, layout of frames, etc). So, it really is impressive that each print was matted and framed and hung so beautifully… and on a curved wall along a staircase no less!
Second of all, I ♥love♥ the fact that they utilized all of their favorites from the session in a 5″x7″ size, in a wall display. Now, most people love their portraits and most choose to go with quantity over size. But, the problem is that so many times, small portraits get put away in an album where they don’t get to be enjoyed every day, or they get framed and put around the house. Of course, either option is fine. But, I think this layout really showcases the impact you can get by putting a collection of small prints together. The other thing that makes this particular layout work so well, is that it is along a staircase, so each print is close in distance (and at eye level) as someone walks up the stairs. If this layout was put up high on a tall wall, it probably wouldn’t work so well because the prints would be tiny as viewed from a standing position in the room. But, you could do a similar collection in a different layout if you have some wall space in a room or hallway, where the prints would be hung low enough to see.
Thirdly, I like that they went with a “gallery” look. If you notice the mat, you’ll see that it is not even all the way around the print. There is more mat on the bottom, than there is along the three other sides. This is how many art galleries frame the works on display. It isn’t the traditional look you see in homes, but I love it, and I think it works beautifully here.
Fourth, as much as I love gallery-wrapped canvases that don’t require frames, I think that when you have a growing family, that sometimes frames are the way to go, especially for a collection like this. Why? Well, you put in the effort once, and it’s done. The mats and frames are done. They are hung. The display is perfect. But, then as your family changes and grows, you can take some of the images out and replace them in the wall collection, and then you can put the prints you took out into a beautiful family album. The wall collection stays perfect and it doesn’t require additional wall space, which is a concern for many of us.
Now if you’re looking to hire someone to do this for you, I’m sure he hires out. Okay, I’m kidding. Hopefully he gets a laugh out of that. He’s a successful anesthesiologist, so I doubt he needs the work. But search the internet for ideas, or be creative and come up with something new, and just put a little thought into it, and you can get fantastic results too! Or, just let me know and you can browse my idea book at your next consultation or session.
Hope this gives you some ideas for your next session! Or, if you’ve had a session and have a beautiful display showcased in your home, please email me to share it and schedule a time so I can photograph it to share here!
by Holly
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