After the Session: Different ways to enjoy your images... Gallery Wraps!

One of the areas I want MOST to improve upon in 2014 is helping my clients AND myself find ways to truly get the most out of our photos.  I am probably one of the worst offenders in the "I have the files in my computer, but I'll print them next week" department.  And I have watched over the past 2 years as so many of my friends, family, and clients have done the same.  The thing I notice though, is that once a couple of weeks go by... we never do get around to making those prints, creating those albums or order those special gifts for Grandma.  

Think for a moment... how many times have you flipped through Grandma and Grandpa's photo albums or boxes of photos, staring in awe at the site of your Grandfather in his super fashionable, plaid, polyester pants or your Dad as a baby chewing on a crib bar which is surely coated in lead-laced paint (what?!  and he survived!).  Or those wedding photos of your parents, the antique images of your great, great, aunts and uncles, your first pet, or your first days home.  Weren't you tiny... and pretty cute, 1980s baby-fashion and all.  We're all so fortunate to have those photos, but what are we doing for our children?  Are we living a visual legacy for them?  books of images, boxes of old photos, piles of old framed images?  Uh, no.  Sadly for the vast majority of us, we aren't. 

We are part of a new generation where we have the luxury of seeing our photos without actually having them physically in our hands.  But, hey, we don't need tactile items to SEE photos.  We have screens!  We have our IPhones and HUGE monitors.  Pretty lucky, aren't we?  But wait.  Will our kids have the same kinds of phones we have when they're 30?  Will they be using the same format of computers as we are now?  Will JPEG files even exist or will they be just a thing of the past, just like the golden and green striped wallpaper of granny's kitchen you saw in those photos.  Just this afternoon I struggled to help my grandfather recover his digital address book as the format it was running in the old computer model is no longer supported in the new one.  What will our families do when this happens to our photo files?  What happens when all of those photos you safely store on an external drive are no longer supported by computers and your children don't have a way of seeing those photos of themselves growing up? This is heartbreaking to me and I am ready to make the change and make sure there is proof, in 100 years, that I did indeed exist in this world.  And that I took a lot of pictures along the way.

I hope you will try out at least 1 new display option you will read about in this series of blogs.  I will be calling on my BA in Interior Design to help you find ways to work these items into your home.  That's right friends!  I will be drawing on BOTH of my passions... photography and Interior Design! 


GALLERY WRAPS

I am choosing to start this series talking about Gallery Wrap Canvas.  We have all seen them and some of you may even have them on the walls of your home.  But, the reason I am starting with this product as a focus is because I just received a 24" x 36"  canvas piece I ordered for a a client and it is INCREDIBLE. The clarity of the image is perfect and the craftsmanship is clean and elegant.  Did I mention this item is 3' tall?  It has presence, to say the least.

Gallery Wrap Canvasses can be a fantastic and attention-getting piece to add to your home.  For one thing, they are timeless and unlike a framed print, which can become dated as frame styles phase in and out, the clean look can appeal to any interior style, be it be a classic, traditional space or a sleek-lined, modern environment.  They can work anywhere. If your space lacks a well defined focal point, then a large single-canvas or a grouping of smaller gallery wrap pieces could be exactly what you need to help give that bedroom or living room the "wow", attention-getting element every space needs!





But... Be Warned: Not all Gallery Wraps are Created Equal!
That's right, though there are literally hundreds of vendors and companies which produce or sell these items, not all are creating wall art that is of a quality meant to last.  Yet, of course, they will all claim to be the best.  So let's walk through a few key points to a QUALITY Gallery Wrap:


Corners:  You want these corners to be clean in appearance and tight with little gap.  Uniformity is another key as you want all 4 corners to be identical.

The corner of the canvas should appear clean, neatly folded and NOT bulky.

Image Quality:  A quality canvas will have a crisp and clear image that looks like that of the original.  Not sure how large you can take your photos?  Check with your photographer!

Even in this 24" x 36" canvas, this gorgeous girl's eyes still have the same clear sparkle and defined lashes as they do in smaller, "safer" size enlargements.

Backings:  Some canvas companies will leave the back of the canvas open, where you will find the stretchers and staples fully exposed.  This leaves the delicate canvas VERY exposed from not just the front, but also the back.  Other companies will finish off the piece with a durable, yet lightweight board.  This will add a little weight to the piece, but it gives durability and protection to the backside of your gallery wrap.  Well worth the extra money for the stability this can add.

The backings also hide the cut edges and folds and protect them from becoming pulled or damaged .

Little Extras:  A good canvas company will add special, finishing touches to make sure they are doing everything they can to guarantee they are providing their customers with a quality piece. These extras can be a variety of surface finishes options or water resistant coating, extra strong mounting brackets, or small rubber bumpers on the back of the piece.  Again, these, along with everything else I mentioned, are all the signs of a company that wants to provide you with quality, not just the cheapest available option.

(Left) Rubber "Bumpers" will protect your wall when the Gallery wrap is hung or re positioned.  On a daily basis, these helpful little guys can keep that art hanging level to the ground, how you placed it on day one. Without these, the slamming of a door might knock it off balance.  (Right) Durable wire hangers or brackets are key when mounting your Gallery Wrap to the wall.

And one more thing... about picking your images:  Be careful when selecting your images!  While you may love a certain image, it doesn't mean it's PERFECT for putting into Gallery Wrap Format.  If the focus isn't super sharp or if cropping the image at all will leave off important details (most standard gallery sizes require at least a little cropping), it might not be the right choice.  Again, this is a place where your photographer will be able to help you.

So now that you have learned a little about Gallery Wraps, are you ready to run and place your order?!  They do make pretty great Valentine's day Gifts! Happy February, Everyone!  More Posts to come to help you decide what to do with your images Post-Photo Session!

 If you have had a previous session with Shannon Barth Photography and you are interested in ordering a Gallery Wrap for yourself or someone you love, contact me for special pricing!  Let's get those images up where you can enjoy them!  If you haven't had a session, contact me!  I can help with that too! ;)