Do you have a blank wall in your house? Let's fix that...

So, you've read my post about why you need professional prints, and you've decided that blank wall in your house REALLLLY needs to be filled. So now what? Cory and Topanga have no idea...

Let's start with with sizes. I'm personally a big fan of gallery walls with a good variation of sizes, and a mix of horizontal vs vertical. No two dimensions the same. I also think it adds great visual interest to mix the framing style and print medium. Some prints, some canvas. Some have mattes, some don't. Some have textured frames, some are smooth. Squares, rectangles, circles, mix it up!

Don't want to buy a bunch of new frames? Yeah, I don't either. Here's a super awesome trick if you're feeling crafty. Head to your local goodwill or thrift store. Pictures frames can literally be found in abundance here. Start by looking for a size and texture of frame that you like. Once you find some, head on over to the spray paint section of Walmart/Target whatever. I'm a big fan of black and silver frames, but white, gold or brown can be fun to add in there too. Make sure to take out the glass (and matte if it has one), and take it outside and give it a good few coats of paint. Let it dry, then viola! You have a custom frame, ready to hang. Easy peasy.

It also adds great visual interest if you add in something other than pictures - a sign, a mirror, a basket of hanging flowers etc.

Big fan of black and white images? Me too! Try filling all the space on your wall - looks like this... Kind of gives it an art gallery feel, don't you think?

Check out more ideas for gallery walls here: https://pin.it/5qbhzxmqlurcfm

Happy planning!

Morgan

PS. Seriously - I'm here to help plan your gallery wall. Need someone to bounce ideas off of? Let's chat!

Do you remember this rainy Saturday afternoon as a kid? I do!

I want you to come back with me, back to your childhood. Think about that rainy Saturday where you were board out of your brain. Nothing to do...not a thing to do on that cold cold wet day! (Name that book! :)

Then a thought occurred to you... Hey! What did (mom, dad, grandma, grandpa...fill in the blank!) look like when they were my age? Do I look like them? Do I have their nose/eyes/hair/dimples etc? What kind of clothes did they wear? What did Mom and Dad look like when they got married? What did I look like as a baby? Now I want you to think about what you did next...Where did you look to get these questions answered? Oh yeah, you know the answer - the family photo album!

So, you've gone and taken the time to get professional pictures of you or your family. Awesome! You post them ALL online because you love them so much, and so do your friends! A few weeks pass, then a few months pass...and your digital files start to get lost in your Facebook/Instagram feed, and collect dust on your hard drive. Fast forward 40 years.... and your grandchildren start to have the same experience you had on that cold cold wet day... Where will THEY go to find answers to those questions? Scroll endlessly through your Instagram feed? Who knows, Instagram might not be a thing by then (GASP! HEAVEN FORBID!!) But seriously. I want you to think. Where will they go??

I'll level with you, I know we're in a digital age. I know how important it is to have the digital copies from your session. Isn't the saying "if you don't post it, it didn't happen?" As sad as I think that is, now it's your turn to level with me. After you had your professional pictures taken, and you got that AMAZING shot where your 3 year old was grinning ear to ear while holding hands with her older brother as they frolicked through the woods.....Did you print it? Is it hanging somewhere in your house?

I see you. I see how you long to remember whatever phase your kids are in. You want to remember the dimples on their knuckles, their curly q hair, how perfectly they fit in your arms, or their child like curiosity about the world. But be honest, will it be easy to remember all of that in 40+ years?

I have a new suggestion to the saying : "If you don't preserve it, memory will fade, and you will forget".

Now it's my turn to teach you something. There is a HUGE difference between prints made at Walmart/Target (fill in the blank) vs prints made at a professional lab. Prints from a pro lab are archival quality. What does this mean? It means that they are printed on special paper that is resistant to the effects of time. It means that, on average, they have a standard archival value of 100 years in home display; 200 years in dark storage. It mean that when your grandkids want to see them, they will still be a vibrant and beautiful as the day you first hung them up.

Yes, Walmart and Target prints will be much cheaper, but they will not last. The colors will not be accurate, and they will fade over time.

This is why I firmly believe in having something tangible from your session, something to show your children and their children. Professional prints provide accurate color, realistic saturation, and I would hope you take advantage of this great opportunity to create something beautiful, something to show the next few generations.

Want some visual proof of the difference between a pro lab and Target? Check out this Pinterest board I made : https://pin.it/choy77irakmxi2

Now, go print your pictures!!

Hugs,

Morgan

PS. Be sure to check out my blog post about how to style and hang your gallery wall! (CLICK HERE)

MOSES LAKE SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER | MOSES LAKE HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 2018

Meet Miss Cora, Moses Lake High School class of 2018. She is a soccer and tennis super star, a lifeguard and all around awesome person. (And we just happen to be related :) Check out that beautiful prom dress! For all the dances that happen during high school, I think it's such a good idea to get a few shots in one of your favorite formal dresses. They are part of the high school experience, right?? And if you've been following along, you know how much of an advocate I am for dressing up for your session. What better way to dress up than with your favorite formal wear?? Dresses always provide such great movement in photographs. We had Cora's mom to the sidelines helping us to get a good some good movement, she was great! And of course, we had to finish the shoot at the dunes, because the dunes are the best.

Congrats on senior year, Cora!

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Morgan Bruneel Photography is based in Portland, OR with travel dates available to the Seattle area and greater Moses Lake, WA. Senior sessions are available from late March till the end of November. Fall Sessions in particular fill very fast so it is recommended you book 2-3 months in advance. In my senior sessions we focus on you and help you feel confident and beautiful For more information please fill out my contact form by clicking HERE. For information on mini session availability or travel dates, be the first to know by subscribing to my e-mail list, (CLICK HERE) and keeping an eye on social media.

INSTAGRAM: @MORGANBRUNEEL