We have been in business for 20 years. 20 years ago not one single person ever asked to purchase our "negatives". Wow....times sure have changed.
For the past 20 years, Artistic Images, has prided itself in creating beautiful Wall Decor and Leather-bound albums for clients homes. The craft of creating a canvas portrait is a multi-step process that we, along with our professional portrait lab, have perfected along the way. Over the past 7 or 8 years, we have evolved into the digital age, but one thing has not changed. We are still creating Wall Decor and Leather-bound albums for our clients homes.
Now, we are constantly asked if we sell the "digital files". The answer is always "yes, we do".
However, we are still in the business of creating Art for client's homes.
I would be doing myself and my clients a disservice if I now just sold them a file and then left it up to them to get it printed in some fashion by some place, professional or not. When I release a full resolution digital file to someone, I have lost control of the quality of that image. I have no idea if that person will take that file to Walmart or one of our local professional labs. I have no idea if the person printing the image is a qualified, trained printer, or a 16 year old who knows only how to push the "print" button.
Yes, I know you can go onto Facebook today and find hundreds of photographers who are willing to sell you a cd of the entire portrait session for pennies. I am very well aware of the fact that I am priced well above what most people are willing to pay for photographic services. I can not do anything about those other photographers. I can only worry about myself and the clients who come to me for their portraiture. And I can promise you this:
A well trained photographer: I am a Certified Professional Photographer; a certification process through the Professional Photographers of America. I am a Master Photographer; only a small percentage of photographers ever achieve this status which is obtained by entering images into International Print Competition. I am a Craftsman Photographer; this is obtained by teaching others the art and the business of photography. After 20 years in business, I still compete every year and attend seminars and conventions to keep my photography fresh and current.
A well trained staff: We are small but we are mighty! Most of my staff has been with me for over 10 years. We are dedicated to creating products with the highest quality while having amazing customer service. We are all constantly updating our systems and skills to have the best photographic product possible.
A product that is created with the utmost of care: Our finished products look amazing because we use the highest quality photographic finishers in the industry. Our vendors are our TEAM and they care as much about the end result as we do. We make take a little more time to create the product because we want it done right and don't want to rush the process.
A finished product that is a work of art: My work may stand out to you as different than the rest. That is because I treat each person, each session, each family as One of a Kind. There are no "formulas" or set "poses" that I do for each and every session. I want your images to be a one of a kind work of art. My hope is that my clients feel that I gave it my all. When they look at their finished images they have a wonderful feeling about the image and the experience.
A day in the life of a MOM:
If I were to use myself as an example of what I feel would happen to most people who purchase a CD of their portrait session it would go like this:
I have the CD. I look at them on the computer and ooh and ahhh. I can't decide. A week later, I look at them again and write down some favorites, get interrrupted and never finish. Another week later, I look at them at midnight and say "I must get these ordered", but can not concentrate hard enough to finish the task. It has now been a month. I have nothing. Nothing but a CD to look at. Life happens and a month turns into 3 months. I don't know where to go to order. I would like a stray hair removed, but I don't know who could or would do that. My CD is now just a screensaver on my computer. I have no wall portrait. No album. Not because I don't WANT it all, I just don't have the time or expertise to make it happen. If you were to look at my personal hard drive, you would find portrait sessions, birthday parties, vacation photos, etc that ALL live in cyberspace. That happens to ME....and I KNOW HOW to produce quality images....I KNOW WHERE to get them printed. I simply don't take the time to do it.
This is why Artistic Images will NEVER be that photographer. When you hire me, you hire my staff and I to produce the highest quality imagery possible. With the highest quality product line that is available. We do not settle for mediocre.
So, do we sell digital files?
Yes, we do. ANY image where a print is purchased (gift, wall or in an album) is now available as an ePix (small resolution digital files perfect for online sharing). WE do the printing and YOU do the sharing.
Which one will leave a legacy for your family for generations?
xoxo
Elizabeth
