It’s Christmas Eve. Young children are counting down the final hours and minutes until Christmas. With much anticipation they hope, and in some cases pray, for that most desired toy on their list.
As we get older we forget about many of the “got to have” toys on our list that we received 8but most of us can remember getting that one ultimate “Red Ryder BB Gun” (Ralphie’s mania from the movie Christmas Story) toy that we played with constantly.
These are the memories we are making with the gifts we give today. Photography is one of those gifts. The older a print gets the more you treasure it. It brings back memories of what was going on in your life at that time. I’ve never heard anyone ever say – gee, I wish we wouldn’t have had that family portrait made.
These are the things we as professional photographers need to communicate to our clients. The consumer today is unaware of what truly makes up a professional photograph. The market is filled with endless amateurs and smartphones are so good (and convenient) that the consumer is in the mode of “good enough”.
It’s a bit of work to arrange a portrait session. Let’s face it, it’s usually up to the mom to coordinate it and it’s typically done at the protest of dad. There’s a lot to overcome but it’s much easier if you provide the right incentive and identify a need the consumer didn’t know they had.
I’ve said this many times – I feel sorry for people who don’t have a professional family portrait taken each year. They will never know what they are missing and the pleasure that portrait gives you every day of the year. I feel even more sorry for those who do value a professional portrait but seriously don’t have the finances for it.
So in this time of year, as we exchange gifts, the gift of photography is the one gift that keeps on giving. It’s never too late to offer a professional photography session to people in your area.
Merry Christmas!
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