Whew! It was the busiest year of of dance mini-sessions ever last week! I love seeing the beatutiful girls and costumes~ and even had a twaikondo session! I am working diligently to get them edited and up as soon as possible as I know people are anxious to see them and make their selections of prints, buttons and keepsake books. If only I didn't need sleep it would help my workflow! I hope to have them up by the end of the week if possible.

While this was the busiest year yet, every year there still seem to be people who aren't aware of the mini-sessions. If you'd like to be alerted next year for the mini-sessions, just send me an email and I'll put you on my list to be notified. I also send the fliers by email to previous dance mini-session clients. And, of course you can watch the blog for updates as well.

Here are a FEW of the fantastic images of this year's dancers.

Scottish Lad

I was so excited to hear that Cullen was coming to visit me in his kilt! Mom admitted he wasn't so sure about it. Mom has Scottish roots, and it's a tradition to have the boys' portraits taken in the kilt- which was actaully purchased IN Scotland while mom was expecting her first baby. What a neat tradition and cool story! And of course I was excited to see Cullen since I have that whole TwilightMom's thing going...but that's a whole nother story.

Sydney and Jack

What delightful children. Mom requested a session for some custom art portraits for their rooms. I love their bright clothing choices with some of the more funky contemporary crops which should make some awesome wall pieces! Sydney is a model and Jack is a mover! But look at all the cuteness we captured!

Ada and Leah

Are two sweet little redheaded sisters who came to visit me for the first time to have their portraits created. What beautiful girls. I'm glad I got an opportunity to capture this time before they welcome little brother or sister ina few months!

My Wall Portraits

As promised, I took some snapshots of some of the walls in my house featuring some wall galleries and portraits. Many people assume as a photographer I must have TONS of portraits of my children- but sometimes I think I have less than many people! The problem isn't taking the portraits, for me- it's figuring out what I want to use on my wall and actually getting it printed and hung. So if the process can be overwhelming for me- I'm thinking it might be as overwhelming for some of you. Maybe some of the images will give you inspiration for your own home.
Here is a 16x20. The extra wide frame makes the picture feel a bit larger than a typical 16x20. I have visions of adding an 11x14 on either side- but that hasn't happened yet.

A shelf space is a good place to display smaller prints or even odd size prints. If you have a particular space you are tring to work with, be sure to mention it to me. I can print your image

in any size~ not just standard sizes- though that is often what is listed.

Not just portraits- but images with meaning! This 10x20 of the SIOUX VALLEY SCHOOL is a perfect size sitting on a small end table in the foyer. A flip album sits in front of it.

Piano tops make a great space for many desk portraits (8x10 and smaller). Collage type frames are avaailable nearly everywhere. Two hung side by side here fill the space well.

I love these two images of my children dressed for the 4th of July from several years ago. Hung on each side of the window- they brighten my office space. (Don't look at my very messy desk- and that was actaully after I cleaned it off! )

Stairways are another opportunity to decorate with meaning. I have a lot of old vintage pictures mixed in here with some new. I have a visions of someday taking all the frames down and painting them all out to match- but that still hasn't gotten done- and probably never will!

I will admit it made my husband very nervous when I started pouding the nails in the wall to

do this--but he did get over it. :) It's defninitely a work in progress.

This plate rack was made by my brother after a pattern my father made for many years, so of course it's special. I'm not much of a plate collector- but it works great for displaying old family

portraits of my mother's family on the bottom, and my dad's family on top.

The top image shows a closer up of the dining room cabinet. I had the two 20x20's hangingon this wall for years, and when we had the cabinet built, we literally designed it around having the two wraps remain. I love how it turned out. The interior shelves hold smaller desk portraits, often on easels and a few pictures even display at the top.

An 11x14 size is a nice easel size. This one is diplayed on a fireplace mantel.

Hanging very similar prints together can tell a story and make a big impact as well.

These 3- 16x24 images hung side by side give much bigger impact than one hanging by itself.

My latest gallery in my family room. I found the large square frame at a conference in January and knew it was perfect for the family session that I had just had done. I love that it holds 10x10 prints and will be easy to switch out at some point down the road. Smaller prints like 10x10s work great when grouped together to fill the space. A single 10x10 would not be nearly big enough for the wall space. On the other side are 2 16x20s hung horizontally.

HOW HIGH should you hang your portraits? There is a rule of thumb that says if the room is one where you are typically sitting in- the portraits should be hung lower- as your eye level will be lower if you're sitting down. You can see in this image the large group frame is not centered on the wall but rather hung towards the bottom. If the room is a hallway or somewhere that people will be viewing the image while standing, it is ok to hang it a bit higher. And, being verically challenged myself- my eye level is a bit lower than most people! ;)

An unframed 11x14- again displayed on an easel in a small corner.

This is a good example of two large prints on a not so big wall. The actually wall width is pretty much what shows in the snapshot above. The wall space is probably 3.5 feet only. These two

close ups on a 16x24 hung over each other fill the space perfectly. (and allow room for the thermosstat inbetween. :)

24x36 canvas wrap. Again, the snapshot shows the actual width of the wall.

If you think you don't have wall space to hang images you love- how about that space between two doors? This spot between my closet and front door is the perfect place for a long narrow image. This canvas wrap is a 5 x 30. I swap this winter scene of my daughter and a cat walking in the snow out with a 12x24 colorful shot of my kids which I bring out and hang in the summer months.

I hope this gives you new ideas on the possibilities of decorating your own space with images that have meaning to you!

Roman on the move

Roman is nearly two and "on the move' describes him to a tee. Sit still in one spot? No way.

But we still managed to capture that cute smile and gleam in his eyes.

Planning Your Wall Gallery~

Before you even arrive for your session- it's a good idea to begin to think about what kind of products you will want to actually order from your session. Perhaps you're interested in many smaller desk portraits to display on shelves, in albums, or to give to friends and family. But more and more clients I work with want to display at least one image as a wall portrait or several wall portraits as a gallery wall in their home.

First off, a wall portraits is generally defined as a 11 x14 or larger. 8x10s and smaller are 'desk portraits' and best displayed on endtables, pianos, or desks. They are generally too small to be an effective wall portrait.

Of course I love to see my work displayed in your home. I really believe in decorating your home with images with real meaning to you! (not that there is anything wrong with that painted vase with flowers in) :) But while I truly believe that, I know from experience it can be overwhelming to see lots of images you love and then trying to figure out WHAT to DO with them now. I thought a post was in order to give you some examples and food for thought when planning your display.

If you're unsure what size wall portrait to get for your particular wall, there are some general tips to follow.

5x7's and smaller-they look best framed and displayed on tables, desks, end tables, etc. Unless they are framed and grouped with other portraits, they generally get lost on the wall and make viewing the actual image difficult.

8x10: Sometimes people get a 'big' 8x10 and are surprised that when they get it hung on their wall how small it looks. Keep in mind, an 8x10 is smaller than a sheet of typing paper. It is generally best displayed on a end table or desk, or if hung on a wall, it will make the biggest impact when displayed in a wall grouping with other wall portraits.

11x14: An 11x14 is actually the smallest size that is considered a 'wall portrait'. This size generally looks best framed and hung on a smaller wall- perhaps in a corner wall or narrow space- over a chair or other smaller piece of furniture. Hung over a formal dining room chair on a smaller wall- an 11x14 maybe just right!

12x12, 16x16, 20 x 20, etc: Square crops are contemporary, hip, and VERY popular. They look fantastic and very custom hung in a grouping on your wall. Some images work better than others with a square crop than others, and I generally show you at least one square crop in your gallery.

16x20 and larger: This size are wall portraits that will really focus on your image and are the best size to be hung on a wall. One thing to consider when picking a size is how big the subjects face will be in the final portrait. For example, if the image is a close up of your son's face- a 20x24 might be overwhelming depending on your decor and wall space. However, a 16x20 may be just right. Now, if the image is a full length shot of your son- a 16x20 may be too small-a larger print will bring his face better into view and better able to be viewed. You shouldn't have to stand 3 inches from the print to make out who the picture is actually of! ;)

I'm not the best salesman I don't like to be pushy- I admit it, but I do truly believe in picking the right size for your space. I just had a client email me this morning telling me the only thing she regrets about her canvas is that it wasn't big enough!

On the other hand- while I think big prints generally look great- there are other options to consider and one large print may not be the best solution for your space either.

One customer recently told me they were interested in purchasing a large portrait approximately 16x40 to put over their bed. I encouraged her to think about several smaller prints in a wall grouping so that she could switch them out as she goes- which would be easier and less costly for her as well. I consider assisting you in putting together your portrait order part of the job I love.

The final tip for choosing your wall portrait size that I often tell people is this.:

If you're wondering how an 11x14 will look on your wall- cut an 11x14 piece of newspaper to size and actually hang it on your wall. Look at it a few days. Does it feel right? Does it look right? What about grouping 3 or 4 11x14's in the same space? How does that look? What about one 16x20. This is a simple and inexpensive way to really imagine what the wall portrait will look like in your space and allow you to feel more confident in the sizes you order.

Wow- this is the longest post I've had for a while- but I'm hoping to post more about different things to consider, new products and services offered, preparing for your session, etc. The next few days I will post a little more about wall gallery options as well as sharing some of the wall portraits I have in my own home.

Finally- I'll share above a few samples of wall galleries that feature different size wall portraits and groupings. I have many available and am always happy to assist you in figuring out how you would like to display your images. After all- enjoying the images for years to come is part of the fun!

Dance Portrait Schedule is nearly full!

What a great response on the dance mini-portrait sessions!
The schedule is very nearly full for all three days already! If you haven't yet contacted me to schedule your time, please do soon. I have just a few slots remaining open.

Dance Portrait Date Set: March 25th, 26th, & 27th

The date for the dance mini-sessions will be Wednesday March 25th, Thursday March 26, and Friday March 27th. I will be mailing out the packages and options available to prior clients and those who have requested the information ~ so if you would like to be included in that mailing, please drop me an email at jstumpf@frontiernet.net and I'd be happy to include you. Please feel free to share this posting with others whom you feel might be interested. It is always a fun time yielding beautiful images!