An Heirloom Portrait captures your child at a particular moment in childhood. Perhaps it’s a thoughtful expression, a shy smile, or a burst of laughter. Each one reveals something of the child you know and love.
After your portrait session, the next step is deciding how you’d like to enjoy those photographs. Would you love to see a favorite expression framed on your wall? Would you prefer a collection that captures several sides of your child’s personality? Or perhaps you’d like an album you can look through together.
There are several beautiful ways to preserve and display Heirloom Portraits, and I’ll help you choose the ones that are right for your family and your home.
Individual Framed Heirloom Portraits
Sometimes, one expression says everything.
An individual framed Heirloom Portrait gives that photograph a place of its own. It might hang in a child’s bedroom, become part of a gallery wall, or occupy a special spot in your living room.
For a traditional look, I offer rectangular frames in a variety of finishes. I also offer oval and circular frames finished in genuine gold or silver leaf. These gilded frames have a particularly lovely relationship with the classic black-and-white vignette style.
If you already have framed portraits of older children or family members, we can consider how a new portrait might complement them. Matching the frames can create a cohesive collection, but sometimes a combination of styles works beautifully, too.
Expression Composites
One of my favorite things about photographing young children is how quickly their expressions change.
During a session, we might capture a serious, contemplative look, a mischievous smile, and a wonderful laugh—all within a few minutes. Each expression shows a different part of your child’s personality.
A composite brings several of those photographs together in one framed piece of wall art.
I offer both three-expression and five-expression composites. The photographs are arranged to work together as a collection, allowing you to enjoy more of your child’s expressions in a single display.
These are particularly appealing when choosing just one favorite feels impossible.
Heirloom Portrait Albums
An album offers another way to enjoy a collection of photographs.
My Heirloom Portrait albums are a compact 6×8 inches, with thick, substantial pages that are perfect for little hands. Each album includes eight selected portraits, along with a cover photograph, and comes in a presentation box.
An album can include a variety of expressions, from the quiet and thoughtful to the exuberant. It’s a lovely way to preserve the range of photographs we create during your child’s session.
The Three-Expression Folio
If you love several expressions but prefer something you can display on a table, desk, or shelf, the Three-Expression Folio offers a lovely alternative to framed wall art.
Three portraits are bound together in a folding folio that stands upright when opened. Your child’s first name and the date of the portrait session are printed on the front cover, making it a particularly personal keepsake.
The folio can be displayed open to enjoy all three expressions or folded closed for safekeeping.
Creating a Collection of Heirloom Portraits
Many families begin with a portrait of one child and later add portraits of younger siblings.
Planning ahead can help create a collection that feels cohesive, even when the portraits are taken several years apart.
You might choose matching frames for each child, create a grouping of individual portraits, or add a new piece to an existing arrangement.
If your family already has older portraits, I can help you consider how the new artwork will fit alongside them. A collection doesn’t have to be created all at once to feel thoughtfully assembled.
Choosing the Right Artwork for Your Home
You don’t need to decide on frames, sizes, or products before your child’s portrait session.
At the end of the session, while your child is busy choosing a prize, I’ll show you samples of the different artwork options. You’ll have an opportunity to see the frames, composites, albums, and triptychs in person and begin thinking about what you’d like for your family.
About a week later, we’ll meet for your selection appointment. I’ll help you review the photographs, choose your favorites, and decide how you’d like to display them.
Some families know immediately that they want one individual framed portrait. Others discover that they love several expressions and prefer a composite, album, or triptych. You may find that a combination is right for you.
Once you’ve made your selections, I’ll take care of the retouching, printing, framing, and production of your finished artwork.
Let’s Create Your Heirloom Portraits
Heirloom Portraits are a wonderful way to preserve the expressions and personality of your child at this particular age. Choosing how to display them is part of creating something your family can enjoy for years to come.
If you’re considering Heirloom Portraits for your child in the Washington, DC area, I’d love to hear what you have in mind.
Book a Discovery Call, and we’ll talk about your child, the portrait experience, and the artwork you’d like to create.
