Family Portrait Month, October 2010

At Merrick Photography, we know that nothing is more important to us than FAMILY — our relationships are the foundation upon which we build our lives and memories. Without the support and love of our family, life simply wouldn't be what it is…

We love to capture families exactly as they are right now — contrary to popular thought, there is no perfectly right time to create a family portrait other than NOW. Don't wait one day on this, your family is too important to allow "life" to get in the way of preserving your memories for the future.

Quite frankly, creating timeless portraits is our passion. Consider the portrait shown above. As Mrs. Moffitt points out, they treasure their portrait from a rare occasion when they could all be together at the same time to celebrate Thanksgiving — not easy for a family where some of the members live several thousand miles away. Put simply, we don't just love what we do — we're passionate for it!

Photographer Nigel Merrick (Associate of the Royal Photographic Society and owner of Merrick Photography of Eads TN), has been a professional photographer for more than a decade. Nigel is considered an expert in his field because he is so passionate about his photographic artwork.

I also believe in supporting the local community in whatever ways we can, which is why Family Portrait Month will help benefit our partner charity Fayette Cares. Click on the link to find out more about this great organization that helps empower those in need with hope, independence and lasting solutions.

This year, my wife and I have decided to add something a little more practical and hands on to our financial donation…

If you're reading this, I probably don't have to explain just how valuable our family photographs are to us — we wouldn't sell them for anything!

Not everyone is fortunate enough to be able to have a professional portrait made of their family — other priorities, such as feeding the children, keeping the lights on and simply surviving, prevent them from taking the time to visit a photographer, let alone pay for the luxury of photographs. Many times, these families have only their love for each other to keep them together through such difficult times. Their determintation, perserverance against all odds, and faith to be an inspiration for us all. My photography is one small, simple, way I can help them realize that their devotion to each other in the face of hardship doesn't go unrecognized.

So, for every paid session during Family Portrait Month, I will donate a portrait session and an 8 x 10 print to a deserving family through Fayette Cares. This is in addition to any funds we also raise from the proceeds of our wall portrait sales and other efforts during the month. We are so excited to be able to do this and I'm really looking forward to being able to present these gifts…

Of course, Family Portrait Month is a wonderful celebration of our relationships, love and families during a beautiful time of year, and it's a fantastic way to help out others in our local community … but what would it be without some extra fun?

This year, we're going to see who has the cutest family!

Are you up for the challenge? Is your family cute enough to win? Well, bring it on, and let's see!

Each family will have a portrait added to our online Hall of Fame gallery, where anyone can vote for their favorite family for just $1 per vote. People can vote as often and as many times as they wish, and all the profits collected by the closing date of 1st December 2010 will be donated to Fayette Cares.

The winning family, the one with the most votes, will be awarded a $250 Simon Malls Gift Card, and be officially recognized as Merrick Photography's Cutest Family! Please note we'll need a minimum of 7 families to participate in Family Portrait Month to run this contest - so tell your friends and help spread the word.

1. Our Guarantee

First and foremost, you are fully protected by our 100% money-back guarantee. If you aren't absolutely thrilled (not just satisfied) with your finished portraits and I can't do anything to make you thrilled, then you don't pay me for them. As an Associate of the Royal Photographic Society and a member of the Professional Photographers of America, I'm committed to providing the highest standard of work possible at all times, and I stand behind it 100%.

2. We Consider You As Part Of Our Family

Every one of our valued clients is a part of our extended family, treated with the utmost respect and consideration. You are assured of personal, undivided attention each and every time you work with us, and we will always go the extra mile for you to ensure that you're totally thrilled with your portraits.

3. Our Complimentary Portrait Design Service

This is one of the biggest things that sets Merrick Photography apart from other photographers in the area. I feel that it's of the utmost importance to meet with my clients ahead of time to chat with them, get to know them a little, and to design their finished portraits.

What does this mean for you? We talk about the critical components that make up the perfect portrait: People, Any Special Needs, General Color Scheme, Clothing, Location, Time, Lighting etc. You get the idea… this is all about eliminating the things that can ruin a family portrait and proactively designing the elements that will make your wall portrait a piece of art that you will treasure for a lifetime.

4. Portraits At Your Choice Of Location

Most people are not comfortable in front of the camera (myself included, which is why I'm behind the lens). I understand that not everyone wants to pose in a studio, and some can find it a little intimidating. Portraits taken outside, however, are a completely different experience! As part of our complimentary portrait design service, we'll talk about the options for locations, especially those that might have a special significance to you and your family. People in a familiar and beautiful location are more relaxed and comfortable, which leads to a fun and exciting portrait session that everyone will enjoy.

5. Ample Time To Capture The Perfect Portrait

A major factor that determines the quality of the finished portraits is the time spent creating the photographs. Some photographers will allow only 30 minutes to complete a session, in an effort to do as many portraits as possible in a day, but I believe that setting time limits can have a negative impact on the session. Having a strict time limit can make it feel rushed and hurried, which can show up in the expressions in the photographs.

Instead, I usually book just one or two sessions in a day, with plenty of time to arrive relaxed and ready to be creative for you. With no strict time limit, we can take the time to find the perfect spot, arrange groups, achieve good lighting and capture those natural expressions. There simply is no subsitute for taking the time to do this properly.

6. Our Photographic Artistry

After the session, I painstakingly edit and retouch your portraits, spending time to turn them into works of art. After all, these photographs will be proudly displayed on your wall for many years and they need to be perfect. Once they are ready, you're invited to the studio for your 'view and order' session where we project the portraits onto a canvas screen at full size, so that you can fully appreciate how they will look in your own home. You can then make your final selections knowing exactly what the finished products will look like.

If you liked anything you read here, and your family memories are important to you, then fill out our Booking Form and secure your session before they're all gone (there are only 20 openings)! If you need some more information, or have any questions about my photography, Family Portrait Month, or anything at all, then don't hesitate to call the studio at (901) 465-6393, or email us at familyportraitmonth@merrickphoto.com, and I will do my best to assist you.

We devote a lot of time to each of our valued clients. To ensure the best possible portraits and the highest standard in our finished products, session numbers are limited to only 20 for the month. Once those sessions are booked, they're gone. Don't wait until the last minute to book your session, to avoid disappointment!

Family Portrait Month at Merrick Photography wouldn't be complete without a special offer and we've put together a really exciting one for you this year! Check out some of the great features that we're including for this year's special: