Archive for October 25, 2011

| October 25, 2011
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Buy Local

Photo Shared via Facebook by Susanna Hallinan.

I see a Facebook posting making the rounds that calls upon people to purchase their holiday gifts from local artists and merchants.  Love the idea and love seeing this.

As ordinary people we often feel like we don’t count.  Big banks, big business, big oil and Wall Street control the money and therefore our lives.  Recent crisis have impacted us all.  Mortgage rates, fuel prices, unavailability of money to lend for small businesses and the stock market decrease reach the heart of this country.

We do, however, have a tool and that is our wallets.  We can simply close them.  I have often been heard saying that there is nothing at Walmart that someone cannot live without.  We are not without power.  In fact we have a lot of power.

  1. Skip the big box stores and shop at locally owned businesses.  No toy is that important.  A sweater for a few dollars less is still a sweater; there are more in your closet.
  1. I see beautiful hand-made toys at craft fairs all the time.  Better quality and made from wood not plastics.
  1. Make your own business a part of the “shop from local artists and businesses” campaign.  Include this on your web site and in your blogs.  It’s good for you and good for your community.  Personally, I can’t think of better and more appreciated gifts than framed images of someone that’s loved.
  1. Tired of “stuff”, give to charity.  My husband and I started this many years ago and consider it a great decision.  We sit down together and make out the checks to the charities we support.  Warm fuzzies all over.  Besides he never liked anything I got for him.
  1. Children, especially teens, can be a part of the giving by selecting a cause they would like to support.  I notice how many young people have started blanket drives and give to animal shelters.  Teaches life lessons and gives them a real sense of being a part of something bigger than just themselves.

This year should be the year we all start to walk the walk.  It will affect your business, empower your children and connect you with your community.  A win/win for everyone.

Christine Perry-Burke

Christine Perry-Burke

Managing Partner and "queen" of Finao. I'm responsible for all the cool materials and products at Finao. A vegetarian and animal lover to my core, we run a dog friendly office. I believe Finao should be a good corporate citizen and tread lightly on our planet.

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Category: Sales & Marketing, Uncategorized | Tags: , , ,
| October 17, 2011
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To Die or not to Studio Die

 

I just have to say that EVERYONE who sells albums needs a studio die.  A studio die will brand all your albums in a classy and professional way.  A die is way cooler and more professional than just sticking your logo on an album spread via Photoshop before it gets uploaded to Finao.  It’s that one extra special touch that shows your albums are handcrafted and not some junk that has been cranked out in three days by some photo lab your customers can also find and order from online.

What is a studio die?  A die is a metal plate we use to stamp your logo in books.  The logo can be stamped in many foil colors or it can be stamped “clear” which is a blind deboss of your logo into the board.   We can place your studio die stamp in the inside front or back of most albums.  The die can be as large as you want but we suggest keeping it within our standard sizing and pricing so you use the die on both large and small albums.   A studio die’s standard price is $35 for a die that can cover a surface area of up to 4″.

I was recently in the Finao quality check area and decided to snap some images of the dies we already stamped in books so you could get an idea of what’s possible.  All these images are via my iPhone, so be kind. :)

 

 

Harold Jankowiak

I'm a photographer and Finao's Public Relations Director with a love for great images both still and moving. Owning a full time photo studio, www.berkshire-studios.com, I love all types of photography and anything with amazing light. I've recently discovered a new love in DSLR filmmaking. Teaching is such a great way to share my gift and those of the talented people I've learned from over the years. I'm here to help, just ask!

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Category: Product Recommendations, Sales & Marketing |
| October 10, 2011
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Awesome Photos Wanted, Submit Now!!

UPDATE 10-24-2011: The submission period for this has ended…thank you to all of those who have contacted us to upload images.

Do you want to get your work featured in our show samples?  We are looking for the best of the best work to be shown in our samples.    We need work of all types, kids, family, boudoir, weddings and engagements.  Out of all the submissions last year we only selected about 10 photographers to show their work, but the best part is that work gets shown for a couple years all over the country.  Major bragging rights with all those selected since tens of thousands of people will see your name in the albums.

The deadline is October 31 for submitting images and designs, so if you are interested e-mail me at haroldj@finao.com to get the details for uploading images.

 

Harold Jankowiak

I'm a photographer and Finao's Public Relations Director with a love for great images both still and moving. Owning a full time photo studio, www.berkshire-studios.com, I love all types of photography and anything with amazing light. I've recently discovered a new love in DSLR filmmaking. Teaching is such a great way to share my gift and those of the talented people I've learned from over the years. I'm here to help, just ask!

More Posts - Website

Category: Events, Sales & Marketing |
| October 10, 2011
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Fine art printing at it’s finest.

It’s only taken a year, but we can now say, “IT”S RIGHT”.  The artONE is everything we wanted it to be.

This album isn’t about the covers.  We have plenty of options in that department.  It isn’t about the construction, we have that part down pat.  It isn’t about ordering as our system works quite well, thank you.

This one is all about the printing and the paper.  The printing is done with Epson Ultra Chrome K3 pigmented inks.  Hot stuff and the best that’s out there.  According to the Wilhelm Institute (the be all, end all on color issues) these prints, when stored in an album, are given a life span of >200 plus years.  That means 200 years with no visible fading.  The photographic process was developed in the 1820’s and Daguerre took the first ever photo of a person in 1838.   That’s only a 173 years ago, so we are counting on these images being around for a very long time.  Much, much longer than any DVD.

Now for the paper.  As the chief leather/fabric picker for Finao, everyone knows I’m very particular.  People who know me know I have a taste for the finer things in life and I can spot quality across a room.  I selected about ten papers, all water color surface, and my partner Keith made prints on all of them.  In a blind test I selected the one I thought looked and felt the best. It reeked quality.  The surface was soft, almost fabric like.  No question the tactile response to this paper was immediate.  The color spectrum on one image was unbelievable.  The black and white image blew me away. No “well maybe this” or “maybe that”.  I picked.

Keith turned the paper over and said, “Sure, you had to pick the most expensive one.”  I said it just comes naturally.  We are so proud to offer the artONE printed on Hahnemuehle Museum Etching paper from Germany.  Yes, it costs more but we think our clients are worth it.

If you have discriminating clients and you want your images presented as art then check this new book out at WPPI NYC  It will be center stage in our booth.  Can’t wait? No worries! artONE is available to order now at www.finao.com.

Christine Perry-Burke

Christine Perry-Burke

Managing Partner and "queen" of Finao. I'm responsible for all the cool materials and products at Finao. A vegetarian and animal lover to my core, we run a dog friendly office. I believe Finao should be a good corporate citizen and tread lightly on our planet.

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| October 6, 2011
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Op Ed

Every so often I write just from the heart. Nothing about photography or marketing; just things that effect my life and perhaps yours as well.

Yesterday the world lost a true visionary. In my lifetime I have walked upon the same earth as many greats. But I can not think of any single individual who has had a greater impact on my world than Steve Jobs. He wasn’t terribly famous, not a revolutionary (even if his ideas were) or a great humanitarian. He didn’t sing, he didn’t run a country. Civil rights, women’s rights and gay rights were not advanced. World hunger and nuclear disarmament remain unsolved.

But Steve Jobs changed the way I live my life and what I do. He changed yours too, even if you’ve never owned or used an Apple product. Bill Gates licensed an operating system and made it available to the masses but Jobs envisioned it. Because of him, computers became something that sat on a desk or in the home. Music and the music industry was turned upside down with the advent of the iPod. Steve Jobs envisioned it. An entirely new film genre was created with digital animation. Toy Story, which took four years to complete, came from what he envisioned. We now all enjoy the many animated classics Pixar has created.

And Steve Jobs made nerds sexy. Computers weren’t for guys with glasses in dark rooms. They are an iPad we tote everywhere.

“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do. “- Apple Inc.

He left us far too soon but he also left knowing that he was one who changed the world. I’ve never felt better about being called crazy.

Peace out,

Christine

Christine Perry-Burke

Christine Perry-Burke

Managing Partner and "queen" of Finao. I'm responsible for all the cool materials and products at Finao. A vegetarian and animal lover to my core, we run a dog friendly office. I believe Finao should be a good corporate citizen and tread lightly on our planet.

More Posts - Website - Twitter - Facebook

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