Tag Archive for flush mount

Flash Us! A Moment to Expose Yourself!

Happy May!

It’s time to turn up the exposure on another awesome Finaon!

Currently Flaunting:

Abby Rosenbaum!

abby

Company / Studio Name :

Abby Rose Photo

wade053

If I had a photography superpower it would be…

Invisibility!  think of the shots you could get inside those strict churches ;-)

I like my oatmeal…

Organic! With brown sugar and fresh fruit!

My fictional best friend would be…

I’m gonna go with Buffy the Vampire Slayer :-)

My guilty pleasure photography subject is…

My dog!  pretty sure I have been un-friended on facebook due to excessive dog photos.

The title of my autobiography would be…

Married Every Weekend: The Wild World of a Wedding Photographer!

bushouse036

WTF! Clients shock me when they request…

Table shots.  Like, really?!  What year is this?  It’s usually the parents who want this – and I’ve definitely lost a job or two over my stance on those. Just. Can’t. Do. It.

If I could get shoes made out of a Finao Leather I’d be rockin’….

Ooooh, that’s a tough one!  So many good options.  I think anything from ‘the nines’ would be awesome – maybe some chunky platforms in ‘sex and candy’!

Finao Leather - The Nines Collection

The Nines Collection

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5 Quirky Characteristics / Little known facts about ABBY!

1. I am a worthless cook (like, I’d probably mess up popcorn). Thank goodness my hubby is an accomplished chef.

2. I taught myself to like pickles

3. I put Sriracha on everything!

4. I have an embarrassing penchant for bad reality TV ( Hello, RHOBH!)

5. I still sleep with my teddy bear!

ARPlogoPMSRhodRed

Kristina Weeks

Kristina Weeks

Resident Customer Cupid , Marketing Assistant , and Minion to the Queen.

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WANTED: Professional Album Company

Finding_A_New_Album_Company

We found a WHOLE LOT of people looking for a NEW ALBUM COMPANY at the recent Imaging USA Expo.  If you’re not already a Finaon, you may be one of them.  Or, perhaps you have a friend in need of a change.  Well, send them our way because Finao has it all!  A new year and new plans for a successful 2013!

The photographers we met wanted MORE OPTIONS.  Finao offers options, lots and lots of options.  This is a good thing because we live in a society fraught with options.  People are not confused by them.  In fact, they deal with them every day from the moment we wake and start to decide what to wear and what we could have for breakfast.  Brides deal with even more options than most and seem to be eating them up!  Have you ever been on Pinterest?  Not so long ago wedding cakes were white, round, tiered and had frosting flowers on them.  Not anymore.  Invitations came from the big Stylart book, not anymore.  Getting the picture?  The wedding business thrives because of options and those who offer the most options get the most business.  Come on, don’t be afraid, you know you need this to be competitive!  Finao will also help you select super great samples.  We can help with material choices, size considerations, even image choices.  So send them our way, we’re here to help!

CONSOLIDATION was also mentioned often.  Over a few years time many photographers found themselves with too many album companies.  One company never had everything they needed and along came vendor overload.  Finao offers everything:  fabulous playBOOKs, the famous ONE, luxury printing on the artONE (a Jerry Ghionis favorite), portfolio boxes (like Sue Bryce uses), guestbooks, folios, sophisticated matted albums, CD/DVD cases and the list goes on.  You do not need to deal with a multitude of vendors when you can have one that fits all of your needs completely.  Establishing a solid relationship with a vendor makes doing business easier; You have a contact you know, questions get answered, and help is always there.

Photographers praised our CUSTOMER SERVICE and DELIVERY TIMES.  We know that both are very important to many photographers and factor-in highly when selecting a vendor partner.  Our Customer Care people are the best (I really mean that) and are always available to take as much time as you need to feel comfortable about our products.  It’s just a part of who we are.

PRICE.  Some photographers were price conscious.  Many more were looking for better quality.  Finao offers both – very competitive prices and unbeatable quality.  We hear it all the time when a photographer looks up and says, “Does that price actually include the prints?”  YES.  When you read the fine print, WE ACTUALLY COST LESS than many well known companies.  Some charge extra for coating and texturing – it’s included at Finao.  Some charge outrageous prices for real leather – Finao offers so many amazing, real, high-quality leathers AND they are included in the price.  A 12×12 flush mount album could easily cost an extra $100+ dollars from many companies and rarely cost even $20.00 less from only a few companies, who again, have very limited options and usually lower quality.  Some photo books were inferior quality and actually cost more elsewhere.  Even press books from most other vendors cost more than our playBOOK which features true photographic printing, seamless binding, custom covers and 100 material options – all for one price!  Isn’t it nice when you can actually offer your clients the best with out costing yourself more?

UPGRADING IMAGE and BRAND VALUE was important to many.  You bet it is.  It’s a competitive world out their and you won’t reach the best clients with second rate products.  We heard a lot of that.  “I’ve always wanted to use Finao and now I’m ready.  My work deserves it and I’m charging more.  It’s time for Finao.”  We love to hear that.  Your work and your business do deserve the best.  And your clients deserve products that are built like they are the family heirloom they will become.

We heard some say they were not happy with the PRINTING at their album company/lab.  Too bad, because Finao clients RAVE about the printing!  Even some very discriminating photographers like Nick Ghionis (yes, it’s Jerry’s brother) in AU said he loved his test prints and placed an immediate client order. 

Some people were ready, not just to upgrade their image, but wanted to jump to a WHOLE NEW LEVEL.  The artONE got a lot of attention, and not just because it’s the album of choice for Jerry Ghionis, but photographers went crazy for the look and feel of the Hahnemühle paper and giclée printing.  They loved our proprietary surface protection – still looks and feels like the amazing paper it is printed on, but becomes one of the most durable print surfaces we offer.

For three days our booth was filled to capacity with PHOTOGRAPHERS ON A MISSION.  They sought out Finao.  They brought their friends and said “you need to use these people”.  Over and over we heard, “this is exactly what I’ve been looking for.”  So if you’re looking, we bet we have exactly what you’re looking for.  Give us a call at 1-888-346-2687 (1-888-FINAO-US) or send an email to info@finao.com.  We’re looking for long term relationships, so let’s get together.

 

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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ONE “plusONE” = Extraordinary

The Zumanity Collection - Ultra high-end leathers exclusively from Finao.

plusONE Materials: Exotic Accent or Unbelievable Upgrade Cover

So you may have noticed (among other HUGE changes) a change to the flush mount ONE and artONE album order forms where there is an option for a Material Upgrade to a “plusONE” material.  If this new option has you a bit confused, this is the post for you. Read on to understand what this new option is all about.  Now hold on a sec! If you saw the word “upgrade” and it makes you want to run, hang in there for a minute as there’s news here for you too!

If you know anything about Finao at all, you know that choice is king.  With over 100 standard materials to choose from, you’re sure to find something for just about everyone.  But for those who want to take it a few steps further and offer their clients something completely unique and extravagant, the plusONE materials are the answer.

plusONE (at this time) is made up of the Zumanity collection and The Nines collection of ultra high-end leathers.  These materials can be used by everyone on their flush mount albums as an accent stripe for NO ADDITIONAL COST!  Simply select the tooTone or 3Tone cover upgrade as you would for any other book with multiple cover materials.  If, however, you want to use a plusONE material for more than an accent stripe, like the spine & back, front & back cover, or the whole book, you would simply select the “plusONE Material Upgrade” and choose your materials.  See Armour/ICE/Bullet specialty cover pricing.

The Nines Collection – Ultra high-end leathers exclusively from Finao.

 

The Zumanity Collection – Ultra high-end leathers exclusively from Finao.

 

Jamie Westman

Jamie Westman

Jamie is Finao's resident Guidance Guru and Marketing Assistant to the Queen of All Things Finabulous, Christine Perry-burke.

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Album Envelope for ONE & artONE

Sometimes the presentation is just as important as what lies inside.  Little touches that show extra care and consideration were taken when delivering a high-quality item add to the unique experience and excitement that make Finao albums truly special.  Bearing this in mind, we are thrilled to introduce the newest option for unique and personalized presentation: the Album Envelope.

The Album Envelope is available only with your Finao ONE and artONE flush mount album orders (sizes 8×8 and larger).  Each Album Envelope is custom crafted to fit the unique dimensions of your completed album.  The Envelope will utilize the same material or materials that you chose for your album and Finao’s talented craftsmen will choose which materials work best for the main and accent to ensure the absolute best for your presentation.  And yes, it is also available when you choose one of our front-panel specialty album covers like ICE, Armour or Erotika.  Each Envelope is fabric lined to compliment your chosen materials and add a layer of protection for the treasure inside.  In the album order form, when you are asked if you would like an Album Envelope, simply choose “Yes” and upgrade your presentation to a new level.

 

Jamie Westman

Jamie Westman

Jamie is Finao's resident Guidance Guru and Marketing Assistant to the Queen of All Things Finabulous, Christine Perry-burke.

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How will you celebrate Earth Day?

Happy Earth Day,

Everyone is asking today “What will you do to celebrate Earth Day?” Change to an energy efficient light bulb? Lower your heating/cooling? Turn off the lights when you leave the room? At Finao, we try to celebrate Earth Day every day. If you have never read it, you should check out our GREEN INTRODUCTION in the Getting Started portion of our webstie. It talks about all the things we do in our products and offices to try and make our products and work spaces better for everyone. We might just give you a few ideas of your own to help you celebrate.

In recognition of Earth Day today, the Fashion Blog is GOING GREEN in our salute to making this world a better place for all to live on. Are you ready to get green?

So, feel good that you are dealing with an album company with these philosophies at heart. We would much prefer to offer you quality over cheap. There is generally a reason it’s cheap, we try and take a look behind why that is so with all of our materials and products. If the reasons don’t match our philosophy, we won’t sell it to you…plain and simple.

Have a good Earth Day everyone.

- L :l

Lisa Hoffman

Lisa Hoffman

Lisa Hoffman is Finao's official Image Enhancer for the Marketing Department. She makes stuff pretty...usually.

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TOO MANY OPTIONS!?!?!?

Got a wee bit sidetracked last week working on the super intensive project of updating cover designs. My apologies for missing last week’s Fashion blog but, all in all, it was time well spent and look for loads of new cover designs to be added to our Finao ONE cover design guide in the near future.

With that in mind, I heard many times from folks at several of the recent conventions that Finao has SO many options. “It’s confusing!” and “I can’t show all these options to my bride.” and even “I can’t send my bride to your website to view all the options.”      -.O

You are absolutely right! We don’t want your bride on our website and you should not be showing your bride EVERY possible thing you can do in an album.

Huh wut?

You heard (er…read) me correctly. “Well then what the heck am I supposed to do?”, you may be thinking. Here’s the deal. As I have heard Christine say many times, by the time a bride gets to a photographer, she has tried on, tasted and sampled hundreds of items. She doesn’t want to think…don’t make her think. It could get ugly. So how do you compete with things she can taste, touch and feel?

Chances are, she has a good idea of what she already wants for her wedding or event by the time she gets to you. It’s your job as the photographer to make her photography as special as everything else. She probably has colors already picked out, an idea of flowers, maybe even cakes. Find out how YOU the photographer can fit into that. It’s not just taking the pictures anymore. Have her bring in examples of things she has already picked out. Create a fashion board with her of things she likes. Check out The Dessy Group for some very inspirational fashion board ideas.

By finding out WHAT she has already chosen, YOU, the photographer, can work WITH her to give her something special. Something created JUST for her. Now, do you think she might be more likely to pay a little extra for that kind of treatment over the photographer that offers just a plain black album? If it were me, I’d buy into it. ;)

The other benefit about approaching client’s in this matter is that you are still able to give them choices…albeit EDITED choices. Let’s take a look at an example from The Dessy Group .

So, here is our client fashion board example and it’s pretty obvious what colors feature prominently into her theme. Based on that I pulled out materials from the leather swatch kit that I thought would compliment her existing materials.

I selected some basic materials as well as some materials I thought might make nice accents. I even threw in the dark Magical Mystery Glass sample as a possibility. Looking at what we have now…11 materials is much more manageable then an entire swatch kit of colors that will have no meaning to her AND could easily distract her away from the task at hand. Unless she changes her colors at a later date, don’t bother showing her the rest. You have still managed to give her several possible choices AND kept her to the task at hand. BRILLIANT!

You can always throw out there ideas of the possibility of adding in a nice metal, acrylic or canvas image cover. They are just another way of personalizing HER final album to HER wedding. Part of the key is to get her to LOVE her album concept as early in the game as possible. Make it part of your initial selling points and your consultations. Everyone else is treating and pampering her, why aren’t you?

The more you, the photographer, can educate yourself on products and options, the more you can do this. It shows you care and your client’s will FEEL like you care for them when you are able to present them with a photography package tailored just for them. THAT is the sort of treatment people pay extra for AND will return and refer people for.

Just something to keep in mind. :)

Happy Friday all.

L :l

Lisa Hoffman

Lisa Hoffman

Lisa Hoffman is Finao's official Image Enhancer for the Marketing Department. She makes stuff pretty...usually.

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A LITTLE LESS CONVERSATION | a litte more palette please

Maybe it’s spring…maybe it’s the last week spent in Vegas at WPPI or maybe it was all the totally AWESOME submissions we got on our Facebook fan page for the scavenger hunt competion but, for whatever reason, I have been inspired this week by….THE KING!!

thankyouthankyouverymuch :)

Are you ready to get ALL SHOOK UP?

COLORS: 1) Sunday Shoes 2) Opaline  3) Saffron  4) Baby Boi  5) Lusterin’ Hot  6) Red Light District  7) Chiara 8)Bling Dynasty  9) Statuesque  10) Ludicrous

Whether you are a fan of young Elvis or old Elvis…we’ve got you covered with bold and flashy colors or a more muted and earthy combination.  We’ve even got some glitz to add some sparkle to your nextalbum outfit.  Some of my top pics for this palette are Sunday Shoes and Ludicrous ( LOVE the shiny with the pattern) Chiara and Bling Dynasty (did I mention shiny?) and Opaline with Statuesque (for the more classic Elvis lover).

Saffron and Lusterin’ Hot make a BOLD color combo and even Red Light District and Baby Boi if you want some colors that simply POP!  It’s all up to you. :)

That’s all for this week. I’d like you to all raise your Twinkies now for one final Elvis salute.

<insert Twinkie salute here>

*mankyoomankyoomerymuch* nom, nom, nom..

L :l

Lisa Hoffman

Lisa Hoffman

Lisa Hoffman is Finao's official Image Enhancer for the Marketing Department. She makes stuff pretty...usually.

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Saints & Snakes | Happy St. Patrick’s Day

I know, I know…

It’s not Friday but I can’t let my St. Patrick’s Day palette fall by the wayside due to WPPI. I really did mean to post this last Friday but WPPI and few extra days off got the better of me. :)

I’ll keep it simple and leave you with some St. Patty’s day inspiration and this:

May you have all the happiness
and luck that life can hold—
And at the end of all your rainbows
may you find a pot of gold.

1) Optimism  2) Sunshine  3) Willow Tree  4) Secret Garden  5) Rainy Day Woman  6) Havana  7) Scotch Pine  8) Pumpkin Spice  9) Copenhagen  10) Krumble

Happy St. Patrick’s Day Everyone!

L :l

Lisa Hoffman

Lisa Hoffman

Lisa Hoffman is Finao's official Image Enhancer for the Marketing Department. She makes stuff pretty...usually.

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Put that in your DATEBOOK!

Howdy folks,

Super quick Fashion blog this week because it’s off to Vegas in just a matter of hours to kick off WPPI, the parties and the great scavenger hunt. Are you ready?

We are going to continue this week with the last of our newly released Fragments swatches, Datebook. If you haven’t updated your Finao leather collections you better get on it.

I suspect most people are just going to use Datebook straight up. Why not, it’s gorgeous! I want to pose another theory, however. Why not try it as an accent. With the right color I think it could definitely be interesting. Let’s take a look…

Whether you are going for a more tone-on-tone look or a more contrasty look, Datebook can definitely make an interesting accent point. Obviously, due to its patterned nature, the smoother leathers are going to provide the best companionmaterials here.

As I mentioned earlier, we have already seen Datebook being used alone and with some of the specialty covers like ICE but don’t be afraid to try it out as an accent. I think the combinations can be visually interesting and fun.

That’s a wrap for this week folks…gotta jet, literally.

Happy WPPI everyone and see you in Vegas…or next week.

Ciao,

L :l

Lisa Hoffman

Lisa Hoffman

Lisa Hoffman is Finao's official Image Enhancer for the Marketing Department. She makes stuff pretty...usually.

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STATUESQUE | more ideas with Fragments

They finally made it this week!

Yup, the Paraphernalia and Fragments swatch cards hit the system finally after what seemed like FOREVER! In honor of the occassion I thought we’d do up a quick palette with one of the materials we didn’t include in our sneak peek many moons ago.

If you are looking for ideas for uses with Krumble, Ludicrous, Secret Garden, Instant Karma, Into the Sea, Mardi Gras or Star Shine, check out earlier Fashion Blog entries. We played with those a few months back.

Today, however, let’s get STATUESQUE!

TADA!

I’m going to warn you that some of these combos are really hard to pull off onscreen to get the full effect, especially where some of the metallics come in (statuesque iteself, cu29 and biker chic). Get out your swatch kits and play with these combos yourself and you will see what Imean.

I hold to this day that despite it’s large floral pattern, statuesque can make a pretty cool accent stripe on an album. By cutting off major portions of the pattern it leads to an interesting visual to me.

If you don’t like the abstractness, by all means do a full cover or lay an accent stripe on top of it. I do recommend going with simpler leathers as compliments due to the heavy patterned nature of statuesque.

I suspect most folks will use statuesque by itself, because it is gorgeous alone, but I just wanted to throw out that that it can be mixed if you select the right colors/cover options. Don’t be afraid to try different combos out.  You never know what is going to work until you start laying swatches together. Sometimes the ideas can surprise you.

Happy Friday all.

L :l

Lisa Hoffman

Lisa Hoffman

Lisa Hoffman is Finao's official Image Enhancer for the Marketing Department. She makes stuff pretty...usually.

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