Why a Photo Session Gift Card Makes the Perfect Christmas Gift

Why a Photo Session Gift Card Makes the Perfect Christmas Gift
for someone you know (it could even be for yourself!)

With Christmas right around the corner, finding that perfect gift can feel like a challenge. You want to give something meaningful, personal, and memorable. This holiday season, why not give a gift that lasts a lifetime—an experience that captures cherished memories? A portrait session gift card could be just what you need to make this Christmas unforgettable for someone special in your life.

Here’s why a portrait session gift card should be at the top of your holiday gift list this year.

1. A Timeless Gift They’ll Cherish Forever

A portrait session creates something timeless: a beautiful series of images that will be cherished for years. Whether it’s a family portrait, a couples' session, or a photo shoot all to themselves to celebrate a milestone or personal transformation, the photos captured during the session will remain meaningful forever.

2. A Personal Experience They’ll Treasure

A portrait session is an experience that creates lasting memories. It’s something they’ll remember long after the session ends. From the excitement of planning the shoot to the fun of posing in front of the camera, it’s an experience that brings joy and connection—making it a gift that feels deeply personal and thoughtful.

3. Perfect for Any Occasion or Person

Portrait sessions aren’t just for families or couples. A gift card can be used for a wide variety of sessions—whether it's a solo portrait for a personal milestone, a photo shoot to launch a new business, a maternity shoot to celebrate new beginnings, or a session with a beloved pet. It’s a versatile gift that can be tailored to the unique needs of your special someone. Plus, if you're unsure of what someone would want, a gift card gives them the freedom to choose what type of session fits their personality and style.

4. A Chance to Look and Feel Your Best

Everyone loves the opportunity to feel like a star. A professional photographer knows how to capture a person’s best angles, make them feel at ease, and bring out their natural beauty. A portrait session gift card gives your loved one the chance to do just that—feel pampered and confident while having fun in front of the camera. It's a chance to see themselves in a new light and create stunning images they’ll feel proud to display. Add professional makeup to the session for extra pampering!

5. A Great Way to Support Local Creatives

By purchasing a gift card for a portrait session, you're not only giving someone an amazing experience but also supporting local photographers and artists. Small businesses thrive on community support, and what better way to contribute than by helping local talent showcase their work through a memorable experience for someone special in your life?

6. Convenient and Stress-Free Shopping

In the midst of holiday hustle and bustle, finding the perfect gift can be stressful. Portrait session gift cards are easy to purchase, and many photographers offer online options for quick and convenient ordering. It’s a thoughtful, meaningful gift that doesn’t require hours of shopping or searching for something “perfect.” Simply choose the session type, pick the amount, and you’re all set!

7. A Gift for All Ages

No matter how old someone is, a portrait session makes for a great gift. Children love to be the center of attention, teens enjoy documenting their youth, and adults appreciate the chance to commemorate special moments. Portrait sessions are a way to document growth, love, and change over time, making it a gift that truly spans generations.

A Gift That Will Keep on Giving

A portrait session gift card is more than just a present; it’s a chance for someone to create lasting memories, feel special, and enjoy an experience they’ll always treasure. If you’re looking for a thoughtful, meaningful, and unique Christmas gift this year, look no further. Whether it’s for a loved one or a friend, a portrait session is a gift that captures the spirit of the season—one that will continue to bring joy long after the holidays are over.

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SPECIAL OFFER JUST FOR YOU!

Now until the end of 2024

I am offering a BOGO (Buy One Get One) gift card, of equal value, for every gift card purchase!

Give one and keep one for yourself!

Or give both if you’re in the spirit.

Check out my gift card page for more details!

10 Reasons why a Professional Headshot Portrait is Important

Whether you’re a new business building your website for the first time or a well-established business revamping your online presence, the cost of professional photography might prompt you to wonder if you might be able to get by without it… After all, you couldn’t you just take some pictures yourself? Or use stock photos? There are other, more important things you should be spending your organization’s funds on than professional photography, right? … Wrong!

The truth is that every business no matter the industry can benefit from having professional headshot of themselves on their website. No matter who your customers are or what you are selling, high quality photography, and showing the people behind the business, is an important asset that will contribute to your overall branding and success. When it comes to business expenses that are absolutely worth it, professional photography should be at the top of the list.

I bet you have a hundred or more reasons why you don’t want to have your headshot done… I get it, no one likes to be photographed - but it doesn’t have to be a bad experience! Hiring a professional who knows what they are doing is the key to a great shot and a great experience all around. Looking natural, good lighting, genuine expressions are so important to a great headshot and a professional should help guide you through the process.

So what are the top 10 reasons to hire a professional to do your headshot?

1. Professionalism. First and foremost it gives you credibility and professionalism. Potential clients, investors and collaborators who find you online, either on LinkedIn or website or even Facebook are more likely to take you seriously.

2. First Impressions. Did you know that we are judged by someone within 11 seconds of meeting or being seen? This seems crazy but isn’t it a good idea to take advantage of those 11 seconds (or probably way less online ) and put your very best self forward? Like or not, it’s true that we judge a book by it’s cover. People want to work with people. Put your best self out there.

3. Customers Want to Get To Know YOU! A good headshot will give your potential customers and idea of who you are, a great smile can go a long way. Stock photos are one alternative that some organizations consider when they feel a photo shoot with a professional photographer might be out of reach. That is not the best way to showcase your business. Why? Because they are not photos of you or your business!

   When people visit your website, they want to get to know you! Stock photos don’t help them do that – and they could give people a false impression of what you have to offer. The best way for potential customers to get to know your business is by showing them actual photos of your business, your team members, and your products.

4. Confidence. A great headshot will help you feel confident and professional when you are calling on a potential client. I always suggest having professional makeup and hair done. I work with local professionals that can get you ready in studio so you dont have to travel all over town or try to do it yourself before your session. It’s amazing how much more confident it can make you feel. If you are waiting to loose those 10 lbs, there’s no reason to wait, my retouching can slim those cheeks or arms down just a little to make a visible difference! No one will even be able to tell, including yourself.

5. Stand out above the rest. A great profile photo on LinkedIn will set you apart from the competition. Believe it or not, you can’t imagine how many people cut out a shot of them from a wedding with their arm around an ex. Usually it’s a grainy cropped photo, this is not a good way to show who you are or what you are about. I’m also always shocked at how many people don’t even have a photo up on LinkedIn. Remember, it is your first line of introduction, make it great!

6. Visual Reminder of who you are. How many times have you been to a function and met someone you wanted to connect with for business? A good, clean (and current) headshot can be a visual cue for someone to remember you and connect on LinkedIn.

7. Consistency. There is a lot of talk now about branding your image. Many people think of branding as something only for a large company but it is also applicable to individuals. I see it all the time, someone works for a large company but the company doesn’t have consistent professional headshots. Some are cut outs at weddings, no profile shot at all, some against a wall with a phone and bad shadows on their face... Now, can you imagine pulling up a company profile, seeing the drop down of their employees and seeing them ALL look professional. This is a huge value for the company image. After all, a company is made up of it’s people, wouldn’t you want your company to show well on LinkedIn and your website?

8. Images Can Help You Get Found On the Web. If your business has a website, you may have heard of search engine optimization, or SEO - the practice of strategically optimizing various elements of your website in an effort to help it perform better in the search engine ranking results. There are many elements to SEO, and one element is images.

   Optimized photos can help your website get found in the image results like Google Images and perform better in the overall search results. They can also help to engage customers and keep them on your site for longer, or encourage them to choose you over a competitor.

9. Professional Photos are Versatile Assets. When it comes to marketing your business online “content is king.” This has been the case for a while now, and it definitely still holds true. But what many don’t realize is that photos are content – and they are a powerful, versatile form of content at that.

   Online, photos can be used to make your website infinitely more engaging. They can be used to build your brand on social media, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Google My Business and more. They can also be featured in blog posts and articles – the possibilities are endless.

   Offline, photos can be used in brochures and promotional materials of all kinds. By investing in professional photography, you provide yourself with new, helpful ammunition that can be used to enhance your marketing efforts in a plethora of ways.

10.  A Picture is Worth A Thousand Words

    You’ve probably heard this before. These days pictures are worth at least a thousand words – probably more! Photos enable you to show your clients and customers what you have to offer rather than tell them. People like to see things for themselves before making a decision. The internet has made this possible, which means photos and videos of your products and offerings are more valuable than ever before.

A professional and experienced headshot photographer can provide you with wardrobe advice, location advice, hair and makeup advice, and really bring out the best “you”.

Sure, iPhones are getting really good but there is no replacement for understanding good light, how to position the subject, or bringing out the best in your personality.

A good photographer knows how to do retouching so you still look like you. A good photo retoucher can fix flyaway hairs, blemishes, teeth whiten, smoothen out skin or even take off 10 lbs! A responsible headshot photographer should bring out the very best in the person they are photographing while making sure you still look like YOU. We all want those wrinkles gone but let’s be honest, we earned those lines. If you are a 45 year old professional woman, don’t take your lines totally away. First of all, it doesn’t look natural, secondly, own those lines, you earned them (we will just soften them a bit) !

A professional photographer should ask you what your industry specialty is and professional goals are. The photography session should be in line with meeting your particular goals. It doesn’t make sense if you are a house painter to get a head shot with a coat and tie but if you meet with large corporations to do commercial work, you might find a happy medium with a dress shirt and no tie.

Did you know that the color you wear can speak to a potential customer by associating a “I’m powerful” or “I’m approachable” vibe? Color has a direct subliminal affect on the viewer. These little nuances can make a big difference in how you are perceived. For example, If you are in the finance industry and want to make your executives seem more approachable, they should wear soft blue tones versus power, bold colors like red.

A professional headshot is truly priceless. It is your brand and your first line of introduction, make it a quality one. To inquire about a professional headshot session, contact me , I would love to help make the process easy and enjoyable as well as provide you with an image you will be proud to show.

Schedule your complimentary consultation with me by visiting ….loricardwell.com/schedule

loricardwell@outlook.com

317.296.4359

Fabulous and over 40

Are you a fabulous person that happens to be over 40?

I INVITE YOU TO JOIN MY ‘40 OVER 40’ PROJECT.

As part of this project I will create 40 gorgeous portraits of individuals over 40 to celebrate of the diversity, strength, beauty, essence and wisdom of everyone.

I believe in celebrating and capturing beauty in every stage of life. I decided to create this dedicated project just for people that want to show how fabulous over 40 really is!

Through this project we will…

• Show how fabulous you are, inside and out

• Create beautiful heirlooms photos that you can pass down to your family

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE PROJECT?

You! There are only two requirements (1) be over 40 and (2) be prepared to have an amazing photography session experience unlike anything you’ve ever experienced before. Ladies - you wont have to worry about your hair and makeup because it will be done for you in studio before your session. You will look amazing – don’t forget to plan a night out afterwards. I invite women of all ages and body shapes! Men - Don’t let the hair and makeup talk scare you away. You deserve to be celebrated and photographed also!

WHAT YOU RECEIVE:

As a participant of my project, you will receive:

• Pre-session consult to talk in details about portrait experience and to design your shoot

• Professional makeup and hairstyling

• Fully guided professional photo shoot (I will pose you down to your fingers)

• A portrait viewing session for you to see all your beautiful photographs

YOU WILL BE ASKED TO

• Sign a model release allowing me to post your images and videos on my website and social media (don’t worry, I never post anything you don’t like!)

WHY OVER 40, WHY ME?

I have seen women living their very best lives after turning 40. The older I get the more I realize the importance of photography and capturing every age. It shouldn't just be the 20-something women who should love photographs of themselves.  I wanted to create this special gift for the women that have been through it all to enjoy.

Fill out the form below to join me on this adventure

Why should I have my portrait taken or my family portrait taken?

Oh there are so many reasons. Because….

1. YOU DESERVE IT! I’m guessing you do a heck of a lot for everyone else. Take some time out to be pampered and then have me capture you looking fantastic!

2. YOUR FAMILY, FRIENDS and CHILDREN WANT YOU TO EXIST IN PHOTOS though they might not know it now. One day, your gorgeous photos will become priceless treasures to them. Don’t hide from the camera or be behind it!

3. TIME FLIES REALLY F#$&%! FAST! Literally, you are not getting any younger. Do it now before another year has past by. Families are never the same; they’re always growing and changing. This is one of the reasons why I truly love being a photographer. With many of my clients, I get the privilege of seeing them grow as a family by taking their portraits every year. Don’t take your family’s current stage for granted, as it only takes a few months for your family to change and grow.

4. THAT CELL PHONE DUCK-FACE SELFIE IS GREAT BUT may not be the way your loved ones ultimately want to remember you. Seriously.

5. HEARING “DAMN, GRANDMA/GRANDPA YOU WERE A FOX” will make you smile really big one day.

6. PHOTOS MAKE GREAT DECOR. Give your house or office a pick me up by displaying your family portrait. I want you to smile every time you see your photo or your families photo. Digital is great for Facebook but how many photos do you have on a hard drive or flash drive that never see the light of day? I offer professional high-quality prints which are matted ready to frame, which will surely give life to the walls of your home or office for the years to come.

7. PORTRAITS ARE A VALUABLE INVESTMENT. Let’s be honest, professional services will always cost more than amateur. There is a reason for that. You get what you pay for. When you invest in quality portraiture you are investing in something that will be valuable for a lifetime. It has value the second you create it and it will become more valuable every single year guaranteed. Most of us spend so much on things with little or no value but fail to invest in the things that mean the most. Seriously, in an emergency what would you choose to save, your family portrait or your television?

   So don’t make the mistake of thinking family portraits aren’t worth spending money on. You won’t make a better investment than one that will serve as a lasting keepsake the entire family can treasure forever, a lot of my families tell me that their family portraits are one of their most treasured possessions. I know my personal family portraits are. Make the time and you will never regret it.

A PORTRAIT SESSION IS FOR YOU EVEN IF YOUR HEAD IS SCREAMING EXCUSE AFTER EXCUSE like….

"I'M NOT PHOTOGENIC"

Guess what - It’s MY job to make you look amazing in photographs.

"I DON'T LIKE HAVING MY PHOTO TAKEN"

I promise to make the shoot not just comfortable but fun for you.

"I NEED TO LOSE A FEW MORE POUNDS"

I will pose you & light you so you look jaw-droppingly hot, just as you are RIGHT NOW.

"I'M TOO OLD"

Ummmm, really? We are like a fine wine and get better with age. I promise to show you your grace, and allure through these photos.

"I'VE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE"

I promise that 96.995% (yes I’ve done the scientific math) of my clients were nervous first timers just like you, yet left the experience overjoyed.

"I REALLY LIKE DIGITAL IMAGES"

Want to share your photos on Facebook and make everyone green with envy? Good! Any image you purchase in print you also receive in digital format.

"I'M ON A TIGHT DEADLINE"

I have been able to get photos done and in hand with very little notice. So reach out and let’s see what I can do for you!

"I CAN'T AFFORD IT"

I work with clients with all budgets, I take credit cards, and I do offer payment plans. In reality - you can’t afford not to. Photographs are something that only grow more valuable with time and with changes that can happen so fast.