From now through February 29th purchase any set of hinged frames from the HCF Webstore and receive 15% Off. This is an automatic discount, no coupon code necessary. These frames are setting the industry up to get desktop business back from the big boxes. You won’t see the unique sizes available from anywhere else in the industry. Now print for composition and really make your desktop work standout from the crowd!
Okay lets have some fun with getting y’all the new corner samples from Hand Crafted Framing. Use your phone, point & shoot or your big studio camera to shoot your existing HCF corner samples in fun places…If you post three or more fun images on our facebook page we will send you a set of the new corners at no charge*. Let the shooting and posting begin…Offer ends 2/29/2012 so get those fun images posted…Extra prizes will be given to random fun shots 
Check out the new selection of mouldings available from Hand Crafted Framing. Several new wood tone contemporary styles are built into the collection. The image gallery below contains links to webstore for more details.
*any offers from Hand Crafted Framing are for approved wholesale accounts only.
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All our photographers love our easel back frames for a few key reasons. They can be made with any moulding, not just a few options like most other framers. They are easy to insert prints. They are different then what … Continue reading
Hey just got some booklets in promoting Ga School. I want to add a personal note that this is such a great resource for photographers, you can only get so much online. The personal connections that are made over the week can really be encouraging. We have been attendees as a studio and attendees as a vendor-sponsor several years. It is a great, low-key hands on learning experience suitable for all level of photographers.
Check your boxes for this great opportunity
Hand Crafted Framing is a proud partner with Photo Talk Forum. We are participating in their Christmas GiveAway. It is pretty awesome and the downloads alone are worth the cost of membership. There is a ton of good solid information shared by professional photographers of all stages in their businesses.
Photo Talk Forum - use code HCFCHEER to save $30 off membership
PHOTO TALK FORUM’S 3rd ANNUAL
12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS DECEMBER 13 – 25, 2011
forum –> http://bit.ly/PTFForum blog –> http://bit.ly/PTFBlog
facebook –> http://on.fb.me/PTFFacebook twitter –> http://bit.ly/PTFTwitter
Professional Photography has changed so much over the last 15 years. Today when most folks think of archiving, they are talking about the digital files. Digital file archiving is great and reproductions can be produced as needed but what about printed photographs or photographic wall art? How is that preserved and why is it important? What is archival or conservation framing? Why is it important to my photography business?
HCF Archival Grade Mats introducted in 2011
Printed photographs are often spray coated for protection. Under ideal conditions (low humidity, cool temps, no direct sunlight) they can last hundreds of years. When prints are mounted in frames they are usually used two ways: placed in open frames and placed in matted frames. Prints used in open frames are often sprayed with a protective coating and mounted on a substrate like foam, styrene, masonite or stretched over wooden bars. Typically the protective coating is adequate for most situations unless there is danger of impact or protection from vandalism, then usually a glazing layer is used (glass or acrylic). If glazing is needed with no matting, then we suggest using a glass spacer which keeps the glass a little above the art so the glass won’t stick to the artwork if any condensation forms from temperature differences.
Matted prints are usually unmounted and get hinged or taped to the back of the matboard. (We made a great framing video of how to do this!) The type of materials (mats-foam-glass) have a great impact on the archival period for this type of framing. Conservation grade mats are made from cotton rag material which is made from cotton fibers that are naturally acid-free and lignin-free. Conservation grade mats can also be made from alpha-cellulose which is also acid-free and lignin-free. The conservation foam board often appears a little off-white and is made from an alpha-cellulose material. The reason you want to use acid free materials is that the acid will cause leaching over time and can sometimes discolor prints. Another reason to use matting when glazing is needed is that it acts as a “spacer” to keep the art from touching the glass. Condensation can occur because of temperature difference and the art work can stick to the glass if it is touching it directly.
TruVue Conservation Clear Schematic
All glass has some UV protection. UV protection is when glass blocks some of the Ultra Violet light rays which can cause prints to degrade and discolor. TruVue has a great summary of glass types and protection levels, see below for resource links. If there is a high amount of direct light on the wall art then conservation glass may be the right choice. Basic glass has 40-50% UV protection as compared to conservation grade which can have over 99%. Museum glass often refers to conservation glass that also has glare protection but is still offers a high level of clarity.
Why is all this important to my photography business? As important as all the social media and marketing campaigns seem to getting you new business when the smoke clears most folks get new business by referrals that have seen their work hanging on someone’s wall. How do you get your work on your client’s walls? Offer high quality framing with a simple pricing structure. This will already separate you from 50% of the competition and begin to attract the “right clients”. Remember someone else will always do it cheaper so why not take the high road and instead produce and sell the kind of work that will be passed down from one generation to the next. Start by educating your clients WHY YOU ARE WORTH IT!
With all the digital changes have had a great impact on how quickly the industry changes, implementing a long term business plan will offer the greatest chance at success. Designing your work to last a lifetime will attract the kind of clientele who are willing to spend the money and become fanatics for your business. We at Hand Crafted Framing want to be part of your plan for success and we have designed our product lines to support you. We have been offering innovative ideas and high quality photography framing for 10 years.
Please post any questions or ideas and we will respond asap.
Resources and Reference Links:
As we approach the holidays wanted to post some upcoming dates for what is going on at Hand Crafted Framing:
PreeVu Long Term Subscription Sale - Save up to $200 & Get a $50 HCF Gift Certificate and More (December 1-7)
Last Order Date to get product for Christmas: December 8th
Order placed after this date may still get delivered in time for Christmas but are not guaranteed unless a rush charge 30% is applied
December 30-31 – Two Day – Gift Certificate Bump! – buy $300 HCF Gift Certificate and you will receive an additional $100 HCF Gift Certicate bonus!
Please call with any special needs or questions 706-210-0730
