When we first started doing Black and White Relationship portraiture, we were printing the images in the darkroom and the largest size we could print was 20×20 (since we only offered them in square format). This created an issue when a client needed a larger image to fill a specific space in their home, so the idea of selling in groupings was born. We could sell four 16×16s  or three 20×20s and that would take up quite a bit of space. The other factor that we didn’t count on was the added ability to sell those “heart” images which may not have been a main purchase, but as part of a group, were validated!

We started calling the main image the “Anchor” image and it was often the family portrait. The other companion images that would hang with the Anchor image were named “Abbreviations” since they represented parts or abbreviations of the Anchor image. This was a huge success 15 years ago and is still the way we offer our Relationship portraits.

In the camera room, we have learned to specifically shoot images that will format into Anchor and Abbreviation imagery for the sale, knowing that it will make our job much easier if we keep this in mind. The other factors that make this work so well; all of our Relationship imagery is always black and white which makes our groupings look much more cohesive plus we only print in a square format, making beautiful groupings without the hassle of trying to make both verticals and horizontals work together.

I hope this little lesson will help bring up your sales totals…have a wonderful week.

Bev

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