Are you on the fence?
By: Steve Ember
Tags: New York City, Nature Photography, Photo Note Cards, Holiday Season Gift Ideas, Steve Ember Photography

…about the right Holiday Season gift…one that truly shows you’re tuned in to the recipient’s interests…loves…passions?

Just procrastinating till your fur is really ruffled and you’ve got those tell-tale dark circles under your eyeballs?

Don’t despair — Help is at hand! (even at this late date)

Consider something (you knew this was coming, didn’t you?) … photographic.

If you’ve followed my work on-line or in galleries or other venues, you’re probably aware of its range over the years. And that means there’s a good chance that lurking in my catalog of images, there just might be a motif or three that speaks to said interests…loves…or passions!

“Reds of an Autumn Afternoon — An Annapolis Impression” ©2020 Steve Ember (Click for best detail)

Does he love the NYC Subway, trains or airplanes or sailboats? Does she love London, Paris, New York, Washington, Annapolis, the Chesapeake Bay region…the Swiss (or French) Alps…the Canadian West? Perhaps nature? Cats? A favorite season of the year? Black and White Photography (including of the infrared variety)?

Looking for something he or she will proudly display on a wall…or simply a thoughtful stocking stuffer?

Maybe you’re not in that Holiday Season crunch, but there is a birthday or anniversary coming up?

The point is, a photograph — or something photographic (more on that below) — can be a unique and special gift…and one that shows you are really attuned to the recipient’s interests.

If it’s a Holiday Season gift, I realize time is fleeting, so may I offer these ideas:

“Mason Neck Wetlands-№1” (from an Ektachrome transparency) ©Steve Ember (Click for best definition)

Photo Greeting/Note Cards

I am offering some of my most recent work in Custom Printed Cards on Fine Art Papers. The cards, which also include abstracts and impressions, measure 5 x 7 inches on heavy art matte or gloss papers. The print quality is excellent, as these cards come from the same printer I use for my small-to-medium size exhibit prints. They are produced one at a time and carefully checked for faithfulness to the original image. The backs of the cards include the title and caption or story behind the photograph. They may be purchased singly in a transparent sleeve with envelope or in clear-lid boxes of ten. Such small batch printing allows me to design a card from almost any photograph you may have admired on my display sites. Prices are competitive with what you’d find in card stores and run between $4.95 and $5.95 singly, with substantial savings per card when purchased in boxes. And, of course, you may purchase them without subjecting yourself to crowds.

Also available, at a very attractive price, are a selection of my Legacy Greeting/Note Cards.

Legacy Greeting/Note Cards (Price reduced to $10.95 per box of twelve)

These were commercially printed from a number of favorite film images. They measure 4–1/4 x 6 inches and come in a gold foil box with clear lid. Designs include a favorite black and white snow scene, motifs in Western Canada and Alaska, and a surrealistic hot air balloon with sun and a red swirly cumulus adorned sky. These are attractively printed cards and will make nice stocking stuffers. As I am now focusing on the fine art custom cards described above, I’m offering these at the substantially reduced price of $10.95 for a box of 12 with envelopes.

Lastly, in the card category, any of my photographs displayed on this site are available in commercially printed 5 x 7 inch cards. These are nicely made and a good value; unlike the Custom Printed Cards described at the top of this section, they are available only on glossy stock and do not have captions/stories on the back. Please note, however, that cards purchased through this source might not arrive in time for Christmas.

Matted Photographs Ready for Framing

This could be another choice for an affordable and personalized gift — I do have a large selection of archivally matted prints of motifs in most of the areas described above — plus others. Typically, the matted size is approximately 11 x 14 inches or smaller, although I have larger matted photographs as well. If you think you might be interested, why not be in touch with the recipient’s interests and perhaps we’ll find just the right item in time for the Holidays (or in time for the recipient’s special day). These matted pieces are in gallery-clear sealed envelopes and can be sent by Priority Mail, or, if you are local, I’m happy to deliver (masked, of course!).

“Staple Street — A Tribeca Impression” ©Steve Ember (Click for best definition)

Framed Photographs

Same idea as above, in sizes ranging from approximately 8 x 10 to 24 x 36 and larger. Again, best to correspond or chat, and in most cases I can link you to the image on one of my sites or send you a pic of the framed photograph.

In both the above categories, if your need is not for Holiday Season giving, we can relax, select the perfect image and get it printed and framed locally, or simply deliver it matted so you can have your own framer do the work. In short, if you have admired any work in my catalog, on any of my sites, it can be provided in a great variety of sizes/media, printed either by myself in smaller sizes or by trusted art printers or labs in the larger ones.

“Convergence — A London Impression” ©Steve Ember (Click for best definition)

And Ol’ Photog’s Book of Practical Photo-Iterations

A substantial number of my images are sold through Fine Art America and DesignerPrints. In addition to art prints and other media such as metallic and acrylic (which, incidentally, their site allows you to visualize in representative home and office settings) they provide a large variety of other products which can be ordered from my images. This is the “practical” side of being a fine art photographer 😉 Never turn your back on folks who might love your work but have walls full of Renoirs or Warhols…like the Subway rider who’d like to schlep his or her belongings in a Subway-themed tote bag! Or pack some larger “stuff” for a weekend jaunt…or deal with social isolating by challenging the gray matter with a fiendish jigsaw puzzle! Or sally forth wearing a stylish face mask, while dreaming of pleasurable activities when masks are no longer needed.

In short, as you may have come to know, I love pursuing my photography, but a big part of the enjoyment of that often solitary pursuit is the ability to share the fruits of my shoots with others, whether as gifts, adornments to their own abodes, or “practical” items for day-to-day use.

“Bridge Girders and a Red Balloon” — Williamsburg Bridge, NYC ©Steve Ember (Click for best definition)

So, if any of the ideas I have presented should appeal, please peruse my catalog of images by clicking on the links below, or be in touch with your ideas and perhaps we can make something nice happen gift-wise!

And, a final note, considering the vagaries of close-to-Christmas delivery — especially in this messed up year. In the event your purchase has not arrived by December 23, just let me know and I will create a “gift certificate” with the photo (or card design) you selected, which you may then print at your end to let the recipient their gift is indeed on the way.

Thanks for your time reading (and clicking) and have a safe — and hopeful — Holiday Season!

©2020 Steve Ember

You may view more of my photography by visiting here, or

https://500px.com/steveember

Most of my photographs can be purchased or licensed by contacting me via my web site. You may also view a sampling of my framed work, note cards, and other photographic iterations at https://steve-ember.pixels.com/