It's that time of year again! The Holiday Shopping Season is upon us, as evidenced by all the TV and internet advertisements playing Christmas music. It occurred to me that despite all those who follow my work on social media, not everyone may be aware of all of the different ways my work can be purchased, and thus given as gifts. So I'm here to tell you.
First off, generally speaking, landscape photography makes an outstanding gifts for many reasons. One reason is that it's been proven that looking at nature photography can make a person happier, in much the same way that going for a walk on the beach or in the woods can help improve someone's mood. Another reason is that photography of specific places can help a person recall a special vacation or trip to those places, whether it's the coast of Maine, the Rocky Mountains, or out in the country. Finally, photography is a gift that gives all year long. A print displayed on a wall in the living room, bedroom, or office is viewed every day, reminding the recipient of not only the location shown in the image, but also the thoughtfulness of the giver.
A beautiful landscape image can be the perfect finishing touch to any room. Changing the print to match the seasons can really finish off your decor.
Museum Quality Prints
My work is available on a couple of websites online. In order to avoid redundancy, I created my official website, RickBerk.com (the site you're on now) to offer the highest quality prints possible, ideal for art collectors and those who aspire to the best. On this site, in addition to the many open edition prints I offer in four different print styles, I also offer a variety of my best work as Limited Editions. I will only produce 100 of these prints in any style, and once they're gone, that's it. Each limited edition receives a unique serial number and comes with a certificate of authenticity, perfect for collectors.
As I mentioned, all prints purchased through this website are museum-quality. They are archival prints, guaranteed to last a lifetime and more when properly displayed and cared for. The highest quality materials are used, such as photo rag fine art papers made from cotton rag, Lumachrome TruLife Acrylic Prints, and more.
Mark the days of 2024 with this ScenicAmerica wall calendar, featuring 12 of my most beautiful photographs from around the United States. Each photograph is printed in vibrant color. The calendar features a date grid with boxes for marking events, occasions, and notes for each day. Spiral bound and printed on heavy, high-quality paper.
In addition to these high quality prints, because I manage this website personally, I am able to offer a variety of products through my Gift Shop page. Here, I offer my coffee table book, "Chasing Light", as well as my 2024 Wall Calendars, Scenic America and Scenic Maine. And if you're unsure what to choose for that special someone, I offer Gift Certificates in a variety of denominations. I do want to be clear however, that gift certificates are only redeemable at RickBerk.com, and have no value on any other website where my work may be available.
Mark the days of 2024 with this Scenic Maine wall calendar, featuring 12 of my beautiful photographs of the Maine landscape. Each photograph is printed in vibrant color. The calendar features a date grid with boxes for marking events, occasions, and notes for each day. Spiral bound and printed on heavy, high-quality paper.
Standard Prints & Other Gift Ideas
Beyond prints and calendars, there are a variety of other ways to give my work as a gift. Through my store at RickBerk.Pixels.com, I offer a plethora of items suitable for gift giving. First and foremost, my website at RickBerk.Pixels.com also offers prints, in a variety of media, including paper, canvas, metal, wood, and acrylic. Other than the paper, these are all different than the styles I offer on this website. They do offer more paper choices, but not all are archival, museum-quality prints. The quality is excellent, but the most discerning art buyers would be happier with the prints I offer myself. In addition, none of my limited edition prints are available on the Pixels website. One nice thing is that Pixels offers framing, so it can provide one-stop shopping if a framed print is what you're after. I'm still of the belief that it's better to go to a local frame shop so you can see the frame next to the actual print up close, but if you'd prefer to handle this online, this is a good option. I currently have over 3000 of my images on RickBerk.Pixels.com, going back to when I first started doing landscape photography, so there may be some images you've never seen from me before!
My store at RickBerk.Pixels.com also offers a ton of gift ideas. Some of the most popular include coffee mugs (two sizes), jigsaw puzzles, beach towels, household goods such as throw pillows and duvet covers, tote bags, cell phone cases, shower curtains and more. So if you, or that special someone you need a gift for, doesn't have a lot of wall space, there are still plenty of options that don't require hanging a print on a wall.
Coffee mugs are great for anyone who likes starting their day with a cup of coffee, and perfect for a coworker, or as a stocking stuffer for your spouse to keep at the office!
Jigsaw puzzles have been incredibly popular since they were introduced on RickBerk.Pixels.com a few years ago. The quality of the puzzles is outstanding, and will keep your favorite puzzler busy for hours. They're available in 96-piece, 252-piece, 500-piece, and 1000-piece options, so you can choose your difficulty level. They come with a nice box with a reference photo on the front as well.
The household goods are great for decorating any room in your home with a theme. The duvet covers are available in sizes from twin to king, and can feature any of my photos. Add a couple of throw pillows and you can really create a beautiful themed bedding set. There are also bath towels, fleece blankets, and many other items to choose from.
There's really something for everyone, so for people on the go, there are tote bags in several sizes, beach towels, and carry pouches. If you love my work and want to introduce someone else to it, or you know someone who loves my work and want to give them something featuring my photos, this is a great way to do it.
Just a reminder that discounts and gift certificates offered for RickBerk.com are not valid at RickBerk.pixels.com. I know it's a bit of a pain, but one of the major differences between the two sites is one is run solely by me (RickBerk.com), while the Pixels website is a print-on-demand website that I license my work to. I don't have any say over when they run sales, unfortunately, nor am I able to handle customer service for orders placed through them. They have their own people for that.
That said, I hope you have a happy and joyous holiday season, and I hope you'll make my work a part of it!
