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403-795-8677 dave@djtphotoart.ca
“Parents pose with their adult children and spouses in their backyard during fall, surrounded by autumn colors, captured by David Thielen Photographic Artistry”

A Gift of Christmas Memories

This gift certificate was given to you as a small thank-you and a Christmas gesture from people in your community who value what you do.
There’s nothing to buy, no obligation, and no fine print — just an opportunity to create something meaningful for you and your family.

What to Expect

This gift certificate includes a complimentary photographic portrait session with David Thielen Photographic Artistry, plus a finished 16×24 print of your favourite image, delivered to your home ready for framing.

The finished portrait is an heirloom-quality photograph, hand printed by the photographer using archival inks on archival paper. Under proper display and storage conditions, this print is designed to last 200 years or more.

The session itself is relaxed, unhurried, and focused on creating genuine images — not stiff poses or forced smiles. Whether it’s family, couples, children, or an individual portrait, the goal is simple:
to create photographs that feel real and that you’ll still care about years from now.

The images below show a range of sessions — families, couples, individuals, milestones, everyday life, and the things people care about most. Your own session will be planned around you and your life, not a predefined package or template..

“Parents pose with their adult children and spouses in their backyard during fall, surrounded by autumn colors, captured by David Thielen Photographic Artistry”
“Extended three-generation family poses outdoors with parents, adult children, a daughter holding her toddler, and a son with his wife, captured by David Thielen Photographic Artistry”
“Entire family poses together on their acreage, including grandparents, adult children, and grandchildren, captured during a multi-generational family portrait session by David Thielen Photographic Artistry”
“Adult children pose with their two sons on the grandparents’ acreage during a multi-generational family portrait session, captured by David Thielen Photographic Artistry”
A mother stands with her two sons in front of a wooden fence, surrounded by autumn leaves and fall colors in a warm outdoor family portrait.
“Family sits together along a path in a park with green grass and shrubs in the background, captured by David Thielen Photographic Artistry”
“Family poses together on top of the river valley in Lethbridge with the High Level Bridge spanning the background, capturing the full valley rather than the typical river-bottom view with just steel girders or pylons, photographed by David Thielen Photographic Artistry”
“Entire family poses together outdoors on their private acreage as part of a family session, captured by David Thielen Photographic Artistry”
“Portrait of parents together as part of an extended family session, captured by David Thielen Photographic Artistry”
“Brother and sister pose together as part of an extended family portrait session, captured by David Thielen Photographic Artistry”
“Portrait of a young woman, the daughter from an extended family session, captured by David Thielen Photographic Artistry”
“Portrait of a young man, the son from an extended family session, captured by David Thielen Photographic Artistry”
“Portrait of a mother from an extended family session, captured by David Thielen Photographic Artistry”
“Portrait of a father from an extended family session, captured by David Thielen Photographic Artistry”
“Full-length engagement portrait of a couple with the Calgary city skyline in the background, captured by David Thielen Photographic Artistry”
“Half-length engagement portrait of a couple standing lower on a hillside with the river and far shoreline forming the background, captured by David Thielen Photographic Artistry”
“Couple in their forties pose with a large motorcycle in a wooded setting, captured during a lifestyle portrait session by David Thielen Photographic Artistry”
“Couple poses together leaning on a wooden fence attached to an old shed in a landscaped outdoor setting, captured by David Thielen Photographic Artistry”
“Woman poses on a custom motorcycle inside a garage wearing a black leather corset, photographed for a fundraising calendar, captured by David Thielen Photographic Artistry”
“Graduation portrait of a young woman dressed in jeans and a crop top, leaning against a large round bale with the Sweetgrass Hills in the background at Writing-On-Stone Provincial Park, captured by David Thielen Photographic Artistry”
young woman in denim shorts and a plaid shirt reclines on the hood of a red car in a canola field under a dramatic sky, wearing zebra-striped high heels.
“Classic 1957 baby blue Chevrolet parked with an A&W sign in the background, featuring a car hop holding a tray, dressed in retro uniform, captured by David Thielen Photographic Artistry”
“Model in a long flowing 1930s-style dress with parasol and large hat walks toward a restored 1930s classic car in front of Norland Estates, a historic southern colonial building, captured by David Thielen Photographic Artistry”
“1968 lime green Super B classic car photographed on an open road with distant trees as a contrasting background, late evening light highlighting the car’s lines, with a model leaning against it, captured by David Thielen Photographic Artistry”
“Single woman poses in a formal low-key studio portrait, wearing a dark dress against a dark background, positioned on the left side of the frame looking into the image, captured by David Thielen Photographic Artistry”
“Close-up horizontal portrait of a bearded man wearing a hat, captured spontaneously in a Walmart parking lot by David Thielen Photographic Artistry”
Alt Text “Newborn baby sleeps peacefully while grasping mother’s hand, capturing a tender early-motherhood moment, photographed by David Thielen Photographic Artistry”
“Close-up of a parent holding their newborn’s hand, capturing the tiny fingers and the wonder of early parenthood, photographed by David Thielen Photographic Artistry”
“Three-month-old baby lifts head and looks straight at the camera while sitting on a family quilt used for all their children’s milestone portraits, captured by David Thielen Photographic Artistry”
"A one-year-old child crouches over a chocolate cake, eyes wide with curiosity and excitement. Just moments away from diving headfirst into his first-ever taste of chocolate, his expression says it all: 'Can I really do this?'"
Man with a team of horses swathing a field of oats.
Photograph of Mother and Son together at Writing on Stone Provincial Park
“Hope, a working support dog, lies on the dark studio floor with black fur highlighted against a dark background, head up and looking straight at the camera, captured by David Thielen Photographic Artistry”
“Two Shih Tzu dogs sit together in a living room chair, lit by natural light streaming through a picture window, captured by David Thielen Photographic Artistry”
“Mother and father sit with their three-year-old child along a trail with an open forest in the background, captured by David Thielen Photographic Artistry”
“Mother and father pose together holding their approximately six-month-old baby between them, captured by David Thielen Photographic Artistry”
“Mother cradles her baby bump in soft, rimmed lighting, captured in a tender maternity portrait by David Thielen Photographic Artistry”

How the Process Works

1. Contact Us

The first step is simply getting in touch using the contact information on your gift certificate. There is no deadline to book your session — we’ll work around your schedule and your life.

2. Planning Session (In Person)

Before any photographs are taken, we meet in person to plan your session.

During this meeting, we’ll:

  • Choose the type of session — family, couples, individual, extended family, reunion-style gathering, or family photographs connected to a wedding (but not the wedding itself)
  • Select a style that fits you: formal or informal, studio or on-location, bright and airy or dark and moody
  • Talk about your lifestyle, not a generic idea of what a portrait “should” look like

If your daily life is structured and formal, a classic studio session may feel right. If your life is relaxed and casual, the session will reflect that. No one is pushed into a style that doesn’t feel like them.

Based on this conversation, I’ll make recommendations for:

  • Location — ideally somewhere with emotional meaning, not just somewhere that looks pretty
  • Clothing and styling — chosen to feel natural, comfortable, and authentic

During this planning session, we’ll also discuss where you plan to hang the finished artwork, so the final image is created with that space in mind from the very beginning.

3. The Portrait Session

Your session is easygoing and informal. You don’t need to know how to pose or worry about being “photogenic” — that’s my job.

4. Viewing Session

Approximately two weeks after your session (sooner if needed), we’ll meet for a viewing session.

Your images will be projected onto the wall at full size, allowing you to see exactly how they will feel as finished wall art. During this session, you’ll choose your favourite image.

5. Finished Artwork Delivery

About two weeks after your selection, your completed 16×24 heirloom portrait will be personally delivered to your home, fully finished and ready for framing.

What’s Included — and What Isn’t

• Portrait session with professional planning and guidance
• One finished 16×24 archival print of your chosen image
•Professional printing and finishing, delivered ready for framing

Additional prints or artwork options may be available if you wish, but there is no requirement or expectation to purchase anything beyond what this gift already includes.

Why This Gift Exists

Photography has a way of freezing time — especially moments we don’t realize we’ll miss until they’re gone.

This gift was created to say thank you, to offer something personal, and to give you the opportunity to preserve a moment of your life exactly as it is right now.

A Final Note

If you’ve never had professional photographs taken before — or if it’s been years — that’s completely okay. This process is meant to be simple, comfortable, and enjoyable.

If you have questions at any point, just ask.

I’ll walk you through it.

Merry Christmas — and thank you for being part of this community.

Digital vs Wall Art – Why this Matters

Most photographs today are seen on a phone or a screen. It’s quick, easy, and convenient — but it is not the same experience as a finished photographic print on your wall.

Even when an image is projected or viewed at the same size, it doesn’t have the same presence as a professionally printed photograph. A finished print has depth, texture, and permanence. It holds light differently. It feels real in a way a screen never can.

That difference is hard to explain until you see it for yourself — but once you do, there is no comparison.

This is also why we focus on printed wall art rather than digital files. Digital images are easy to share, but they tend to disappear into devices and hard drives. A finished portrait on your wall becomes part of your home, part of your everyday life, and eventually part of your family history.

Lets Get Started