Bert McLendon is a commercial portrait photographer based in Austin, Texas. A video game artist for 18 years, McLendon left the industry’s “insane hours” to parlay his visual expertise into a career in photography. It was a good move. McLendon’s business, which offers high-end photo booth prints and experiences among other services, is booming. A major proponent of DNP printers, McLendon speaks with DNP about the importance of providing his customers with unique experiences and top quality, fine-art professional prints.

DNP: What are your needs for prints and how might those have evolved over the years? 

BM: I was anti-print for a long time, until I realized I was actually anti-photo strip, because it didn’t showcase the images the way I wanted.  We offer a digital tintype service for events on aluminum, but that’s over-budget for most events, and a client won’t typically extend their budget on media if the images aren’t worth printing. So I wanted to find a technology that would not only stun customers with quality, but allow me to offer it as a post-event upsell as well.

When I saw DNP Luxury media, I knew instantly it would be a perfect match. The most vibrant and unique dye-sublimation prints on the market, it has a specially-designed metallic color layer that really brings the images to life.

DNP: The photo booth industry has gained in popularity in recent years. How do you attract clients and what do you do to keep them coming back for more?

BM: The photo booth industry is riddled with sub-par/mediocre experiences—tin cans with a timer, the output and experience of which is lackluster at best. I always love giving my amazing clients something more than they asked for, to surpass their expectations, and DNP Luxury media helps me do that.

Last holiday season, our biggest client booked The Digital Tintype experience for their Christmas party, and instead of normal prints, we provided them with DNP Luxury media.  They had never seen anything like it and were totally blown away at the look and feel of the prints. DNP Luxury media is one way we’re able to give clients something extra, and that feels amazing.

DNP: What are other ways you set your business apart from the competition?

My clients are always looking for different ways of getting guests to interact at their events. DNP Luxury media pairs perfectly with our high-end experiences because we can use it to produce and utilize custom invites, coupons and drink tickets in a creative way. For example, guests can take part in a photo opp, receive a print on DNP Luxury media, and then access the next area of the venue and use their print as a drink ticket or a coupon for other items at the event. Since this media is so unique, it provides our clients with something they just can’t get anywhere else.

Dye-sublimation uses a printing technique that diffuses dye onto paper. This dye comes in the form of a ribbon, which is converted into a diffused gas when heat is applied. The dye is absorbed by a special receiving layer on the paper. Then the dye layers are sealed into the paper and the image is protected against UV light, fingerprints, and even water. There is no smudging, running, or blotching because the prints are dry and ready to touch as soon as they leave the printer. Boost your revenue by offering your clients the best in printing technology, DNP Luxury media.

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