So, You Decided to Print Your Photos…
So, you have decided that you wanted to turn your beautiful digital images into even more beautiful physical prints. First off, congrats! I think you are making the best possible decision for appreciating and reliving those precious moments captured within your images. As I’m sure you are aware, since you found your way here, there are a boat load of different options when it comes to printing your family portraits. You can do cards, posters, canvas, framed, acrylic, metal, cups, mugs, calendars, towels, mouse pads and the list goes on and on and on. It’s honestly kind of exhausting and overwhelming trying to figure out what you should pick. So, the ultimate question is, how do you choose what to print?
If you have been following along, over the past two weeks we have been exploring the idea and emotion behind capturing images. We came to the conclusions that capturing images preserves them from the destruction of time and the best way to appreciate them is to print them. That being said, if the ultimate goal is to have an item, or several items, that are meant to evoke emotions in you every time you see them then the question we need to explore is how do you WANT to see them?
This question, while simple, may not be so easily answered as it is very dependent on personal circumstance. Some people lead extremely busy lives and are rarely in one place for long. They choose to print lots of smaller images and hang them everywhere they spend their time or keep them in their luggage. Others love to keep a wall specially designated to family portraits. They spend a lot of time curating that wall and the images that go on them. Some of the photos are small and others are massive. For me, I would love to have some large family prints on the walls, however, our home is old and storage is minimal. To expand our storage space most of our walls are covered in shelving. For that reason we choose to keep our family photos in albums and hang smaller prints throughout the house instead. We enjoy spending time with the kids going though each album reminiscing about times long gone, telling stories of fond memories captured within each page. Our children love to go through the pictures giggling about how daddy had longer hair than mommy but now he has none. They love seeing seeing us and the love that we very clearly shared even before their births. For my wife and I, we love spending that time with our kids and seeing their faces while they go though each album. We love to see ourselves as we once were, serving as a hearty reminder of the vast distance that we have traveled and the great challenges we have overcome…together. Seeing each other as we once were reminds us of how far we have come and much we have grown together. It strengthens our bond and reaffirms our commitment to each other. For us, that time is just as precious as the moments we pour over in those albums.
So you see, the answer to the question of what to print is deeply complex. I think the most important question you have to ask yourself is “how do you want to enjoy those memories?” Do you want quick reminders of those fleeting moments to give you that quick pick me up at work or abroad? Do you want to have a mural dedicated to your loved ones that you can show off to everyone that may come to your home? Maybe you are like us, and would like to make looking at your photos a family event that holds its own special significance. One thing is for sure, there are no wrong answers. Just like the memories captured within those images, the decision on how you will best enjoy them is deeply personal. So in the end, I just recommend to print them in whatever way seems best…except for mugs. Please don’t do that. They always look terrible and other than a holiday party gag gift, they serve no purpose. So please, print literally anything else…well maybe not mouses pads. I mean, that should be a given but I had to bring it up because I really dislike them. So please, print literally anything other than mugs and mouse pads…well maybe ( lol just kidding). Let me know what you decide on down in the comments!
-Dan
