Print your photos - Part 2
/Building off a recent blog post I shared about why you should be printing your photos. Here’s part 2 and adding to this blog series on printing photos. I just had the three photos referenced in that blog post printed to hang in our home - if you’d like to check out the first part of this blog, view it HERE.
This blog, we circle back to a part 2 about printing photos, the journey I went on to pick them up in Banff, along with some of my fave photo spots in banff for a future blog post! So why would/should someone print their work? In today’s age with smart phones, is it really even necessary? Well, printing photos serves several important purposes, despite the prevalence of digital photography and social media sharing. Here are NINE reasons why printing your photos is an important thing to do:
Tangible Memories: Printed photos offer a tangible representation of your memories. Holding a physical photograph can evoke stronger emotions and nostalgia compared to viewing images on a screen. These prints can become cherished keepsakes that can be passed down through generations. The most recent print I made of our doggo we recently had to say good-bye too, this one is really important to me and so glad I printed it. Although it’s a bit hard to look at it, I know it’s an important thing to keep the memory of her strong, and this will do just that.
Preservation: Digital files are susceptible to loss due to hardware failure, accidental deletion, or technological advancements. Printed photos, when properly stored, can last for generations, ensuring your memories are preserved for the long term. I just printed a big 2’x 3’ print and hope to have it for years to come; maybe it might be worth something at some stage in my life (or after). So I will go about signing the back of it after this blog post to make it a bit more official!
Enhancing Home Decor: Printed photos can be used to decorate your home, creating a personal and warm ambiance. Framed photos on walls or displayed on shelves add a personal touch and can make your living space more inviting. Looking out my office at home, I now see a photo I took nearly 8 years ago of Lower Manhattan in NYC. This print is especially important to me, and now seeing it from my office, it adds to our home decor big time!
Gift-giving: Printed photos make thoughtful gifts for family and friends. Custom photo albums, framed pictures, or personalized calendars are meaningful presents that carry sentimental value. I haven’t gifted prints before but will definitely be doing this for the future! I’ve had some friends ask me for photos before, so going to use this blog post to ensure I deliver on that, plus now I have my Christmas/B-day gifts sorted for the next foreseeable future!
Boosting Creativity: Working with printed photos allows you to be engaged in the creative process. Holding, and hanging your own prints has an effect on your creativity that’s hard to explain + it’s inspiring to see your work on display. You could also incorporate a few other artistic activities that you might enjoy like scrapbooking, journaling, or crafting. It encourages a more hands-on approach to memory keeping and fosters artistic expression. Going back to number three, it’s inspiring to see my work in our home from our office, and the big print in our living room adds so much to our home.
Offline Enjoyment: Printing your photos enables you to enjoy them even and share them when family is around (especially older family that may not enjoy digital photos, it happens) or when there's no internet connection or power. You can flip through photo albums during family gatherings, holidays, or quiet moments without relying on electronic devices. The evidence of having more focused disconnection time away from electronic devices is overwhelming important for mental health, so another way to have quality family connections going over photos during offiline time. I’ve got photo albums from my childhood, the older I become, the more valuable they are to me. The same will happen for you, I guarantee that!
Better Appreciation: When photos are physically printed, you tend to pay more attention to the details and composition of the image. This can improve your photography skills as you become more aware of what makes a captivating shot. This is something I never thought would happen but I’m far more focused when revisiting photo spots; whether it’s to get a different point of view or take a current photo to the next level.
Support for Local Businesses: By printing your photos through local print shops or services, you support small businesses and contribute to the local economy. I like to support my friends @defendingawesome in Banff, Alberta! It’s a short drive from Calgary, plus it gives me an opportunity to create more content in one of the most beautiful places on the planet!
Reducing Digital Clutter: Printing your photos can help declutter your digital storage and reduce the amount of data you need to manage and backup. As a content creator and freelance photo/videographer for myself, this has little importance. That said, it can be incredibly valuable for someone who keeps a simple electronic footprint and wishes to have more physical prints around. I see there’s tremendous benefit to it, and as I’ve explained above, it’s important to print photos!
Overall, while digital photography offers an incredible ease, convenience and accessibility for photographs. For me, it’s also been part of a livelihood for the better part of five years. I’ve sold prints, and now I’m making more of a point of printing my photos as it provides a tangible and lasting way to appreciate and share memories, fostering a deeper connection to the moments captured!
Got any questions on anything printing photos or content creation? HMU on Instagram, search @sparkcreativeco and ask away! Keep on creating and PRINT your photos!