Do you remember a time when you’d sit on your grandparent's couch surrounded by well-loved prints or photo albums? Or do you remember when you were a kid and would look at photographs of your parents? You’d hold them in your hands, look up at them, and think “Wow, they were young once, too.” Now imagine in 30, 40, heck even 50 years wanting to show your memories to your friends and family. Those digital files won’t even be relevant anymore. Remember the floppy discs? Digital files change over time and so do the way they are stored and shared. No wifi? Cannot access the cloud. Computer failure? Your photographs are gone. Social media shuts down? Yes, Instagram won’t be forever. I think you get my point.
So do you want to know my print philosophy? Prints your photographs. It’s that simple. I found my passion to photograph love and life when I was standing at a broken, beaten table, looking at photographs of my family, many of whom I never knew. Without those printed photographs, I may not be sitting here writing this to you. More of that story can be found on this blog. But I’m sure that you’re wondering why this matters to you. Let me tell you.
Your printed photographs share your legacy, beyond your lifetime.
One day you’ll want to sit there, with your prints in hand, showing your family and friends the moments of when you were young, in love, and much cooler. I had a bride one time say after receiving her photographs that she couldn’t wait to show her grandchildren how cool she and her husband were. You’re not going to be cool if you’re digging around for digital files to find that they’ve been lost, corrupted, or misplaced. Also, imagine one day when you’re gone, I know it’s awfully sad, but don’t you want your photographs to be left behind so your loved ones can enjoy them? When you pass away, your phone will be discarded, and your passwords misplaced, but your tangible prints will become family heirlooms.
I always loved looking through old family photographs and hearing about the history of my family. I loved the tangibility of holding the photographs, seeing the handwriting on the back labeling the date and who was in the photograph. Maybe that sentimentality doesn’t apply to you, but after investing in your photographs you want to be sure that you have them for life, and longer, so that your photographs can be a lasting memory of the life you lived and all that you experienced.
Your photos, on your computer, USB, or the cloud are just bits.
Literally, they are digital bits that when pieced together create the photograph. Any technical failure could mean those photographs are gone. I absolutely always recommend backing up your photographs in multiple places but another way to ensure that you have them is to print them.
I’m not anti-digital either! I love the convenience and ease that the digital age has brought. Digital cameras and editing digitally allows me to have more freedom and control when documenting and editing photographs. I deliver all the digital files to my clients in an online gallery that they can easily download and print their photographs from. It’s great! But the photographs were never meant to stay digital.
Your printed photographs will be looked at more often, bringing back those happy memories.
It doesn’t matter if you decide to invest in an heirloom lay-flat handbound wedding album to proudly display in your home, or a wall gallery with your favorite images printed on artisanal, archival paper. Or perhaps you want a box of smaller photographs, to hold in your hands, pass around, and look through. Whether you display your photographs in your living room, entryway, bedroom, coffee table, nightstand, or accent wall, it’s better than being lost in your phone.
My wedding photographs are hung in our bedroom on a wall that we can see each night as we crawl into bed. I look at those photographs daily. I remember those moments, filled with such immense love and joy. On rough nights, I am reminded of what is truly important as I see those photographs just before I fall asleep.
We also have our wedding photographs in an album that we shared with friends and family whenever they came over after our wedding. We didn’t put all of our photographs on Facebook, and it was fun to see their reactions as they flipped through the pages. We still look at our album and love remembering everyone else who was there with us to celebrate. It truly tells the story of our day and we love reminiscing in those moments.
Now doesn’t that inspire you to go through the printed photographs you do have? It allows you to remember those moments and hold those memories in your hands. Don’t you wish you had printed the most important moments of your life that were documented too? Set aside some time on a slow Sunday, sit down with your favorite drink, and sift through those digital files to pick out the ones to print. Or better yet, contact your photographer to ask about an album or print consultation! I offer print and album consultations for my clients where I curate their entire wedding album, telling the story of their day so that they don’t have to! I also design wall galleries of prints so you don't need to think about where to hang your photographs, how large they should be, or the arrangement of your frames.
I’d recommend that from now on you spend time, a few times a year, selecting photographs to print so that you have those precious memories in a tangible form. Just like my parents, I have a box of 4 x 6 photographs of cell phone photographs from vacations, holidays, and just everyday moments that I loved.
The moments you loved the most should be preserved, shared, and cherished.
All my love,
Do you want to know how a handful of printed photographs sparked my wedding photography career? Check out this blog!
Are you planning a wedding and searching for more resources? This page has resources for couples planning their weddings! Or if you're a photographer, I've got a resource page for you, too!
Interested in scheduling a consultation to talk about documenting your legacy? Reach out and let's discuss how I can help you tell your story.
