5 Reasons to print your favorite photographs and 5 ways to do it

Hi friends! I wrote this about making prints for Int28. It is all based on real-life events.

I remember early in my photography career hearing my dad saying “photos that will never be printed” when I showed him my favorite shots of the family reunion from the back of the camera.

I heard that phrase after, but I didn’t really get the memo until a visit to Grandma’s house in Bogota, Colombia.

There I found the family albums and omg! From my grandparents dating times to my high school events, and all my ridiculous styles, I was amazed by how fast time had passed. I also noticed where we stopped printing all those memories.

I went through a couple of hundred photos and a series of emotions as I was passing through black and white and more recent color prints. I saw the transition into the digital photo-sharing system, which works for some, but has left a tremendous empty space in my grandparents’ life. It was sad, so I made it a mission to start printing again.

I am pretty sure that I am not alone in this, so let’s make prints. Here is why: 

* Prints will not disappear because of an internet virus, a lost flash drive, or a broken hard drive. It has happened to me and plenty of other people too. It sucks BIG time. The lesson for this…backup, and then back up some more. There are many apps to do this; my favorites are iCloud and google photos. I use two different hard drives and two on the cloud storage systems for a (total of 4) to back up all my and clients work.  

* Prints will enhance the feeling or style of your home, making it yours. It is hard to explain the fantastic feeling of having your favorite images hanging in your home, and sharing the story of that particular photograph with friends and family.

* Prints make us happy. There is a romantic and unique connection with prints. They are beautiful gifts for grandparents, family, and friends. In the overwhelming digital times, receiving a handwritten note, a postcard, or photographs, is pure love!

* Keep family history present. I would love my family and future generations to enjoy the experience of going through family memories and events such as weddings and family reunions. 

It is incredible how fast time passes, kids grow, and go on with their own lives. Photographs help to remember loved ones and get some laughs while looking at old and crazy hairstyles and the ridiculous moments of childhood.

 Photographs keep memories and people alive

Not sure how to make it happen? Let me help you. 

There are a few options to get your images on paper.

1. DIY: If you have a photo printer at home, you are almost there. Before printing your images, make sure you check on sharpness, size, and color. Printing at home is a little challenging, but not impossible. Make sure you watch a video tutorial for the brand, and have enough paper and ink to play with around so you can get a result that you like.
2. Drive to Walgreens, CVS, or Staples. They offer photo printing services where you pick your product, sizes, and overall design of the product. The quality of theses places is decent, and it is done in a matter of hours.
3. Online services. There are businesses focused on handling your prints from the comfort of your home, such as Shutterfly or Mpix. The quality is better than the previous options, but you can do even better.
4. Contact a pro! Check your local printing companies. You will be supporting the community and find personalized assistance, printing options, and a variety of products.
5. Last but not least, get them from your profrssional photographers!  We can warranty quality. Most of us have professional accounts and color correction with companies.

Here is an open invitation for you to make yourself and others happy by printing and sharing your favorite moments in life. It is fast and affordable <3