Okay, you organized and archived your images, now what? Obviously sharing on social media is a snap, but what else? Where do you print photos, what do you print photos on, and what do you do with the prints? (Please note none of the links below are sponsored, this is really just what I do and recommend to clients).
Where to print photos
My most frequently asked questions after a session is always “any recommendations on where to print photos?” There are about a bajillion labs out there. If you shop prints directly from any client gallery of mine, they come to you from Bayphoto. Two of my favorites to recommend for those who want to print on their own with their print release are Mpix and Nations Photo Lab (these are simpler to order from). Black and white prints from Mpix are so gorgeous, and I think Nations does a great job color-correcting for their printers. I once ordered the same color print from mPix and Nations with color correction included in each, and I strongly favored the Nations Print, even though they don’t have a matte paper option which is a bummer because I prefer matte. Their lustre option is good though.
What to surface to print photos on
Speaking of paper, like I said, my favorite paper is matte, because when you print with any sort of gloss or lustre you risk seeing glare on the images form different angles. If you don’t have crazy nice (aka, expensive) glass you’ll be in that boat anyways though so don’t stress if you can’t get matte. If you are doing these photos to a T with professional frames, I would go fine art prints.
Now, this is an unpopular opinion of mine: I really dislike canvas prints of family photos. They are super expensive, and they lose the quality of the image. I think it is so much better to make a nice matte paper print in an interchangeable frame, so you feel compelled to update the images around your home every once in a while!
Nowadays you can also print on acrylic, glass, metal, and wood. I have not tried any of these because I am a sucker for a good paper print. I definitely think some images could lend themselves well to each of these surfaces though.
As far as size goes, the smallest I usually print is a 5×7 and only if it’s going in a frame with a nice sized mat around it. Otherwise I like larger prints, also with mats though! something about a matted image just gives it a polished feeling.
Photobooks
I think photobooks are a great way to celebrate and share your images. We have been making yearbooks for every year since we started dating (2007) because I have had a camera strapped to me since I was about 13 and there are always lots of family photos every year. We mix phone and professional images. I usually do a two page spread for every family photoshoot we do with the “real” camera, and I organize the pages of the book chronologically. Our idea was being able to sit with our kids in the future and easily flip through book to tell stories about Mom and Dad in the good ole’ days. 😂 I will warn you, photobooks are a ton of work to put together, especially if photos are unorganized. This is where having a proper storage system for your files is clutch.
Where to place photos
Obviously, you can just hang a framed print on a wall. There are also ever popular gallery ledges which are really easy to make yourself. I am a sucker for these because I love rearranging things on my wall, and this lets me do it without putting holes everywhere. 🙃In Emme’s room we have all IKEA frames which are very inexpensive and just a thin piece of acrylic instead of glass. I did this in case they ever fall off the wall. Also because we are stationed in Japan and that’s pretty much all I have access to other than the frame shop on base. The photo framed in our dining room is actually from a base frame shop though! I actually really like using them. Most frame shops on bases will offer framing classes too. I enjoyed the Yokota class–I was the only person enrolled so I got a one on one lesson! 😆
I love layering different sized matted prints in both gallery walls and ledges. Some people like a more cohesive grid look in a gallery wall, which can look awesome too!
Other ways to share images
My other favorite thing to print are fancy calendars! I like a simple calendar with one featured image a month but there are tons of options. I also love to print plain magnets with images on them. You can go to any photo printing website and see their long list of photo gift products though. Nations even has custom wireless phone chargers now, which I thought was a super creative idea! All of these make great gifts for family members, too.
What are your favorite ways to display images in your home?