Why Print Photography Matters
Raise your hand if you have {approximately} 10,000 photos on your phone and...you haven't printed one. Maybe ever? In a couple years? Let's just say it's been ...awhile. Sometimes I wonder if we value photos the same way we used to. Back when you didn't instantly know how they turned out, and had to wait, actually WAIT to see that your finger was in the corner of every.single.photo. Haha, good times!
I love ordering prints for myself and my family. I've made it a tradition. I try to get an album made every to every-other year, and I always get prints for my dad for Christmas. He, like me, loves having something tangible. Something to set on his desk, or hang on his wall. Something that will last and not get lost. I think of the HUGE senior portrait of my mom that my dad bought (when he was just out of high school himself) in its custom frame, hanging in his office. It has stood the test of time and harkens back to their high school sweetheart years. It kinda makes me tear up just thinking about it, to be honest. The fact that he spent his hard earned money as a young man to have a memorable picture of his girlfriend, soon to be fiancée. Now, it's like a window to another time. Another lifetime, even. I think it's just beautiful.
I personally value having my photos where I can see them, and not lost somewhere on my hard drive. Do I have plenty of digitals photos? For sure. Do they drive me crazy trying to keep them organized? Most definitely. But having even a 5x7 of my husband and I on my piano that's there every time I play is just...I don't know. So much better. It makes my house feel like a home. It makes the people or pets in the photos present with me, everyday. Unboxing photo items when they arrive in the mail is a special kind of excitement. In a world of instant gratification, I love the suspense of waiting for my wall art to come in!
Anyways, I believe in making the ordering process as straightforward for clients as possible. I've taken time to research and order product print samples so that you receive quality items when you do order. I help with visualizing wall art sizes and how they might fit in the spaces of your home, or explain the different styles of blocking and paper used in albums. It's a lot to consider, and you shouldn't have to do the research all by yourself to try to find the perfect way to display your new photos. I'm here to help.
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Why Professional Prints?
It's important to note that not all print products are created equal because not all printers are created equal. Higher grade printers are able to print more "dots per inch", meaning they can print a higher resolution, aka clearer, image. Paper quality and ink bleeding is another factor. I've placed your average grocery store print and professional lab print side-by-side and they just don't compare. In one photo, there's a darkened, grainy area where the subjects eyes are supposed to be, and in the professional product, you can see their iris color with ease and clarity. My camera is akin to a 4K (high resolution) TV and the average prints from the grocery store are like the grainy pixels of sports shows from the 90s. Not to hate, I love the 90s! But it's just not a fair representation of my work when the low-end prints don't depict all the crisp colors and clarity I worked so hard to capture accurately.
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What Do You Get With Your Session?
All my photo sessions come with a pre-session consultation to go over styling, clothing selection etc., the laid-back and fun photo session itself, and then afterwards, you receive your personalized online gallery to choose your favorites! From there, you have 30 days to complete your digital download of your Low Res images, and also seamlessly order any home wall art or albums through the online store. I offer a variety of items like canvas, standout prints, gallery prints, frames and albums all from a professional print lab. I like to bring samples of my most popular items with me to photo sessions so you can get a hands-on feel for what the fine art products are like! If you're not sure what sizes to order, we can always schedule a complimentary ordering conference where I help you decide on what's the best fit and style of piece for that open wall space in your home.
What about you? What are some prints that you cherish? Have you ever had any photo ordering mishaps? Tell me about it!
All the best,
Jess
