Hello again readers! Today I felt the need to talk about something that is so important to us. It’s something that growing up in the 90’s was a staple in every home, but for the past 20 years has begun to vanish piece by piece. That something is printed photography. Since the invention of social media the idea of having prints to hang on your wall or a photo album on your coffee table has become less important. For many of us prints are still seen as an awesome addition to our lives and living space, but still they are put on the back burner and often never end up becoming a reality.
This is something that even Sarah and I have been guilty of in the past. When we made the choice to start taking our own advice it had a huge impact on our lives. Ironically it was our own clients who inspired us to make this change. After becoming the go to photographer for so many families we began to be invited into their homes. Either for home sessions or just as friends. We began to see our couples walls littered with our work. We saw our work come to life in a new way. Our photos weren't just gorgeous prints, they were a symbol of love! They told a story to anyone who walked in their homes.
The impact of a print
Years ago we started to print and frame our family photos. Hanging them on our walls and placing them on shelves. Every day when we wake up we walk past reminders of how blessed we are. When we are having a bad day or when we become frustrated with each other we catch a glance of ourselves smiling and laughing together and we remember that that love is really the foundation of our home and that unhappiness is just a bump in the road. Sarah and I are the hosts in our family. We host thanksgiving, Christmas, and even have a family Halloween gathering. At these gatherings we see our family and friends looking through our photographs and they love to ask questions and hear our stories about them. Because of our prints we have been given the opportunity to share our life and memories with people in a new and more open way.
The vanishing art of printing
People today are so accustomed to seeing photos on a glowing screen and flipping through them by the dozen. We easily become desensitized to the impact of a photograph and as a result forget them quickly. Seeing something in print shows its importance and imprints it in our minds. Truly, not since the invention of photography have prints been more important than in today's world.
Luckily we still live in a day and age where it's easy to order prints at our local Walgreens or CVS where they are printed by a computer and available quickly. Even better though there are still many professional print labs where they still practice the art of printing. They monitor the process and make sure the colors, contrast exposure etc.. are printed correctly. If you took the time to hire a professional photographer why not go a step further and make sure that your photographs convey the artists work accurately?
Sarah and I spent a lot of time choosing the right lab to offer to our clients and we are proud every time we see the fruits of that choice. We buy our own personal prints through the same lab we offer to our clients through their online gallery because we truly couldn’t imagine going anywhere else.
Megan & Tavis family session at Ault Park in Cincinnati Ohio
In closing
It's an unfortunate truth that so many people spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on their photography only to drop off and neglect the last step. Take it from us, get your photos up on your walls. Order your wedding album for your coffee table! You truly won't regret it and in the future when your grandchildren look through your photos and want to hear your stories you will realize how truly priceless they are. If you are interested in reading what professional print companies offer that others don’t you should check out the link below to a great article by Nations Photo Lab!
Sarah and I are open for bookings in the Southern Ohio and Northern Kentucky area as well as traveling sessions. If you’re interested in possibly booking a session just hop over to the contact page and shoot us an email!
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Thanks for reading!
- Jordan Epperson