Don't be this person: You invest so much time & money to get professional photos with your family & loved ones, but then fail to print them.

Why not, you ask?

Let me tell you! Here's 5 reasons why you NEED to print your photos (and how to easily make it happen!)

Reason #1 to Print your photos: Computers crash

Yep, as wonderful as technology may be, there's also a HUGE downside. Technology is not perfect. Computers crash. Hard drives crash. Even the Cloud could fail you at some point. There's just no guarantee and I'd hate for you to invest all the time & money getting photos done with your family & loved ones to have them disappear on you all of a sudden. How heartbreaking would it be to lose precious memories of your littles at each stage of their lives (from newborn to first birthdays & more)? I don't know about you, but that would crush me. Don't be that person.

Reason #2 to Print your photos: Technology is constantly changing

I might age myself here, but I've lived through floppy disks, rewritable CDs, and now USBs & the cloud. Let's not forget how fast computers change - my old 2018 Mac was basically obsolete when I upgraded to the latest and greatest this past fall and that blew my mind. It's just the way things are now, so before you think you're safe because you've backed up your photos on today's best option, you (and your photos) might not be safe in 5 or 10 years. That could be the same time your little one decides he wants to see his newborn photos and suddenly, you can't access them. Oooff. As I write this, I'm thinking of the albums I need to get printed ASAP. You too?

REASON #3 TO PRINT YOUR PHOTOS: You actually see your photos more

Unless my Apple phone decides to show me some silly slideshow of some random date on my phone, it's very unlikely that I'll go back and look through old photos (unless I'm somewhere without wi-fi, then buckle up and get ready to go down memory lane, am I right?!) When you print your photos, you get to walk by them as you head to the kitchen everyday, or admire them up on your fireplace mantel as you read a book on your favourite chair. When friends & family come by for a visit, they admire your beautiful framed family photos on the wall. And when you're feeling a little nostalgic now that your baby isn't a baby anymore, you and your hubby can spend a night reminiscing through the first year album you made to remember all those special milestone moments. Now that makes all of it worth it!

Bottom line, print your photos and they will be seen! And isn't that the point?

REASON #4 TO PRINT YOUR PHOTOS: It boosts your happiness vibe

Seeing printed photos around the house of you & your loved ones laughing, cuddling & walking in the long grass definitely gives you all those warm & fuzzy feelings, so even on the hard days you can rest easy and feel good. You can more easily count your blessings when you are surrounded by beautiful memories on your walls & in your photo albums and that's the secret to happiness, they say. So safe to say that my house is FILLED with photos of my family, from the very beginning when my husband & I were just dating to now with our sweet little toddler son, and I LOVE it. Seeing our photos never ceases to make me smile.

REASON #5 TO PRINT YOUR PHOTOS: Makes it easier to share with friends & family

Do not underestimate printing your photos to share with the people you love: that will never go out of style. Because truthfully, I'm sure you've realized the older you get, the harder & harder it gets for family & friends to even get together. What better way to stay in touch than to send beautiful images of you and your family during the holidays or even when big events happen, like the birth of your child? And I have to tell you, that's all grandparents want is photos. They ADORE having photos of their children & their children's children all over their homes - on their fridges & fireplace mantels & office desks.

Ok, I get it. print my photos. But how? I just get so overwhelmed!

Here's how you make sure your favourite photos are printed:

• Have an idea in mind of what you are looking for BEFORE your photo session. Do you have empty spaces on walls that you want filled with meaningful photos rather than useless art? Did you see a cool idea on Pinterest and want to try it at home with your own photos? Great! Plan for it! Stumped? Ask a designer friend to give you a couple ideas to work on (we all have one!)
• Hire a photographer that will help you get your photos printed. One who offers print packages. One who will help you make your vision come to life.
• Once you know what you want and have hired a photographer who can help you, share your idea with your photographer. This way, from the very beginning, they will know what your end goal is and will be more inclined to ensure you get exactly what you want (and help you pick faves!) So if you know you want x amount of black & white portraits framed above your sofa because you saw some influencer do it, they can help. (I'm honestly thinking of doing one...Don't those B&W gallery walls look gorgeous?)
• Schedule time to look at your images & pick favourites. When you receive your images (most photogs deliver via an online gallery), do not open them up until you schedule time to sit down & look at them. Make sure kiddos are in bed, phone is silenced and the dishes are put away. Then you will have zero distractions as you look them over and narrow down favourites. Choose favourites based on how they make you feel!
• If needed, ask for advice from your photographer (or designer friend). Most photographers who offer print packages will know what looks good together and can give their professional advice. Some even have software to show you examples of how your favourite images would look in a room. General rule of thumb, close up portraits work well as either smaller prints or large prints in a gallery wall, whereas landscape photos showing off your family frolicking in the mountains would be beautiful blown up as a big framed print. For gallery walls, mix detailed close-ups with wide shots to tell an entire story.
• Once favourites are picked, schedule another block of time just for ordering. Photographers (like myself) often have online shops you can use directly from your gallery and that way you'll be getting professional quality photos that will last forever without having to research where to print from. Easy! Alternatively, ask your photographer where to print from in the city to get the best quality.
• Lastly, schedule another block of time to get the photos in frames and on the walls (hubby might need to be included in this!) Since you had a plan from the start, you won't be overwhelmed, you will feel confident & excited. Before you know it, you'll be the influencer posting your beautiful gallery wall on social media!

Do you print your photos? Why or why not? Has this post inspired you to print more?

Did you know? Through every online gallery I deliver, you can order prints & products, making it super easy to walk away with tangible memories after our time together