Advancements in digital technology have changed the photography industry, but that does not mean that the presence of these new tools and resources replaces the talent and technique involved in creating physical prints. In an age where photographs are taken more than ever and shared on a virtual space, professional photography prints may matter now more than ever. As photographers adopt new strategies and adapt to the digital landscape, physical prints continue to offer benefits that digital images cannot readily provide.
Anyone can take a picture, but not everyone can create a beautiful photograph. The act of snapping an image via a mobile phone is much different than the technique and talent required in the art of photography. As a photographer, you reflect your passion for your craft in every photo you produce. When your customers view your professionally printed images, they are observing more than just a focused image — they are witnessing the creativity, originality and emotion come alive in vivid color and detail that only a physical print can capture.
We Photograph to Remember
Long before the first photograph was developed in 1826, people around the world have tried to preserve images that would capture the essence of life in a moment. People have commissioned artists to create paintings, drawings, sculptures, and more throughout history in hopes that events, people, and stories would be remembered in the future. Photography today is still the same — we photograph to remember how people, relationships, objects, or events made us feel, and to keep those memories alive for the future.
A photographic print becomes a tangible object rather than just an image on a screen. By printing images, the art of the photo becomes not a relic of the past, but rather, a way we can continue to walk into the future with our memories in hand. At Adorama, we understand that the importance of printing photos goes far beyond simply creating art or showcasing images. Professional photography prints still matter when it comes to giving your clients a quality product that will last for generations.
The Nostalgia of Prints
Do you have fond memories of sifting through photographs with your family? These journeys into the past are special moments in themselves. You can relive vacations, graduations, birthdays, and family reunions from decades prior. Before digital photography, taking a photo was an exciting and sometimes uncertain practice — you had to wait days to develop film before you knew what the photo looked like. Although this resulted in duplicates and accidental finger shots, it made the best photos all the more valuable. Every photo was a unique treasure.
As a photographer, you must remember why we press the shutter. View every photo with the same reverence and awe that you did when you developed your first roll of film. Every photograph captures a fleeting moment in time that would be otherwise lost.
Prints Endure When Digital Images May Not
Do you have a box full of old photographs from decades or even generations ago? Whether or not you have looked at them recently, your family photo albums are likely stored safely close by. Could the same be said for your digital photographs of the last 20 years? Unless you’ve removed images from every old computer and device you’ve owned, there is a chance many of these forgotten moments are lost with no hope of recovery.
One drawback of digitally stored photography is ironically the same benefit that technology continues to offer — significant advancements in capability. As these newer devices or applications are created, a user can store more of their digital media in a single space. Unfortunately, these rapidly changing resources sometimes render previous tools virtually useless. Consider how digital storage devices have drastically changed since the 1980s:
- Beginning in 1981, floppy disks were widely used for document storage. However, they became obsolete in the 2000s as devices with more versatile storage options were created.
- CDs and DVDs were used for software and media storage for decades, but many computers today do not include computer optical drives. Other physical and virtual storage options feature more gigabytes or terabytes of space, as well as streamlined applications that provide instant access to stored data.
- Mobile computing devices like cellphones include features that automatically upload data to server-based storage systems. However, while unlikely, the uncertainty of this type of storage can bring with it possible losses of data.
Digital photography is a wonderful way to share your photos with the world, but it incurs the risk of getting permanently destroyed due to a myriad of factors that are often out of the owner’s control. However, changes, disruptions, or failures in technology will not harm printed photographs. Losing a photograph is a horrible experience — prints protect and preserve your memory in a way digital images cannot.
Prints Provide Four Essential Business Resources
If you are passionate about your photography, then you know the importance of professionally printed photographs. Printing for photographers is a vital skill that provides additional opportunities for professional photographers to showcase their work, generate additional revenue and ensure that the photos are printed optimally. Here are three benefits that prints provide make them essential resources that no photography business should be left without:
1. Prints will take you from good to great
Being a photographer is far more than knowing how to frame and focus a subject. The art of capturing a moment is only part of the equation. Knowing how to best display your images, and giving your clients the gift of that and expertise so that they can also showcase your work expertly, will ensure that you will elevate your business to becoming the photographer of choice. Three of the most significant ways your prints will enhance your reputation as a photographer include:
- Prints allow you to showcase yourself as a full-service photographer. In many contexts, customers enjoy the simplicity of one-stop-shopping. If you can present them with a streamlined service that handles everything from session to print processing, you can save them a lot of time, expense, and hassle of printing on their own. It also helps hone your skills as a business owner, ultimately improving the quality and diversity of service that you can offer your clients by providing expertise and guidance on how to best showcase their images.
- You can dazzle clients with prints that they can hold and connect with. Do more than tell your clients why they should choose you as their photographer — show them. By showing your clients examples of your images in print, your clients will be able to visualize the different printed products you offer and how their photographs will come to life once printed. This allows you to discuss in detail how you will use your knowledge and experience to deliver the best professional photography printing possible.
- Your business can demonstrate that it is committed to going the extra mile. The customer experience is a driving force that influences brand. No matter what scale you conduct your business on, your goal should always be to deliver the best experience for your patrons. As a full-service photographer that provides an array of printed products rather than just the digital files, you can exceed your client’s expectations and offer them a full spectrum of choices. When you go the extra mile, you build client loyalty.
2. Prints provide extra revenue
Providing professional photography printing enables you to generate additional income for your business while becoming a resource to your clients. Most clients do not know how or where photographers print their photos, which allows you to add a vital service of expertise and an array of product choices for them to choose from. In addition to the increase in revenue, you can fully control the way the images is printed and ensure your images are of the highest quality.
3. You’ll have control over the finished product
Imagine capturing a beautiful moment only to have the power of the image diluted by poor-quality photo printing. Clients must often do not fully understand how photo processing practices differ. While they may focus on reducing the overall price, they may not realize that this often means reducing the overall quality. Do your best to not leave the quality of the finished product up to your clients.
If you don’t print your photos professionally for clients, the end result could be off-color or low-quality — especially if they take their photos to a consumer-grade lab. You want to showcase your work in the best possible way and ensure that your clients receive prints that exceed their expectations and showcase your images appropriately. It may be beneficial to show two versions of a few of your own prints — one you have printed at a professional printing lab and one that was developed at a consumer-grade lab so you can show them the difference in color, paper quality, and detail.
4. Prints support the art industry
Art improves the lives of countless people across the globe. When you provide professional photography printing at your business, you support the art industry both globally and locally. Any creation and distribution of art can inspire and inform all who observe it. In your own town or region, your prints can help directly support local artists and professionals.
- Your prints open the doors to creative opportunities for others. You never know who your prints might inspire. Art can spark a conversation about the subject of the photo or about photography itself. As a dedicated piece that serves to inform or educate, the image can help reinforce the message and accurately evoke the feelings or thoughts desired. If a picture is worth 1,000 words, then your print may act as the perfect storytelling device.
- Your prints support other local business owners. There are limitless settings where your prints can be displayed. From schools and trade shows to residential and commercial spaces, your prints can act as tools and resources that companies use to enhance their own businesses. This is meaningful especially in areas where consumers and business owners alike pride themselves on celebrating and supporting locally produced goods.
- Your prints support other artists. Every print you sell to a business or private individual can help connect artists with new clients. Providing prints from other local photographers brings more creativity and diversity to your area and encourages these artists to continue their craft. When art is created and celebrated, it is a victory for everyone in the art community.
Portraits Are Gift-Wrapped Moments in Time
Ansel Adams said, “You don’t take a photograph —you make it.”
Stroll through any home, and you will likely see walls decorated with photographs. These images are more than simple pieces of decor — they are daily reminders of times we spent with those we care about. When given as gifts, printed photographs make memories and emotions tangible. From a candid exchange between friends to a formal family portrait, these moments are perfectly preserved in time and act as deeply thoughtful, personal gifts to share with those closest to us.
Of course, each person has a different home, a unique sense of style and a personal preference for how, where, and what they want to be displayed throughout their living space. Another reason why photographs make the best personalized gifts is because there are nearly limitless ways to creatively decorate any area. Large sections of wall become focal points with tactfully organized collages or a single big, beautiful image. Rooms with specific aesthetic features and color schemes can easily incorporate prints resting in various frame styles.
Remember, photographs can be printed onto more than simply photo paper. Favorite images printed onto canvas, metal or wooden surfaces transform this work of art into a one-of-a-kind hallmark of the home or gathering all your favorite images and compiling them into beautiful photo book can be a great way to tell your story. Sharing photos digitally is convenient but lacks the intimacy and thoughtfulness that makes a physical print a heartfelt gift. By taking the time to select a specific photo and discover the best medium to showcase it, you are turning a lasting impression into a memento of love that will be cherished for years to come.
Prints are a Photographer’s Best Friend
Any wise business owner knows they are not selling products to consumers — they are providing real people with the ideas, experiences, and resources they desire. Using digital devices to display your photography may seem like an advantageous strategy, but the benefits it may offer remove an essential element of the photo-buying process — accurate visualization. When you showcase your physical prints, you can demonstrate your talents and show your clients real examples of previous portraits or albums you have created.
Instead of just showing your clients a sample of your potential, take them on the journey. Every photograph tells a story, but behind that print is another tale of how it came to be. As you discuss each featured print, you have an opportunity to tell the story of past clients.
Of course, there is the story behind the camera as well. This is also an excellent opportunity for you to give your clients insight into your own experience, feelings and passion for photography. Before you show your selected prints to each set of clients, consider these questions:
- What feelings did you experience while capturing these moments? Talk about the joy you felt watching children and their families laugh between takes. Recall the love you could feel between the future bride and groom as they stared into each other’s eyes for their engagement photos. Show your new clients that you consider their special moments just as important as they do.
- What about the setting spoke to you? Help your prospective clients look past the subjects and appreciate the scenery or setting within the photo. Talk about how the background elements lend emotional depth to the context of the photo. If your newborn photo session occurred during a beautiful spring afternoon, show them how the fresh flowers and revitalized environment perfectly paralleled this new chapter for the parents.
- What challenges inspired you during the session? As you strive to make every photograph as unique and special as the moment itself, tell your new clients about your chosen technique or strategy. If you had to contend with weather issues or other obstacles, let them know how you found creative solutions to produce the best photos possible while overcoming these challenges.
When you are ready to walk prospective clients through an album, you can also ask them questions that will help you discover their expectations, get a feel for their personal style preference and prepare you for their session. Use aspects of the photo album to generate relevant questions, for example:
- For engagement or wedding photos: “This client used these colors for their wedding. Do you have colors picked out for your wedding yet?”
- For family photos: “This client has a tradition of watching football as a family every Sunday afternoon, so I encouraged them to bring along their jerseys for a few special photos. Does your family share a particular interest or hobby that would make great additions to your album?”
- For business photos: “This client was a lawyer and needed a range of professional photos to use on their firm’s website. We choose this space because it evoked feelings of confidence, strength, and trust. Are there any specific emotions or images you would like your photos to generate in the viewer’s mind?”
Along with your talent, your printed products are your most valuable resource. Having a variety of products to display and discuss will help you market your photography business. Clients can speak openly about their likes and dislikes, helping you identify their desires and meet their expectations. These meaningful interactions will instill confidence in your clients and enable you to deliver the photography quality printed products they will cherish for life.
The Importance of Printing Photos
Printed photographs are invaluable resources to both you and your client. As a business owner, you can use these tools to showcase and discuss your talent and technique. Professional photography printing benefits everyone involved and increases the appreciation for this expression of creativity.
Professional photography is more than a paycheck to you and more than a product to your clients. Together, you are preserving memories for years to come. Don’t hide your passion for photography from your clients. Show them that you put the same time, effort, and love into these special moments of their lives. Your clients want a photographer that is the best fit for them. Help them capture a split second of time that they can hold onto for a lifetime with professional photograph printing. Check out our Professional Collection curated specifically for professional photographers and share quality prints with your clients.
Feature photo by Shutterstock
