5 Ways to Enjoy your Photos OFF the Screen

Beautiful senior and family photos are just one of the best things ever. Now, as a professional photographer, it’s possible...likely...ok, completely true that I’m biased about this.

But I think you will agree that a photo of a special event, vacation or especially of a loved one will always be one of the most important things in life. So many of our memories and connection to others is preserved alive for us in a photograph.

Nowadays, we live in such a digital world that our photos live on our phones, tablets, computers and the cloud. And this is a really cool thing. They are easy to see, share and enjoy anywhere we are. 

And while the convenience of this is wonderful, it seems the art of actually turning our photos into prints, albums, or wall art has faded more and more.

It’s just so easy to leave those photos on a hard drive. 

But I believe it’s important to do more than that. It’s time to bring back some of the good old days where we enjoyed our photos in a way that could be held, touched and passed on to the next generation.

That’s why I have put together 5 ways to enjoy your professional photos off the screen. Hopefully these ideas will give you the motivation you need to get those photos off the screen and into your hands!

CHERYL JACKSON PHOTOGRAPHY | CENTRAL OKLAHOMA SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER

Prints

This is the most obvious way, of course. But having your photos made into prints is a simple and easy way to add them to photo albums or send them to family and friends. And as a professional photographer this must be said: please, please, please don't print your photographer's photos at the cheap, drugstore places. I've got nothing against that for everyday snapshots, but when you have invested in high quality photos, do them some justice and continue the investment through to the end and buy professional prints also. Ask your photographer for recommendations. And if you happen to use me as your photographer, I have an option right in your client gallery to purchase high-quality pro prints and albums at a reasonable cost. I want it to be easy for you to print your beautiful photos the way they should be!


Decor for your home

There is no better way to make a house feel like a home than to personalize it with your own family photos. And there are so many great options out there! Wall art has many options  like canvas wraps, metal prints or standouts. Standard or custom framing is also a great way to display photos. One of my favorite places for this is Smallwoods. I love the look of their products! 

For tabletop decor, find a pretty frame, get your photo printed to size and display it. 

PRO TIP: If you want to keep your look streamlined and not cluttered, consider printing the photos in black and white to keep everything looking cohesive.


Albums or photo books

This is by far one of my favorite ways to enjoy photos! Photo books are an affordable but fun way to put together your photos from a vacation or maybe for the year of your family. Albums are a little fancier and higher quality and a great option for your senior or family session photos. Make one for you and another to give as a gift to grandparents or friends. The cool thing about photo books or albums is that most companies have extremely easy to use book building software that lets you drag and drop your photos in a creative way. Or if you don’t have time to do that, they will auto-fill your photos for you. Having an album or book of your photos is so easy to look through and a great thing to pass on in your family.


Graduation announcements or custom cards

One of the best ways to use your senior photos is to make a custom announcement! This is a great way to not only let your friends and family know you are graduating but also give them a printed photo they can keep. 

Custom cards are also a unique way to use your photos. Families can send out an updated portrait each year, or if you have a fun picture of yourself, make a personalized card for someone that will brighten their day. There are so many options when you start thinking about it!


Other custom photo products

You can do so many more fun things with your photos! Put them on items like mugs, keychains, coasters or magnets. One of my personal favorites is to make a custom calendar with them. These can be great ways for you to enjoy your photos, or especially as a gift idea for loved ones. Giving your parents a custom calendar with photos of their grandkids each month? Priceless! 

Check out websites like Etsy, Mpix or Shutterfly for all kinds of great options.


I hope these ideas got your creative juices flowing and motivate you to do more with your photos on and OFF the screen!


 

Want to learn more about becoming a CJ Senior? 

Visit my Senior Page

 

 

 

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