Imagine this: you go out one day, set up your camera, patiently wait for the perfect moment, press the shutter release, and capture the most beautiful photograph. That is the goal as a photographer, right? The truth is, that is only part of the goal.

Often times, we capture amazing photographs and they end up in one of two places. The first being on a social media platform that absolutely wrecks the quality of most images! The second place your photographs end up is on a digital archive like your camera roll. Sure enough, this incredible photo that you took quickly fades into the large and ever-growing digital footprint. Your masterpiece is just waiting to be forgotten. How do we, as photographers, avoid this from happening? The answer is simple. It is time to print!

Printing may seem like a complicated thing that is expensive and time consuming. Truth be told, it is! Printing a photograph onto a high quality finish is both expensive and time consuming, but there really is nothing quite like looking at your masterpiece hung up on a wall that was once incredibly boring. There are three easy steps that I have prepared for those of you that are tired of letting your beautiful photographs collect digital dust and they go as follows:

One: Think about how an image will be framed and printed BEFORE you go out and shoot.

One of the worst feelings in the world as a photographer is when you invest lots of time and energy into a photograph and as soon as it is time to print, you notice the size that you want to print to is bing cropped out due to the aspect ratio. Now I know this may seem impossible to fix and well you are right, it is impossible to fix. Unless, you find a new size that allows the entire frame to be filled. The best way to avoid this problem from ever happening again is by simply thinking about how you want to print before you go out and shoot. For example: If you want to print a 8”x 8” photograph on your wall, you will have to use an aspect ratio that reads 1:1. This aspect ratio allows for an image to be a square format so that everything is included in the print. If you are photographing landscapes, you will most likely be using a 16:9 aspect ratio in order to print a nice long image such as a 12” x 18”. Think about print sizes and aspect ratio’s before you shoot in order to make the best prints possible!

Two: Choose your paper wisely!

There are lots of different finishing options for your photographs and different papers make different parts of your photographs stand out more! Choosing the right paper is crucial as it can either make or break an amazing photograph. If you are unsure about what kind of paper you should use, it is a good idea to visit a local photography store where they have samples of different paper finishes that you could see before you print your image. When looking through the different types of paper, take into account how the darkest and lightest parts of the image appear and that should give you a good idea on which type of paper you should use. For example, if you photographed black & white images, you will most likely want to choose a paper that gives you deep blacks and punchy contrasts.

Three: How will you frame your masterpiece?

You have now taken the time to think about your print before taking the photo and printed the masterpiece onto the perfect paper. It is now time to find the perfect way to put it on the wall. The different options in mounting your image onto the wall are using a traditional frame, mounting onto foam core, or printing your image onto a high quality canvas, metal, or acrylic finish. The most important thing to always remember when choosing a frame or finihing option is choosing something that will make your image pop off of the wall. If you choose a traditional frame, you want to choose something that will not be distracting or compete for a viewers attention. Choose a frame that makes your image stand out. I personally thing that fine art frames are best which surround your image with a white matte. Another great option is mounting onto foam core or creating a canvas/metal/acrylic print so that there is absolutely no frame associated with your art work. When printed onto one of these options, yout masterpiece will truly be one of a kind and turn that boring wall into something magical.

In conclusion, taking an amazing photograph is wonderful! But it is only half of the process in the world of photography. Printing your photographs is the best way to grow as a photographer and truly understand the level of detail that goes behind every photograph that is snapped.