Nothing Says it Better Than A Photographic Print

By Drew Hendrix–

Printed and framed photos can speak to you in ways digital ones cannot. © dumicanmosey.com

I have a friend whose daughter died when she was a teenager but he still greets her every day with: “Hi kiddo, how’s it going?” And he says she always replies with a smile from within her picture frame on the wall.

He told me that when he views her image on a computer or cellphone screen, it just doesn’t seem as real. Nor would many of our memories be as pleasurable to recall if they had to be dug out from layers of folders each time we wanted to revisit them.

There are many methods you can use to enhance small, printed photos. Find them at miadecora.blogspot.com

Viewing photos on an LCD screen lacks the reality that a paper print, large or small, can replicate. Somehow, it falls short– like a monotonous merry-go-round ride after flying the loops of a roller coaster and experiencing that exciting rush.

Printing your images can also give you a rush. You’ll feel a new-found sense of closeness with them when they’re hanging on the wall or clustered on tables or desks in standalone picture frames. And they’ll always be there for you to enjoy, any time of the day or night.

Don’t be limited to printing pictures of friends and family. That magnificent tropical sunset framed by towering palms will sweep you back into time when you see it as a big blow-up. Why diminish its grandeur by viewing it on a PC, tablet or cellphone screen, washed out by ambient light or marred by a myriad of reflections? Or hemmed in by menus, icons and opened files.

Panoramic views make stunning wall hangings when printed and framed. Photo © Helene Glassman

Prints change their personalities depending on how the room is lit at a particular time of day. Like people, they have mood swings and communicate them to you, sometimes mirroring your own and sometimes not– which makes each encounter a new experience, something a digitally-viewed version simply cannot do.

This 1930s album photo looks great when blown up and displayed. The small original has a handwritten note on the reverse side.

Pictures in albums and scrapbooks have always been enthusiastically viewed by families since photography began There’s a special kind of impact created when many related images are grouped together on a page– all working in concert to achieve a unique effect that is the sum of its parts. Just turning the pages, touching the photos and reading handwritten notes and dates on them is impossible to achieve when viewing pictures on digital media.

Abstract and fine arts images beg to be printed and hung so they can continually reveal nuances that haven’t been noticed before. Don’t let them languish as unseen files or you’ll miss the opportunity to explore their many fascinating details.

You can discover new details each time you view a large, fine art print on the wall. “Cold Morning” © Al Lockwood

Portraits are especially strong when printed large; they become almost life-like. Actress Brigitte Bardot once said: “A photograph can be an instant of life captured for eternity that will never cease looking back at you.” And, indeed, the eyes in some portraits seem to follow you around the room.

Prints can turn a drab space into one that becomes warm and inviting– even romantic. Some photos can be inspiring, still others can add classicism and tranquility to areas. Surround yourself with pictures; they’ll make your spirits rise as they warmly welcome you into their world each day.

We all know the saying about a picture being worth a thousand words. If your pictures are only worth whispers, then by all means view them digitally. But if you want them to speak clearly and with conviction, then start outputting them on paper because nothing, absolutely nothing, says it better than a photographic print.

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Original Publication Date: March 24, 2015

Article Last updated: March 24, 2015

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