Why Print Your Digital Pictures?

With all the focus on “saving money” on digital printing I have to wonder if people have really lost the value of what a photograph can do. When I first entered this business 18 years ago I had to learn, it’s not just about the print, it’s about the memory. And when I turned 50 this year what was the most touching and memorable gift I received? A photo album done specially for me, from my two sisters, with some of the most embarrassing, most memorable, and great pictures of my life! Not only did the album make me laugh, it also made me cry, replaying the years and changes I’ve gone through as I’ve grown up. This album made me feel so special because my sisters took the time to bring those memories back to life.

So while watching a Gator game this week with my fiancée we met a gentleman and started talking about his life. He has a wife and two children and a digital point and shoot camera. He said his wife is frustrated that the photos are kept all on the computer. I asked if he knew his wife could take her CDs and digital cards to a camera store like Southern Photo and get them beautifully printed, just like from film. He really didn’t seem confident about his printing options, and it reinforced that we have to do a better job getting people to understand that the beauty of digital is still in the print. Photo Albums aren’t the only way to print. As Lee tells people in our digital camera training class, the camera is your instrument, and your recital is a finished print. He believes you really see the impact a photo can make when you enlarge it to 11x14 or 8x10 with a mat to separate the image from the frame.

I think I helped our new Gator friend realize that if he did not start to get some of those most memorable pictures of his children off his computer and into an album or in print he may have a whole generation of lost photos. When his children grow up and get married and have children of their own, how will they tell their story? With beautiful prints I hope!

If you are uncertain about what to do after you take your digital photos I hope you will visit Southern Photo in Melbourne, FL and get help with kiosk or on-line printing, or even our printing at home options, so you get a chance to re-live the good times, and keep your memories and your great moments alive.