Are you printing your pictures? If you’ve been around here awhile, then you know I talk about this a lot. After living in my house for over 2 years, I finally took my own advice and got around to printing some pictures. Let me just say, this has been the greatest thing I have ever done! Ok, maybe not THE greatest, but I am super happy I finally did it. Here’s a peek into my wall:
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Doing this, and talking to my email subscribers, made me realize that most of us want pictures on our walls but we really don’t know where to start. So, I have put together a quick guide to make it easier.
Step 1:
Have a plan. Simply saying you want to have pictures on your wall doesn’t make it happen. You actually have to figure out what you want and how you are going to do it.
Step 2:
Know where you want to hang/put them. How many walls do you want to decorate with pictures? Do you want albums? Will you have small frames around as decor? What about your work space? Whatever it is, figure it out.
Step 3:
Know what sizes you want. Take into consideration the size area you want to fill. A large, blank wall needs to have an impact so choose either a large collage or large individual portraits. In my wall example, I knew I wanted to fill the area with as many pictures as I could without it becoming cluttered so I determined that 4×6 was the perfect size for me. However, on another large wall, I have three large portraits sized 16×20. Any smaller and they’d get lost on the wall and any larger then it’d be overwhelming.
Step 4:
Have your frames ready to go. Having the frames picked out and ready to go is motivation to actually print your pictures. It’s a constant reminder that you need to print them each time you see them empty. This also keeps your prints safe. If you print a bunch and have no frames for them, you run the risk of them getting destroyed until you figure out where to hang them and what frames to use. You might even decide that the size you printed was all wrong and need to print them after finally deciding where you wanted them and getting a frame. Make sure you follow the steps. There’s a method to the madness 🙂
Step 5:
Purchase a home printer for small prints. Back to my wall example, every single one of those pictures were printed using my home printer. Sure, I have access to my professional service. But these smaller ones are totally fine to quickly send to my home printer. Plus, home printers are very budget friendly anymore. You can choose an all-in-one (this is what I have) or you can even purchase one that is specific to pictures like this one. Printers are now equipped with bluetooth technology and you can easily connect to it even from your phone making it super easy to print your favorite pictures. Next time you take a picture you love, send it straight to your printer and your done. No more, “When I have the time,” excuse because it takes longer to post to your favorite social media platform than it takes to print it.
Step 6:
Use your photographer. This isn’t some sneaky attempt to sell you something. Photographers actually KNOW A LOT ABOUT PICTURES. They can help you choose the best sizes for the area, help you narrow down which pictures to use and help you decide which print products will work best for your needs. Anything larger than a 12″ side should be printed through your photographer because they know the best way to print them and can ensure its quality. You wouldn’t go to a great restaurant just to have them explain how they cooked the meal, you actually want them to COOK the meal for you. So make sure you are using a photographer that sells prints. Otherwise your wall will remain bare as you keep telling yourself you’ll find the time to sit down and do all the work yourself.
