MY WHY
I love that quote. It perfectly summarizes the differences in photographers and also the reason that there are so many photographers out there. Each photography client loves to be able to connect with their photographer. And as a photographer, I find the best photos I get are after I have connected with a client. Getting to know each other makes for a better and more real session.
The WHY! Prints matter. OK, so there is one BIG reason why I am in photography and people buy photos.
MEMORIES
Lets, face it. We are always on the go. I am guilty of it too. I constantly need my phone in hand, the TV going, music playing, reading a book. Sometimes all at the same time! But nothing is really memorable. Life is being taken for granted because it is slipping away. We take hundreds (thousands) of photos with our phones that we might never see again. Hey, they aren’t all gems, but they are still memories. And unless you post to Facebook and it pops up as a memory you can share again, then you won’t see that photo. You won’t see it to trigger the emotions that were there that day.
I know when I was younger, I thought I would remember so much. Getting my picture taken, hated (still dislike) being in front of a camera, so I wasn’t in many photos. I always thought that taking photos was way more fun. Now I’m glad there were those cameras around. The best part was taking the film in several months or years after it was finally full and seeing what was all on that film roll. Then they would go in a box or the more dedicated would make the self-stick albums.
Digital vs Print-Why prints matter
Pict
ure (pun! LOL) this. No one ever says “Come over and lets look at pictures on my phone, tablet, laptop , etc.” Maybe you will once, but after that, it’s done. Most people look at them on their own after you have shared the link. There isn’t the story of others around you. How come when ever someone says, “Can I see that?” what they really mean is “Please hand it over so I can touch it and hold it and think about how it makes me feel.” So you’ve just spent hundreds or thousands of dollars on space on a hard drive. I would hate to think of couple who just got married, but never really see their wedding photos. That would be a large investment that you would literally never see again.
Now here’s another scenario. You invite friends or family over for some reason, a football game, dinner, drinks, watching your kid while you do kitchen demolition (this was us last week), and you wedding album from 5 years ago is sitting there. Someone grabs it and looks through, sees a photo of a group of friends having a blast, of a loved one that brings back so many memories, etc. Not just of the wedding day, but of that person, themselves. That just rolls into a whole night of laughter, and recalling things that you forgot about. Maybe that rolls right into a plan to see that group of people again.
That is the reason for photos displayed in your home. The psychological reaction to the physical item has a far greater impact than the digital. An example would be would you rather get real flowers or digital. Photographs have the same qualities-fell, smell, sight. This chart shows the reactions to print advertising vs digital.
Technology Changes
Think how technology has changed in the past 30 years. Floppy Disc, CD, Flash drive. How much of that stuff do you have lying around your home? Some of it you will never see again, but no matter how many different computers we buy, a printed photo will always be able to be viewed. You might have to dig it out a of dusty box in the basement, but it’ll be there. Prints still live. That’s the reason we still have photo galleries and museums. Last I checked none of those are digital. So turn your home into your own gallery. Now more than ever before there are so many ways to display your photos.
On paper.
Glass.
Canvas.
Metal.
Books.
Wood. There is something for everyone’s taste.
So we live in a digital world, but we are still sensory people. Looking, feeling, smelling. It all created memories. Get those prints done for the memories, but share those digital files and keep them on a cloud drive for safety’s sake. Why not have the best of both worlds?