There is nothing better than a printed photograph. Seriously. I’m not just saying that because I’m a photographer. I tell my clients that they deserve to have beautiful artwork in their homes featuring those that they love most – their family. Something that they can literally enjoy every day.
I practice what I preach. If you’ve ever been in my home, you know I surround myself with portraits of my family.
This wall portrait is something that I see every day when I walk in from the garage. I get out of the car, and I see this view as I open the door:
This is my back hallway. I walk in and immediately I focus on this portrait of Lauren from about 5 years ago, one taken on the beach of Lake Michigan. I walk straight toward it to go into the kitchen and great room. Here is a closer look:
If my hands are free, I’ll stop and touch the canvas. I look at the texture I added to the image and the faint sight of words I edited into it. The image has a dreamy look to it; and even though it’s far from technically sound, I love it. This portrait is framed in one of my favorite rustic frames. It is 20×30 inches in size, plus frame.
Here is the most important part of this post: if you asked me if you could see this image of Lauren on my computer, I would be hard pressed to find it. I know it’s somewhere, and it’s backed up in 2-3 more places, but frankly, it’s been years since I have actually come across the digital file. I’d have to figure out what year it was taken, and in which folder I placed it, and then go through the other 30 images from that day to find it.
If you have favorite images from your every day life, don’t expect to simply enjoy them on your computer. If you love it, print it. Find a spot for it. Because if you’re like me, you have tens of thousands of personal photos on your computer, plus tons on your phone. Life goes on, and those favorite images are just not seen and enjoyed over time….unless you take the time to display it in your home.
