Hi there! Thank you so much to Kristen Duke for inviting me to take part in her Decorating with Pictures series. I'm so excited to be a part of this series, and to provide you with some tips and ideas on putting your family images on display, including knowing which images to choose, which products to order, and ordering them in the best way. Visit http://www.kristendukephotography.com/decorating-with-pictures/ to learn more about this series and to get some awesome ideas for your home!
Selecting Which Images to Display:
For me, this is one of the toughest parts. I'm such a procrastinator when it comes to deciding which pictures to have on display because I just can't choose. I want them all up, so as a result I sometimes end up going months without printing anything because I just can't decide. The best advice I can give here is to just do it! There are very cost-effective ways of displaying your images, so if you want to switch images out throughout the year, it's no big deal!
You may want to display an image where your child is looking right at the camera with a big smile. Go for it! But also don't forget those other shots too: the back of their curly head, their head down playing with a flower, their sandy feet, etc. These images will speak to you for years to come. And they display genuine emotion, like curiosity, wonderment, innocence, etc. That's what I love on my walls. I always look for emotion in my images. I want to see emotion on my subject, and I want to elicit emotion from the viewer. Maybe the image has a sense of freedom, or joy, or introspection in it. If it speaks to you, go for it!
What Products to Order:
There are so many fun and unique ways to display your images! Below, I'm sharing 3 variations that I have in my home: the gallery-wrapped canvas, the mounted print, and the traditional print.
What Products to Order:
There are so many fun and unique ways to display your images! Below, I'm sharing 3 variations that I have in my home: the gallery-wrapped canvas, the mounted print, and the traditional print.
The Gallery-Wrapped Canvas:
I love these! They are such a sturdy and simple way to turn your image into art. Without the need to frame them, you can place them anywhere in your home, and switch their location from room to room as your decorating style changes. I typically order my canvases to be 1.5" thick, and I like to hang them on a wall that's not too much wider than the canvas itself. Below is an example of a gallery-wrapped canvas I have hanging near the window in my dining room. It's a simple picture of my daughter sitting at the edge of the ocean in her pink dress. I felt like the peacefulness of the image was a good fit for my dining room.
The Mounted Print:
Another one of my favorite products is the mounted print. I like to order my prints mounted to a thin foamboard with a subtle texture printed on the image. This gives the effect of art with your prints without the higher price tag of a canvas. A mounted print can be framed, but I prefer to display mine as is. In the example shown here, I use a plate stand to prop my foamboard up. This image of my little ones is usually displayed in my living room.
Prints to Frame:
A more traditional route is to just order prints of your images and frame them. The image here is a 5x7 print that I ordered with a linen texture. And there are so many ways to frame your prints in a cost-effective way. This particular frame was just an unfinished wood frame I bought at Michael's for about $2. I painted it using the same paint I used on my dining room table, and this framed image will go in my daughter's room hanging against her pink walls. I love the playfulness in this shot of my two little ones dancing at sunset.
Where to Get Your Prints Done:
Any image that my clients purchase includes the full-resolution digital file along with the print rights. This is scary because it means that clients are free to get their printing done anywhere. However, it's my personal opinion that I want my clients to have the digital versions. But, with that said, it's also my hope that clients will make the right choices when they have their images printed.
The only way to guarantee correct color during printing is to go through a professional print lab. I offer printing through my preferred pro print lab, and I strongly discourage going to local chain store labs. All of the images shown above that I have displayed in my home were printed through the pro print lab.. But with that said, even I make mistakes, as evidenced by the image below.
A few weeks ago I was in a rush realizing I was behind on getting invitations out for my daughter's birthday party. Even though I knew better, I decided I wanted them done THAT day, and since it was just an invitation, it would be no big deal to take them to a chain store lab. The image on the left is what the picture should look like. But as you can see, the top image on the right looks NOTHING like that. I couldn't do it. I bought one to hold on to for comparison, and told the store I couldn't buy the rest. I then went home and ordered them from my pro lab like I should have done in the first place. The bottom right print arrived 2 days later. Such a difference! I'm not sure if this "picture of a picture" does it justice, but the difference is just too big to mess around with. It's so worth it to get images printed the right way!
I hope this post sheds some light on displaying your family photos, and thank you again to Kristen Duke for inviting me to take part in this series!