Recently I wrote about why you should print your wedding photos for Wedding Venue Map. Since the topic is near and dear to my heart, I thought I’d share the information here!
Longevity and Accessability Matter
VHS, Betamax, floppy disks, Zip disks—what do all of these data storage mediums have in common? It’s impossible to retrieve data off them today. But at one time, they were the cutting edge way to store data.
Now think about how your wedding photos are stored. Are they on a CD or DVD? A USB drive? An external hard drive? The Cloud? What’s to guarantee that you’ll be able to access your digital images in 50 or even five years? Many newer computers are doing away with CD/DVD drives. Heck, some computers already require adapters to plug in USB drives. I’m looking at you, Apple!
Maybe the Cloud is the solution, but files can also get corrupt, lost, or accidentally deleted. All of this is to say that we have no way of knowing what the future holds. And that reason alone is why I’m a huge advocate of wedding albums and of printing out your wedding photos.
All photos, really.
Why Wedding Albums are Important
Photographers by nature are storytellers. Wedding photographers spend hours creating images that tell the story of your wedding day. From the early moments of the bride getting ready to that stolen moment gazing at the stars during the reception, your wedding day is a story waiting to be told. And a bunch of images an a USB stick are not the ideal way to do that!
The Heirloom Experience
Won’t it be more fun to flip through a physical wedding album? When you think about the future, do you imagine swiping through your wedding photos in the Cloud on your iPad? The tactile experience of flipping through a wedding album is far more satisfying.
I realize that weddings are expensive and a lot of people skip the wedding album to give their budget a break. And that’s completely understandable! But after the wedding, consider using some of the money you receive as wedding gifts to have your photographer create a wedding album for you.
Wedding albums are another way to showcase your personal style. Gone are the days of basic black or white album covers! Photo covers, funky colors, leather (or vegan “leather”), linen, and other materials allow you to create a unique keepsake.
Creating a Keepsake
Each photographer handles the wedding album creation process differently. Keep in mind that most hotographers create wedding albums on a regular basis. Rely on their knowledge and expertise to help guide the process. Trust their experience and you’ll end up with an amazing keepsake that tells the story of your wedding day. Each time you flip through your wedding album you’ll be reminded of wedding moments and details that may have faded from your memory over time.
Why You Should Print Your Wedding Photos
You spent a lot of money planning your perfect wedding—from the dress to the details—and you hired a professional photographer to document your day, so clearly, the images are important to you.
Now that all the festivities are said and done, you’re probably left with a USB stick of images sitting in a drawer somewhere. Does looking at that piece of plastic bring back fond memories of your wedding day? Probably not! So get that drive out of a drawer and have some prints made and display them where you can see them on a regular basis.
Photographer’s packages vary, but if yours includes the high-resolution digital images of your wedding photos, make sure you photographer provides you with a print release. You’ll need to have that in order to have prints made as photo labs will not allow professional images to be printed without it!
Where You Print Matters
Now, you could head over to CVS or Walgreens and use their photo machines. But for better quality prints consider using an online lab like Mpix that offers premium quality prints. You’ll pay a few dollars more, but you’ll get better quality paper and techs that ensure you get the best quality prints for your buck.
Now you’re probably thinking, “but I’ve got a home printer that can make photo prints, why should I spend money at a lab?” It comes down to quality and longevity.
Home prints can last anywhere from five to 100 years, depending on the ink and paper combination used. Prints made by a professional photo lab can last 100 years if properly displayed and up to 200 years if correctly stored.
For all photographic prints, fading over time is an issue. You can extend the lifetime of your printed photos by displaying them under glass in an area that is free of direct sunlight, excessive humidity, and high temperatures. Which is no easy feat in Florida!. If your prints aren’t on display, you want to store them in a dark, cool, and dry place. Proper display and storage will increase your prints longevity.
There are also a number of fun options out there for displaying your photos. You can have them printed on canvas, wood, or even metal. These alternative print types offer a unique look that fits your personal style. However, the longevity of these types of prints varies, so consider them a short-term display solution.
You always hear about the importance of backing up digital files and you absolutely should make a digital backup of your wedding images. In addition to that, consider a wedding album and prints to be a hard copy backup. Redundancy means your memories will last for ever. And that’s why you should print your wedding photos. You won’t regret it.
