I always get this excited and hopeful feeling as I send off my client’s full galleries! As I edit the photos, I look at each one and find myself wondering what they might do with these photos. Where will they put it or how will they use it? I hope when they look at it that can’t help but smile.
And I think the intention is to use these photos everywhere. To print them and put them in the baby’s nursery, to send them out as Christmas cards, to have them hung all over the house and displayed beautifully.
But often something happens between receiving the gallery and hanging them up that seems to slow down the process or worse the photos never make it up on the wall.
The thought of some of the most precious photos, forever living in an online gallery is heartbreaking. That’s why I’ve made this process as simple as possible for my clients, that way they can seamlessly take their photos from their online gallery to the wall in no time!
Here are a 10 ways to enjoy your photos more:
Ways to Enjoy Your Photos More: Professional Photos
Let’s start with displaying your professional photos. These are the photos that you spent two- weeks picking and coordinating outfits for, had your hair and make-up done up, and did all the work to make sure you get those ‘perfectly effortless’ photos! The hard part is done. Now, let’s use them and begin enjoying them in as many ways as possible!
No. 01 Change Your Phone Wallpaper
Of course. It only takes 2 seconds, do it the night you receive your gallery, you’ll love it!
No. 02 Hang Your Photos Around Your Home
I always suggest that you start this project as soon as your photographer sends over the gallery. Run off of the excitement that comes with getting your photos back. Your still so excited to look at them all of the time, so use that energy to your benefit!
If the process of printing your photos overwhelms you, I’ve created this free checklist for you to print of and easily follow. You can grab it HERE:
No. 03 Create a Gallery Wall
Put all your favorites in a gallery wall. You can do this simply by printing photos all from the same session and keep them in matching frames. This way they all coordinate nicely. I am more straight-laced, so I like to keep it looking clean with matching frames… that seems to be the easiest to me!
If you use photos all from the same session, then you don’t need to worry about color coordinating!
Or, you can print all black and white photos which I think is a super sweet way to show emotion in a photo. Plus, it saves you time having to coordinate the colors of each print.
For my BG Clients: Stay tuned… I’m working on creating an experience that allows you to leave for your session with custom heirloom framed pieces and custom gallery walls designed and done for you, so you can enjoy your photos fully without ever even lifting a finger! If you are interested in learning more, reach out to me, I would LOVE to chat with you!
No. 04 Print Albums from Your Portrait Sessions
If you are investing in having photos taken, all your planning and preparation, taking a whole day to look good, and having high-quality photos, those images deserve a classy, elegant home.
This really allows your photos to share your legacy and for them to be passed on for generations to come.
I offer this to all of my clients and it is such an easy way for them to print and enjoy the photos from their session. All they do is approve the album proof before we send it to be printed. And over the years, you start to have a nice collection of your family albums.
Ways to Enjoy Your Photos More: Personal Photos
No. 05 Always be Updating Photos in Your Alexa Show or a Changing Frame
I use to think changing frames were for oldies – now, I feel sorry I ever judged them.
Our family has an Amazon Show in our kitchen and everyone is always adding new, fresh photos that have happy memories behind them and it is such an easy fun way to enjoy some of our favorite personal, iPhone photos!
This is fun with a big family because you are always happily surprised with new photos popping up!
No. 06 Coffee Table Photo Boxes
Print your favorite personal photos from each month and add them to a photo box that you keep on your coffee table for your friends and family to flip through. Such a sweet way to actually enjoy physical prints of your favorite memories.
I like the 4-inch square prints from Parabo Press. They look so good!
No. 07 Create a family yearbook
Choose a few of your favorite photos from your year and drop them in an album. You can make this as nice or as simple as you would like! But this is such a nice way to remember your year at a glance and really enjoy your photos!
No. 08 Create little coffee table albums from your vacations
Along with the same idea of creating a family yearbook, print albums (or scrapbooks) for any of your big trips. When you leave from vacation you have TONS of special photos on your phone! Sit down and choose your favorites and create an album for your trip. This is worthwhile! You will absolutely love having it sit on your coffee table!
You can also add these photos to your yearbook, but it’s nice to have both!
No. 09 Organize Big Photo Boxes
If you’re like us, you probably have a nice collection of prints floating around your home. Sort your favorites out into photo boxes and keep them in a space where they can be easily accessed, like your family room. That way you can open up the boxes and look through the photos often.
No. 10 Create Board Books for Your Littles
I remember my mom making little books for me and my siblings when we were really little. This is the cutest thing. You can drop your favorite photos for your little one into Artifact Uprising, HERE, and have the sweetest little board book, made special for them!
Hopefully, this gives you a few ideas of ways you could use and enjoy your photos more! You do not need to do all of these by any means! But just choose one way you want to use your photos… something is better than nothing!
I suggest that you make a plan and choose a system that is doable for you! Maybe creating albums isn’t your thing, then simplify and order the ones your photographer puts together for you. Maybe you love prints and choose to print and display new photos in your home once a year. Or maybe you print new personal photos quarterly.
Find ways that you can simply enjoy your photos, without it becoming overwhelming. Find a system that you can commit to. Make it doable. I’m excited for you!
If you have any questions, leave them in the comments below or feel free to email me at bethiegrondinphotography@gmail.com.
Here’s to fully enjoying the sweet memories behind your photos!
