When it comes to answering the question “What should I do with my newborn photos” or “How should I display my family photography session“, it is natural to feel a bit overwhelmed with all the companies, product options, paper finishes, sizing and price points. The truth is, photography prints and products are overwhelming! For that reason, I always advise to keep it simple. The image itself is the art.
The photograph is the focus, so keeping a simple, clean and timeless style to your products is the best investment.
So, now that you have said yes! and invested your heart, time and money into your newborn or family photography session, it is time to take the next step and get your digital images off your screen, into your hands and on your walls.
PRINTS
Photographs want to be printed. Trust me, they do. Not all images have to be professional printed and kept pristine. I use MPix to batch print photographs for my nieces (who sleep with them, draw on them and shove them in their backpacks) and my family (who decorate their fridge and use them as book marks). For the photographs that will be enlarged, framed and blessing my walls for years to come, I do take the time and money to choose a higher quality print. As a professional photographer in the Philadelphia area, I have the privilege of being physically close to a print lab that I adore, but IndiePrintCo and Artifact Uprising offer beautiful prints and fine art paper finishes.
WALL GALLERIES
A Wall Gallery of prints is the best way to show a collection of photographs and tell a story through time. Frames with a matting give a more polished, professional feel. The thickness of the mat will depend on the size of the image and the thickness of the frame, but according to FastFrame “a good rule of thumb is to choose a mat that is at least 1 inch wider than your frame”.
Here are two guidelines when selecting photographs for your own wall gallery.
- What is the feeling of collection. Joyful and whimsical? Candid? Posed and curated? Black and white or bold and colorful? Maybe all of the above? When you have a feeling that connects your photographs, they will look as though they belong together.
- What is your end vision. Large modern frames of statement pieces? Smaller shapes and sizes that fit together like a puzzle? Is this a permanent fixture on your wall or will you be changing pieces as your family grows. Wall Galleries can range from a modern and simple feel (three framed photos displayed in a row) to the more elaborate, eclectic collage of varying sizes and frame types. Checkout these Pinterest boards for inspiration and ideas to help with your end vision.
For choosing photos from your newborn session, think of the details of this time in your life that bring emotion and feeling, paired with a candid moment and a single portrait. The three images together take you from the big picture, through the feeling of the time and end with an intimate, fleeting moment.
When selecting photographs from your family photos, showcase moments with each child and the family as a whole.
Maybe you have a Wall Gallery that shows the growth of your family.
Wall Galleries can also display travel trips or family vacations over the years.
ALBUMS
I absolutely love albums. From the luxury, handmade albums to the paper, book-type albums, I find pleasure in any visual story. They make great gifts for grandparents and children as well as keepsakes for yourself.
Below you will find a few of my favorite album making companies.
Blurb makes wonderful albums @blurbbooks, especially for bulk and end of the year albums for your family. You can have more pages in your book (max is around 240) and has a decent price point for the quality. More details on that here.
For minimalist style and luxury feel Artifact Uprising is one of the best. It is has a higher price point, so this is great smaller albums and one-of-kind gifts from milestones in your life.
There are more details on the above products, as well as a special print on acrylic here.
If you are looking more for fun, thoughtful gifts or projects to do with your professional photos, I will be sharing a separate post about that soon.
Hello. Thank you for visiting. I am Steph, owner of Steph Kines Photo, a natural newborn photographer specializing in working with young families, expecting women and growing babies in the Philadelphia Area. I hope you found my Products | Prints, Albums, Wall Galleries and More blog feature helpful and inspiring. If you are interested in booking a newborn photography session, family photography session or maternity photography session in the Philadelphia area, I would love to talk more about how we will spend our time together, let’s connect here. Finding your photographer can take time, so if you would like to follow along and see more behind the scenes, follow me on Instagram.
Steph is Philadelphia’s Natural Newborn Photographer, specializing in finding light and connection in your own space. She offers maternity, family, milestone and newborn photography in a warm, natural and unexpected way. Her clients love that her sessions are child-led which means giving space and guidance to young children to be themselves in their own environment. This leads to more true reflection of your family at this time in your life. All clients receive a collection of prints and the rights to fully edited digital files. Steph can design custom, heirloom albums and assist with wall galleries to display in your home.
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