When you get your photos back from your family photo session, you are so excited to see them but sometimes the actually task of printing your photos can feel quite overwhelming. I know you didn’t hire a photographer and get your family all dressed up for your session just to let the photos sit on the cloud or be shared on facebook. But where is the best place to print your photos?
As an Oklahoma City newborn and family photographer I want to make both the sessions and getting prints as easy as possible. We know that having actual printed photos on your wall increases your children’s self-confidence and sense of belonging as well as it showcases the growth, joy and love of your family.
You want to know the aboslute best place to print photos? With your photographer.
Now you might be going, “yeah I know but it’s expensive!” But stay with me here for a bit. While yes there are many reasons for why you chose your photographer for your family photoshoot usually it’s cause you loved their style of work and connected with what you saw of them as a person. You trusted them for your session – a photographer’s expertise goes beyond just “clicking a button” and delivering your photo gallery.
Most photographers provide an easy print service through their online photo galleries. These are connected to labs that your photographer has worked with to know which ones print best with her editing style and color profile. I personally regularly order prints from different professional labs to ensure I am providing the best prints for my clients. I do regularly testing throughout the year to make sure my lab is up to standard.
When you work with me you can get two different options for how you get your prints. One you can print your photos through my online gallery store. Just order and go. Secondly you can tell me what you are looking for and I’ll handle it from there.
A professional photographer has access to higher quality print labs. Consumer labs do not offer people the same qulity prints – the inks they use and paper they use will break down faster over the long term.
I as a photographer have access to many professional labs that clients do not have access too. (did you know many professional labs do have a consumer lab where they offer prints on lower quality paper and with lower quality printing process? While they are from the quote “same lab” they are not the same level of quality.)
Professional labs specialize in archival quality photographs. This means your prints will last for many years longer do to the paper and ink and printing process used.
When you use your photographer’s services for the best place to print photos you usually get a quality guarantee.
I only guarantee print quality for prints ordered through my pre-qualifed labs. While I have a few consumer ones I can give tips for, I cannot guarentee their prints and how they will turn out. (oftentime lower cost labs can give weird tints to images, crop images oddly making your photos not turn out.) Because each lab has a different process you cannot guarentee every lab. A photographer can only guarentee prints through their pre-vetted labs.
Your photographer can help you with design choices.
When you are deciding the best place to print photos another thing that photographers can support you with is choosing the correct sizes for the space and frames. I am always happy to help with any questions and even can do album design for you. One of my very favorite ways to print photos…Albums are the best! Just favorite the photos or tell me the size you want, I’ll design it and send it to you to approve and next thing you know a beautiful album is setting on your coffee table.
And last of all a great reason for why the best place to print photos is through your photographer is you are continuing to help support small business!
I personally choose labs where all the printing is done here in the US (yes, some labs do print overseas.) so that I can support other USA business. So support 2 small business when you print through your photographer. Isn’t that awesome?!
Charis of Charis Elisabeth Photography is a professional family and newborn photographer serving Emond, OK and the metro OKC area. She serves families with in home and golden hour photoshoots and focuses on sessions that are relaxed, enjoyable and tell their family’s special story. Check out what a lifestyle session is here.
