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You’ve investing in professional photography and now you’re sitting on a gallery of digital images – so what is the next step? You don’t want the photos to just sit on your computer, or worse, sit in the online gallery collecting digital dust. You have to show the images off, share them with the world, and gift them to the people who you love the most.

Digital Downloads

Let’s start here – if your package comes with digital downloads the very first thing you should do is download them to a safe place on your computer. They may be saved online and in your photographers archives but YOU need to also save them. If you are working with me you can find instructions for how to download the digital images your session may come with in the email with your gallery link.

After the download the next thing you should do is share your images with your friends and family via text, email, or online! If you are being extra sweet you can tag your photographer so they can see which images are your favorites and so your friends and family can see who captured your family so perfectly!!

Prints

It’s time to start printing your pictures again!! Having prints, whether they are for an album your family can flip through later or for the wall so you can walk past them daily, it’s important to take the next step with your investment and print photos. You don’t have to print every single photo from your gallery but pick a few favorites and print them out! Take that favorite and turn it into a wall print to hang or to set on the mantle. I have a gallery wall, in black and white for 10 months of the year and then in color for Christmas, that I sometimes catch Chris or the kids standing in front of just looking at the photos. I also keep an updated family photo on the mantle. It’s not hung, it just sits in a frame as part of the mantle decor.

There are even studies out there showing that having family photos hanging in your home can raise your children’s self-esteem. If that isn’t a reason to print and display photos I don’t know what is!!

Glass Prints and Canvases

Want to take your images and make more of a statement? Glass prints and canvases are a great choice for doing both. Glass prints are sleek and modern where canvas prints are a bit more classic. These also make great gifts – I personally like the 4×6 glass print as a gift for friends and family who I know have an office desk.

Cards

Whether it’s holiday cards, graduation cards, or thank you cards, cards are a great way to share your session images. If you want to be a Christmas card person but can never get it together fast enough, using the online portal from your session to order your cards is a fast and easy way to check it off the list! If you STILLLLLL can’t manage Christmas cards in time consider New Year cards or just mid-year wanted to say hello and share a photo of the family card.

High school graduates, sending cards can help you celebrate the season of life you are in and the major achievement coming soon and the best part – you may get a gift in return! Sending graduation announcements doesn’t have to be just for inviting people to come to the ceremony or party, it can be just a simple informational piece of mail. I have a whole guide for graduation cards – if you’re interested in learning more about grad info etiquette you can CLICK HERE to download the free guide!

Deep down though the best thing about cards…getting mail that isn’t junk or bills!!

Accordion Mini Books

These books are so much fun!! They come in sets of three and make perfect gifts, especially for moms! My favorite thing about them…they are magnetic so they stick to the fridge. Accordion mini books are customizable – we start with you choosing favorite photos from your session, I make a proof, and we make changes as needed before ordering.

Albums

Albums are the perfect way to take the photos from your session and make more than a vessel to store your photos. While they are an amazing way to not have your images sit in an online folder somewhere forever they are also a way to bring your family together whether it’s regularly or a few times a year to look back and remember the moments, laugh at the memories, and spend more time together. I love sitting on the couch with my kids looking at albums I’ve made from the photos I’ve taken of them – listening to them tell me how they remember the experience – and sighing with relief that they don’t remember the crying and the “if you don’t…” statements LOL!

How can I help you preserve your memories?

I want you to hold photos from your sessions – to feel the way I feel when I see a print of my family on the wall – to know you have taken the investment of a session and made the most of it. Reach out if you have questions about your images or if you are interested in booking a session and creating memories of your own!

Contact Jaden Giorgianni Photography