You’ve had an amazing family session, you just got your digital album downloaded, and there are so many fantastic pictures to choose from! Now you’re wondering where to print these images and how to display them in your home.
In this first installment of this “How To” blog series, we’ll talk about “How To” print your digital images. What the photo lab options are for the best quality products, as well as where to print specialty products.
When it comes to printing your images you need to consider two things, the quality of the paper and the color output. If you take your digital images to your local big box store or national pharmacy chain, you have less options for the type of paper you can print on (can you say, hello glossy), plus they are going to WAY over correct the color of your image, which often times makes them look too orange or even green when printed. They might be great for speedy prints, but they’re not thinking about the overall outcome of the look of your images.
The two consumer labs that I tell all my friends about are Mpix and UnitPrints. Both of these consumer labs are the sister companies of the professional labs that I use, so you know you’re going to get a killer product that looks amazing. They have lots of options for your paper choices, and they are going to make sure your print color is spot on. Their price point is similar to the 1-hour photo places, but will have to have them shipped to you. Well worth the wait my friends! And, they have sales constantly, so be sure to sign up for their email lists!
If you’re looking to create some neat specialty products, like canvas, wood prints, or albums, both of the above companies are great for those things as well. For albums I also recommend both Artifact Uprising and Chatbooks. If you’re looking for a beautiful, high quality album, Artifact Uprising is the way to go! Their albums are classic, timeless, and super easy to create. Hello! They have an app for that! Plus, if you’re a Denver native, they’re local! Another company our family utilizes a lot is Chatbooks. I would say they are, without a doubt, one of my favorite print companies ever! We do their Instagram series books and I use them to create custom albums for my kids each year for their birthdays. You can create custom books in various sizes and they have lots of fun covers to choose from. Price point on these is really great too. They also have an app!
Speaking of local companies, I just recently starting printing my wood photoboard prints with a Denver based company called Colorado Joe’s. Don’t be fooled when you visit their Etsy shop, they are more than just cornhole game creators. They are amazing and I highly recommend checking them out if you’re looking for a truly unique way to print your images for your home!
Ultimately it’s going to come down to personal preference. My biggest suggestion when it comes to trying out a lab for the first time is to do a few test prints. Most companies offer them for free or at a very discounted price for first time users. It’s a nice way to compare quality and color without making a huge investment.
Just a disclaimer, none of the links above a affiliates and I am not getting compensated by providing this information. This is all based on my personal experience and preferences. I am a professional, right, so my option has to count for something 🙂
In the coming weeks we’ll chat about some different ways you can display your custom images in your home. Your portraits are art and a reflection of your love for your family. They need to be on your walls!
