Photography has changed quite a bit over the years. It wasn't so long ago that it was uncommon for the typical family to own a camera. Rather, people that wished to have their photos taken and developed turned to professional photographers or studios, where they would have their photos taken before waiting days or even weeks for them to be developed. This changed with the advent of the Polaroid camera, and eventually, cameras were on sale for personal use. Because these required film, however, people would still need to take them to developers, sometimes dropping them off at grocery stores to do so.
This is no longer necessary, thanks to digital cameras. Digital cameras allow you to upload your photos to your computer, or even online databases, easily. You can also take advantage of online photo printing. The industry has boomed over the years, with different types of prints on a variety of substrates. With all this in mind, let's look into some of the benefits of online photo printing.
1. You Should Have Hard Copies for Safekeeping
Even if you're not sure that you want to display hard copies of your digital photos, you'll want to keep them around. Digital photos are beautiful, but they cannot be fully relied upon in the long term. Anything could potentially happen that would corrupt your digital photos and make them permanently inaccessible or lost. If you have hard copies, even in storage, you can keep them locked away for the long term, and your precious memories will be kept safe.
2. Your Computer or Phone Isn't Enough
While you could potentially look at your photos on your computer or phone, they won't look their best through a screen. You lose a lot of dimension to images due to the reflectiveness of a phone or computer screen. For some, part of the experience of viewing old photographs is seeing the worn paper, the yellowing tint, the black and white, and the ragged corners. Conversely, when people view old photos on their phone, that sentimentality and nostalgia are missing, sometimes replaced with resentment or cringe because of the poor camera quality from the time it was taken.
3. You Don't Own Files
Technically, you can't own digital files. You don't own the platform on which they are stored, whether that's Dropbox or Google Drive which means you don't fully own your photos until they are printed. There is always a risk of losing access to photos or personal documents when they're stored behind a password screen. New devices, clearing cookies, and changing passwords can all leave you susceptible to losing your photo memories.
Online photo printing is quite simple and inexpensive in this day and age. In 2022, the global market is expected to increase 1.1%, according to IBIS World. Why not print your photos and put them on display for everyone to see? Contact us today for more information.