Why Your Professional Photographer Should Order Your Prints

I’ve written about the value of printed photos, and that fact really can’t be overstated. Few things make me prouder than to know my work has been printed for others to enjoy beyond the screen. But more importantly, I know it's the best way for you to really benefit from your beautiful pictures. Here, I’m discussing why it’s a good idea to let your photographer do the print ordering for you.

After your photo session with Big Camera, you’ll receive a gallery of digital images to enjoy. The first thing After downloading your files for safekeeping, the next thing I recommend is to view your images on a large, high-quality monitor. This way you can truly appreciate the detail, color, and editing that went into each photo. The high-resolution files you receive are even more impressive than what you see online—easily capable of producing museum-quality prints at 30×20 inches or larger.

Having viewed and shared them, you’ve chosen your favorites and decided which ones you want to see in print. One of the smartest choices you can make now is letting your photographer continue the work by getting your prints delivered.

1. Your Photos Actually Get Printed (Now, Not Someday)

You begin looking at all the options and sizes, and you might get overwhelmed or distracted, and think: I’ll get back to this later. Weeks turn into months, and the photos that make you smile or even tear up never make it in your hands or on your walls.

Here’s the unfortunate reality: when people say they’ll “order later,” they usually don’t. No judgment—it’s just how life works. Printing falls to the bottom of the list, and the photos remain digital instead of being lived with in albums, on your walls, or in greeting cards you send to friends and loved ones.

When your photographer handles the ordering, you skip the procrastination and go straight to the best part: enjoying your portraits. Check another item off that busy to-do list? Yes please!

2. Professional Experience for a Quality Outcome

Turning digital portraits into finished prints is more complex than it might seem. Different paper types affect how colors, contrast, and sharpness appear. The final product also matters: will it be a high-definition metal print, a layered acrylic, or a traditional matted and framed piece? Does the image need a crop to fit properly?

As a professional photographer, I keep samples of different papers and materials printed with my own work. I know how each one influences the look and feel of an image. This experience allows me to make sure the photos you’ve invested in translate beautifully to print. Having your photographer manage the printing helps ensure that when your print order is sent, your portraits are crafted at their very best and preserved for years to come.

3. Unlock the Full Value of Your Photo Session and the Creative Process

For some photographers, the work ends when the gallery is delivered. But while the files are yours to keep, they’re just the beginning. For me, the creative process continues. The artistry that shaped your portraits when the shutter was clicked carries through to how they’re displayed in print. Choosing the right crop, size, and material doesn’t have to be just technical—it can also be part of the artistry and storytelling.

The images you love most are presented beautifully—in sizes, formats, and finishes that complement your home and lifestyle. It’s in this transformation from file to fine art that the true value of your session becomes fully realized.

By letting your photographer’s eye guide this stage too, your portraits become more than reproductions of digital files. They become thoughtfully crafted one-of-a-kind works of art, designed to reflect your personality and enhance your space. It’s the final step in completing the story we set out to tell together.

Let’s Make It Real

If you’ve had a photo session recently—or you’re planning one—don’t let those images sit quietly in a folder. Let your photographer help you bring them to life—sooner, not ,“someday.”

Because portrait prints don’t belong on a checklist. They belong on your walls, in your hands, and in your life.