the importance of PRINTING PHOTOGRAPHS IN THE DIGITAL AGE

A big thanks to Blurb for sponsoring my Printed Photo Challenge. All opinions are mine alone.

If you’ve been reading this blog for awhile or you follow me on Instagram, you’re well aware of how much I value natural, candid photography of my family. I’ve talked a great deal about this in the past, so if you’re interested in why it’s so important to me, check out my thoughts, here. Today I’m going to take that conversation to the next level, encouraging moms to take the Printed Photo Challenge.

In most homes, if we’re lucky, we successfully frame the highlight reels of our lives – the graduations, trophies, vacations. And the walls, those are usually designated for the “perfect” photos. The ones where we’re dressed in coordinating clothes, sitting on a grassy hill with perfect smiles on our faces. I LOVE those photos.

But what about the countless others? How would you feel if they were all wiped away? I, unfortunately, know the answer to that question, having lost some very precious digital photos over the years – it makes me feel completely sick and in some cases, heartbroken!

So, when Blurb offered me the opportunity to print my #365 photography project from last year, it was a total no-brainer. I’d already posted my entire project on Instagram, with the idea that I’d eventually use that to make a book. Using Blurb’s Bookify tool, I downloaded the entire year worth of Instagram photos in minutes, sorting them in chronological order.

There are loads of free, professionally designed templates, and I chose a small square layout with a white border, to resemble the square Instagram format I was pulling from.

I chose a hard cover, so it would withstand years of use.

When I got this beautiful book, I was smitten, but I’ve been completely blown away by how much my husband and kids enjoy looking through it. How much it gets picked up from the coffee table by the guests in our home.

What I’d taken for granted during this digital photography project is how much I get to enjoy the photos, while few others do. There is something so tangible and real about seeing them all printed out.

This year, I’m doing a more relaxed approach to my photo a day project, but I already know that I’ll be printing these books each year for our family to view and treasure.

I’m happy to share that Blurb is offering my readers a 25% discount on photo books using promo code FIVEMARIGOLDS*

Do you accept my Printed Photo Challenge? Are you documenting your family, even unintentionally on Instagram, Facebook, or a personal blog? I highly encourage you to see how easy it can be to print your year in photos using Blurb. 

What is your favorite way to showcase your family photos? Tell me in the comments below!

Terms & Conditions: *Offer valid through May 15, 2017(11:59 p.m. local time). Valid only for photo books uploaded to and purchased through your own account. A 25% discount is applied toward your product total with no minimum or maximum order amount. This offer is good for five uses, and cannot be used for digital purchases or combined with volume discounts, custom orders, other promotional codes, gift cards, or used for adjustments on previous orders.