Question: Do you still get prints?

[teamster633]

I recently switched to a DSLR after 25 years of film photography. The 6+ hours I spent with a scanner for holiday pictures sent me over the edge. For particularly good shots, I'll still print an 8 x 10 or an 11 x 14, probably myself, and put it on the wall. But what about all the garden variety snapshots that I've filled photo albums with for so long. With DVD players as ubiquitous as they are, is a slide show a better alternative? Now that a print isn't an automatic part of the process, I can't help but wonder if it is a necessary or even a relevant part of the process? This is something I am guessing most of you have already had to consider so I'd really appreciate your opinions.

[ManiacJoe]

1. Personally, I do very little printing.

For shots that I like enough to maybe frame, I would get an 8x10 or similar. For the rest I am happy to view them digitally. Back with I was shooting film it was mostly slides not prints any way.

For family shots, my website has both small versions for viewing and big versions for printing to cover both desires of the viewers.

[Celebration]

2. I don't

I even got my mother in law a digital frame for pictures. We have framed a couple of pictures, but I can't see the need to get prints of anything not used for decoration of some kind. But no, I don't have all my old photos scanned at this point. I did scan a bunch when one of my daughters got married, and we wanted a slideshow at the rehearsal dinner. I wasn't that much of a photographer until recently. Mainly I just took photos on holidays and vacations. Still, they add up, and the thought of scanning them all...........well, maybe at SOME point.

To me, pictures don't even look as good printed as on a screen. I can look at vacation pictures on a screen and be transported to the vacation emotionally. Looking at them in a photo album does not do the same thing for me.

[Blue_In_AK]

3. I only do prints when I'm making a gift for someone,

and then I take them out and have them professionally done.

[Mira]

4. When I took film photos

something I have done all my long life, I had a budget for prints. It equaled my budget for clothes.

Then I switched over to digital, and suddenly there were no longer expenses, but also no longer prints to hold and share and show.

The beauty of photos on the PC screen, and the ability to send them for free, and show slide shows to folks who had computers was fabulous.

I printed ink jet prints of favorites to share.
The cost was prohibitive, and the kinks in wasted prints because of low ink or other missteps made it doubly so.

Then I changed over to printing 8x10s on my laser printer, but that cost a lot, too.

I'm at a place right now where I make albums for small prints and get them done by snapfish. For my Mom, who does not use a computer, or a few others as a gift. I send the files to snapfish and they send me the prints. Good prints, cheap prints, and as quickly as the Photo Shop where I used to take my film to be printed did it.
They are now, by the way, out of business. And the money I used to take there means I have better clothes.

I get prints made to send as gifts, I get them made for myself of my favorites as life goes on.
There are frames with clips and glass that are very cheap. I got them when they were reduced to 1.99. I clipped into them favorite 8x10's or larger prints. Now I will make a few 4" ledges to set them on. Then, as time goes by, photos will be exchanged out.

The beauty of this new way to take photos is that we are in charge of what is good and what is worth printing and keeping in hard copy.
I like that a lot.

[JeffR]

8. Very thoughtful answer.

This group is the best of DU, and your involvement in it is priceless. And I know I'm not the only one here who feels that way.

[Mira]

9. I just found this comment, JeffR,

and I'm very proud to take it personally.
Thank you,
being allowed to hang out here and remaining welcomed means very much to me.

[Elfin Yeti]

10. Yep, what he said!! n/t

[Richard D]

5. Something I haven't done yet . . .

. . . but is a cool idea are digital frames. 17 inches is about 260.00 on up to 860.00 for 32 inches. Way out of my league for now, but an interesting idea.

[hunter]

6. My latest photographic obsession is Polaroid pack film cameras. Prints is all I get!

Fuji FP-3000B is lovely stuff. At a dollar a shot I must think and plan very carefully before I take each picture. This is good for me. With my digital camera I tend to just blast away without a thought.

My Polaroid 180 is a real camera in every way. I feel like an old fashioned photographer when I use it. It's entirely manual, no electronics, and a very good lens. My Super Shooter is more fun and much less awkward. I bought each in thrift stores for less money than a pack of film.

If I don't scan a print then it's the only one of its kind in all the world and I think that's interesting.

[Tindalos]

7. Sometimes

I use film occasionally but rarely get prints made. Usually I get the images put on a CD. I have a couple of photo printers too. One does 4x6 prints which I use to print my favourites and hang them on the wall. The other makes 2x3 stickers which is fun to play with, such as making fridge magnets.



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