The lost art of printing

Photographs were once treasured objects. The process of creating pictures back in the day was much more involved. People would shoot on film, which was then developed in order to see the images (which for generation Y is a strange and unfamiliar concept). Favourite photographs were then selected and framed and placed in positions of significance in the home.

Perhaps it's the extra effort that went into the production of these images that made people treasure them more. Perhaps it was the anticipation that built when waiting for images to develop or return from the photo lab. Perhaps it's the fact that printed images are a real tangible object that you can touch and hold, not just data in cyberspace. One thing is for sure, we don’t seem to treasure photos like we used to. 

These days everyone is walking around with a camera in their pocket, and moments can be captured, reviewed and recreated instantly. Film is no longer a factor, digital captures are unlimited and cost nothing. So we are libreral with pushing that shutter button, producing reams and reams of images of the same moment. Then put our camera back in our pocket, never to look at those images again.

Our overpopulated iphone libraries filled with poorly documented moments make photographs so easy to dismiss. Digital images are everywhere now and in a way this has devalued photographs in general - perhaps we are just too familiar with them to pay them attention anymore.

Even as a photographer I have begun to feel this way. I spend my life looking for beautiful moments; an impressive piece of architecture, a stunning landscape, the way light touches the leaves in the afternoon. But then, I post that digital image onto social media and forget about it. Never to enjoy it again.

There is something not sitting right with me about this process. I feel a disconnection from the true purpose of this artform. So, I’ve started printing my images, and suddenly photographs are valuable objects to me again.

Turning these images from a virtual concept into a real life tactile object was a process. First I sorted through drives and drives of digital moments, creating a collection of images that stirred emotion in me and worked beautifully as a collection. Next I visited a print shop and spent some time running my fingers over the different types of paper stock. I finally settled on cotton rag paper which has a thick, textured quality and I suspected it would finish my images beautifully.

After placing my order, I needed to wait a few days for the printers to do their magic. I felt a rush of anticipation to see my images, something I haven’t felt in a long time. While I waited, there were other decisions to be made about how I would display the prints in my home.

I’ve always been a homebody. To me creating a beautiful space is extremely high up on my priorities list. My home is my sanctuary, I’m sensitive to my surroundings and the objects around me have an influence over my mood and emotions. As a small business owner, my home is also my creative space and I draw inspiration from my surroundings, so it’s important to me to make my space as beautiful and inspiring as possible.

I love the eclectic jungle vibe, so for my frames I sourced some beautifully crafted tiki style frames from country road (which worked well with my indoor plant obsession). I paired these with some more minimalist, simple frames from Ikea as well as some kitsch op shop finds. 

When my prints arrived I savoured the unboxing moment, looking at the details in the prints, the colours and feeling the cotton paper with my fingers. I placed them in their carefully selected frames and spent the afternoon designing how they would all jigsaw together on my wall. I worked with the different shapes and sizes to create a gallery collection which I can continue to add to and grow over time.

Images don't just mean things to us, they do things to us. These prints are a reminder that my art is worth more time and appreciation than a quicky instagram post accompanied by a few emojis. My art is to be displayed so that I can sit amongst it and let it elevate my spirits and inspire me to create more - being mindful I continue that creative process all the way through to a tactile end.

If you’d like to get some inspiration onto your walls, I have recently launched my print store. Check out the prints here.