Imagine beautifully displaying your family photos on the walls in your home. Everyday you and your kids will see your family proudly displayed. You’ll be brought back to the joy and love of the moment. Your kids will excitedly point themselves out, building confidence of their own importance.
There are many benefits to displaying family photos on the wall. However, if the thought of figuring out how to select images, what size, what type of photos, all overwhelms you this article is for you.
While I am sharing biggest mistakes, it’s key to know that this is simply another way to think about it. Avoid these and you’ll love the way your family photos look hanging on the walls.
One mistake when displaying family photos on the wall is not paying attention to the size of the space.
Size really does matter. Imagine your living room. That wall above your couch. If you hung a 4×6 print there, it’s going to look rather silly hanging there alone, right?
The most common choice is that families select size based on cost instead of considering their actual space. When you are displaying family photos on the wall, you want the photos to fill the space nicely. Therefore, you need to start with the space you want to hang your photographs.
A good rule of thumb when selecting the right size for your wall display is that it should fill two-thirds to three-fourths of the space.
Want more ideas of types of gallery walls you might want to do? Check out Five Tips for Creating Stunning Photo Wall Displays.
Another common mistake is using a cheap printing lab.
A prominent photo wall display is something you will see everyday. They are usually larger sized prints (see above about size, again), and in areas that have lots of light and traffic.
This is not the time to go with a low quality printer. You want your prints and canvases to be archival quality. This means they will last, resist fading, and they use higher quality inks that better match the photograph your photographer produced. So while Target is great for frames, they are not ideal for high quality canvases and large prints.
Ordering through your photographer is the best way ensure the highest quality. As a Seattle family photographer, I use labs that my monitor is calibrated to, that I have personally tested. This know that I’m providing clients with a high quality products for displaying family photos on the wall.
Another mistake is overlooking the variety of photos in your wall display.
Your wall is a great space to tell a story. When displaying family photos on the wall, you do not have to stick with the “classic everyone look at the camera” photo.
Create a list of which types of photos you want for a space and start there. This could mean you want a photo of the entire family together, each child individually, and a more playful family photo. That will help you start to select photos for your wall.
Which leads me to the next mistake, not utilizing your photographer when selecting your photos.
We are experts at displaying family photos on the wall. It’s what we do. Not using your photographer is like going to a restaurant and asking just for the ingredients instead of having the chef cook your meal.
Photographers are storytellers. They are invested in your photographs and usually already have a vision from your gallery of photos of what would look great together on your walls.
I am obsessed with helping people in displaying their family photos on the wall. I am here to help each family who has a family photo session with me.
If I’m not your photographer, I’m sure your photographer can help you! You just have to ask them.
The next mistake when displaying family photos on the wall is waiting to create the “perfect” display.
I get it. You’re busy. You’re making an investment. You want the photos you’re selecting to be the right ones. However, this common phrase plays here. “Done is better than perfect.”
Order those large prints or canvases and get to displaying your family photos on the wall. You can always make a change. But your photos sitting on a hard drive isn’t doing your family any good.
Does thinking about displaying family photos on the wall get you excited? Looking for more ways to use your family photos? Check out the resource below.