Why I Print Digital Images

Earlier this week I was watching an 11"x14" print emerge from my Canon inkjet, and I realized that this is one of the ways I maintain a connection with my photography roots.

The actual steps are different now. I’m no longer leaning over a tray of developer, gently rocking it and waiting for that moment when white paper transforms into a real photograph. These days I send the file wirelessly from my laptop to an inkjet output device that, dot by dot, fuses the image on to a sheet of coated stock. But what follows, the inevitable moment of delight when the picture emerges, has not changed.

In 2018, I was covering Photoshop World as a journalist. During the keynote Scott Kelby (a star in the Adobe universe) spoke brilliantly about the virtues of printing your work. He made five important points that day.

Printing is beneficial because it:

• Helps you stand out from the competition. The gift of a print blows away any email attachment.
• Creates a connection with the viewer. Holding a print elevates the experience to a whole new level.
• Generates impact. A 13"x19" print creates a bigger impression than the tiny images we view on our digital devices.
• Has value. If you were willing to pay $200 for a print to hang on your wall, how much would you spend for a…