Addressing The Modern Photographer's Hypocrisy
Or, how I've rediscovered the art of printing my work
Over the last year, I’ve been remedying a blind spot in my photography workflow: prints. As the saying goes, a photograph isn’t a photograph unless it exists in print. One of the results of this recent journey is that I’ll be offering my first ever fine art print next month. But that’s not what this week’s story is about.
Today, I’d like to share some thoughts from bringing prints back into my life and insights that might be helpful for those looking to share prints of their own.
Upcoming Events & Workshops
I’m in Chicago and this Friday, I'm hosting a free photowalk. Spots are incredibly limited so sign up while they’re available.
New York Photowalk
I’ll be in NYC early September and will host another free meetup. Stay tuned for details in the coming weeks.
India: North & South Street Photography Workshop
If you’re looking for an authentic and unforgettable street photography adventure across India, this workshop is for you. One seat is open for my workshop from February 5th-14th next year. Email me to reserve your spot.
Video for Photographers Masterclass (LONDON)
Our last Video for Photographers experience was a hit. If you’re a photographer looking to expand your skillset with video, this is the best workshop you can invest in. Email me to reserve your spot for early 2027.
Perhaps We’re Frauds
I grew up with pictures and albums in stacks across our home. My uncle was the family photographer, and every month we’d flip through a fresh drop of 4x6s from the local one-hour photo. I still have most of them with me today, and it’s nothing short of a blessing.
But here’s the thing: I haven’t done enough to continue this legacy.
The advent of digital photography has spoiled us with how easily we can capture these slices of time, but it’s also tricked us into accepting a digital display as enough. It made us believe that tapping, scrolling, and pinching on glass is equal to the magic of a printed photograph.
As photographers, are we not frauds for failing to see the image through to the print?
Perfection Is Friction
I first felt this deep dissatisfaction in late 2019. The solution seemed simple: invest in an at-home printing setup that would allow me to readily spit out physical mementos that meant something to me.
It worked. Until it didn’t.
For some reason, my then-new Epson P800 just couldn’t print a perfectly aligned image larger than 5x7. I went through every troubleshooting process possible, but the problem persisted. It was maddening. So much so that I stopped printing my work altogether.
You see, my pursuit to do justice to these meaningful moments created an unfairly high standard that was perhaps destined to fail. I was being too precious with my work.
For my uncle and many like him, you didn’t have the luxury to be so precious. They arrived in a new world as immigrants with next to nothing, and photographs were how they preserved their identity. They brought a camera everywhere, took the best shots they could, and printed the whole roll.
I needed to embody that similar sense of urgency.
Finding Reliability
I’ve accepted the reality of my lifestyle where I just don’t have the time to print my own work. I needed to find a reliable expert I could delegate this to, and importantly, someone who could operate at different scales.
Sure, it’s great to have a lab that can make archival quality images, but it’s equally important to have an affordable solution for personal family prints. I needed a partner that could adapt to my needs, not the other way around.
My search brought up several great options, but I ultimately landed with Digital Silver Imaging. The team does incredible work for galleries and museums all over the world. They also offer affordable value prints, where I can upload hundreds of photos and receive a box of prints in return.
DSI is where I could direct my creativity into the physical world without impeding my growth as a photographer.
Next, I had to deepen my fluency of printing.
Paper & Ink
First, I needed to figure out the paper that would serve as the canvas for my imagery. I ordered sample packs, visited galleries, spoke to other photographers, and spent the better part of two months absorbing every piece of information I could find about paper.
It was exhausting, but worth it. Here’s a great video that can get you started.
This pursuit led me to four unique paper types that will serve as the home for my most special prints.
Next came the ink.
Again, it was exhausting, but thankfully Eric at DSI was happy to answer all my questions. While you can go through endless videos online, what I would suggest for you is to edit your favourite photograph and print it on a variety of ink and paper solutions to see how your story translates from digital to analog.
For those of you that are looking to print with Digital Silver Imaging, they’ve been kind enough to offer a promo code to save 10% on your first order. Use code GAJAN at checkout.
Here’s the thing: the paper and ink that best serve my work may not be the right choice for yours. That’s why it’s important to do your homework.
Elevating The Story
My photographs will soon be available to others, and at some point, they’ll be on display in galleries. With that in mind, I wanted to find out how I could elevate the overall experience.
One way is by offering a certificate of authenticity. My research brought me to an elegant solution offered by Hahnemuhle that allows photographers to authenticate their work. It involves a pair of serialized foil stickers that lives on the print and a high-quality certificate.
The next step was creating a living page online to provide context to the image, alongside interesting notes like last-known locations. This isn’t just a storefront. It’s a home that’ll evolve into an online gallery that gives context and, over time, paints a larger picture of my journey. Analog and digital, in conversation with each other.
Do The Work
At the end of the day, I firmly believe that if you’re a photographer, you owe it to your craft to print your work. Whether it’s something as simple as value prints or something more like an archival print, your work should exist in the physical world.
If you haven’t printed recently, I hope that sharing my journey, even in this condensed version, gives you enough inspiration to do so soon. Good luck.
Previous Favourites
July Contest
This month, I’ll be giving away a $200 gift card to the Moment Shop where the winner can save big on their next camera, lens, bag, or courses. Moment has so many creative products to choose from and $200 can absolutely make for a great deal.
How will I pick the winner? Make sure you’re signed up for this newsletter then leave a comment on at least one post from this month. I’ll be randomly picking one person, confirming they meet the requirements and contacting them directly before announcing the winner publicly.
As always, this contest is void where prohibited by law. Good luck!
My thanks to the team at Moment! Not only for this contest but for being the longest supporter of my work online. They’re a lean team of passionate creators that truly believe in supporting other creatives on their journey. Whether it’s a new camera, lens, workshop, or just some great articles, visit ShopMoment.com today.
What’s Next?
I’m in Chicago this week and continued to be inspired by the creative community out here. People in this city just show a lot of love for the arts. I’m looking forward to making this city an annual stop on my calendar.
GB
I've recently started looking into printing as well. It's a forgotten part of photography!
Gajan love this piece. Can you imagine never getting to see the actual prints of an Ansel Adams’s, or any other photographer you admire? Not everything, but something does get lost when our photographs just exist in cyberspace.