How to Turn Your Vacation Photos into Home Decor
Summer vacation season is something most families look forward to. Whether you are traveling near or far, by car or by plane, a weekend trip or longer, photo memories are a highly important part of the experience. Before the age of high quality digital cameras in a family friendly price range, many families had to hope that photos they took were even worth the money to process the film. That is no longer the case with digital technology. Additionally, with home photo printers so readily available, printing those memories in the comfort of your own home has never been easier.
I remember before digital cameras, we would buy a lot of post cards. Those are perfect photos of places visited. Post cards are still available today, of course, and I do still buy them from time to time if I see that a photo I’d like to have is just too hard to capture as an amature. However, post cards are limited to the size you are buying. They cannot be sized to fit a 8×10 photo or sized into a poster size print. They are what they are, a post card. While they are handy for scrapbooking or photo albums, they just are not suitable for memory making or a honored place on your living room wall.
When on vacation, photographing the highlights of the trip is something everybody does. Photographing the family with the highlights is also something everybody does. Certainly, these are necessary photographs for documenting the trip. Thinking outside the box will net some fantastic photos suitable for framing and something you would be proud to hang on your wall. When people look for wall art at an art gallery or store, think about what attracts you to a photo or print. Take those ideas and apply them to what you desire in your home decor. Frame worthy summer vacation pictures are within your reach with some tips.
BUILDINGS
Consider taking photos of buildings that are not something you would normally notice. A church, a barn, a corner store, a gazebo, etc. are all buildings many people wouldn’t think about taking photos of if they are not on the beaten trail. Take these photos at off angles, not straight ahead for a more interesting viewpoint.
LANDSCAPE
Don’t take pictures of just the land around you. Take a more focused approach. What in that landscape is attracting you to photograph it in the first place? Is it a rock formation? Water? Foliage? Get closer to these elements to photograph cutting out all the surrounding space that you may not be attracted to. This also eliminates other tourists that may ruin a great shot. To me, there is nothing worse than taking a great shot of something only to have people in a shot that was meant for a tree, for example. The process of cropping them out can be, and is, tedious. Getting the shot right in the first set of photos is better.
SUNSETS
Sunsets make really attractive end products if done right. For instance, don’t just take pictures of the sun. Surround that light with objects in the landscape to put more emphasis on the sunset. Using the sunset as a backdrop for water, hills, and plant life will actually create a more dramatic sun which is what you are trying to capture in the first place.
PRINTING
If you have a good quality printer that can print photos and once you are at your computer choosing your photos, you now have to decide what size you want it printed to. The home printer can do spectacular 8×10 and 5×7 photos. For poster size, you will need to enlist the help of a professional studio to enlarge it. Many online photo processing companies are able to do this. Paper is also an important consideration. Choose high quality photo papers for your wall prints. Check the life of papers. Some claim a 100 year no fade or discoloration product. How that number is established, I’m not sure. Afterall, home printing of photos has not even been around that long.
FRAMING
Frames come in many styles, designs and prices ranges. The simplest frames in the low end price range can be embellished with other souvenirs collected on the vacation. For beach vacations, consider gluing shells that were collected around the frame. For hiking, perhaps some sticks or rocks. These add depth to the end product and tell more of a story on your photograph than if you just put it in a frame and nail it on the wall.
Painting a simple frame to compliment the colors in the photograph is another way to add dimension to your photos. This simple procedure can make a good photo look outstanding on your wall. Don’t stop at just the paint color though. Using some faux finishes such as antiquing can make a beautiful black and whilte photo look like a very old photo that you paid a lot of money for in an antique shop.
Try larger frames for smaller pictures with mats. Use a 5×7 in an 8×10 frame, for instance, using a map as a mat . There is no need to cut it down, simply place photo in the center of the map. For photos of a like theme, such as foliage for example, use a mat that has several openings to put in several 4×6 prints creating a collage. Larger frames with smaller photos add depth on a single photo and interest in a collage type frame.
On any vacation, photos are about the least expensive souvenir money can buy. Sure, there are postcards, maybe a pencil or pen but no pride went into those. Experiment. Create memories with photos that you and your family can look at every day because you took the time to preserve a piece of your vacation by seeing it though eyes other than a typical tourist. It’s something you can be proud of and something that you will get compliments on again and again. Just don’t be suprised if you end up having to print one for your family and friends too!
