If you’re a photographer, you might not have thought about printing out your photos in large format.  It seems counter-intuitive.  Why would you waste ink and paper printing out a photo which you might not want or sell?  It seems like a waste of resources.  However, there’s a good reason why you should consider doing so especially if you want to be a professional photographer.  So, let’s talk about why you should print your photos in large format.

When I started studying photography at school, I had a professor who was a big proponent of this action.  He considered it the best way to check and see if your photo was exactly the way you wanted it to be.  I had to think about it for a while, but I discovered that he had some serious logic to his argument.

The reason behind large format printing is simply because small computer/tablet/phone screens always make photos look good.  The photos are always sharp and colorful.  Small issues are hidden.  Small screens make otherwise flawed photos look perfect.  Large format prints expose underlying issues and allow you to correct them before presenting a final product to a customer.

If you think about it, even desktop computer screens aren’t very big.  There might be a small but unwanted detail which will draw the viewer’s eye in a negative way.  However, you might not catch it on a computer screen unless you zoom in.  You still might not catch it even then thanks to lack of context.  However, if you print out your photo in very large format (16×24 inches or bigger) you will be much more likely to catch such a problem as you will be able to see it much more clearly.

Another consideration is color correction.  Most printers do not come with printer profiles which will accurately match what your screen renders.  There will be some margin of error.  I’ve sent out photos to my own printer and to professional labs.  Both options don’t quite render colors right.  If you take the time to print out your photos, then you will be able to correct the color, sharpness, or other issues like that before creating a final product.

This tip is a good tip for photography students and amateurs alike.  However, it’s much better advice for professional and aspiring professional photographers who really need their photos to be perfect for clients.  As you can probably tell from the illustrations, I’ve done some large format photo printing myself.

So, the next time you are processing up a photo and want to make sure that it is picture-perfect, consider printing it up in large format as a part of your editing process.  If you print your photos in large format, it will help you visualize the final product a lot better than a computer screen will.