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Decorating with Photos: Photo Collages

Raise your hand if this sounds familiar…

More than anything, you want your home to reflect images that fill your heart with joy and love.
But, whether it’s fear of everyone’s schedule, planning outfits or getting everyone on board, you put-off doing your family photos for way too long.  Then, once it actually happens, you smile and everyone say how HAPPY they are that you FINALLY did it!

THEN for the BEST part.  You finally get to SEE your images…

You laugh.
You cry.
You call your photographer and tell her that you’re in love with your pictures and can’t WAIT to get ALL of them hung on our walls.


Then, life happens.

We get behind on clothes, homework, dinners and emails.
A few days go by…
Even though our beautiful images are STILL on our minds, somehow distractions and indecisiveness starts to keep us from choosing sizes and ordering the prints we were SO excited about just a few days ago.
Before you know it, it’s been WEEKS and you STILL haven’t narrowed-down your favorite pictures.

I’ve been that person.  I understand.

 

But, I’ve ALSO felt the excitement and joy that comes from having beautiful memories and moments on display in my home for me to enjoy each day.

So, I’m here to INSPIRE YOU, ENCOURAGE YOU and give you TIPS on HOW TO GET STARTED:

If you like the idea of several photos grouped together, a PHOTO COLLAGE may be PERFECT for YOU!
I’ve included 3 examples from my home.  Maybe one of these examples will inspire YOU!

 

Here’s a few TIPS that will help you make this happen:

1.  Choose your FAVORITE photos.  Personally, if I get ‘stuck‘ or start over-thinking things, I look for images that shows emotion, action or affection(Can’t go wrong with those types of images!)  Also, feel free to incorporate color and b/w images.  Or, include a picture of a place or thing (vs. just people).
If you have the rights to your digital files, it helps to create a new folder on your computer and COPY/PASTE your digital images into this folder for easier sorting.  Once I decide, I rename the files to the size I want.  (So, I would change “martin-12” to “8×10“.  This REALLY helps when you start your online ordering!)

2.  Even though collages are meant to look ‘random,’ put thought into your design.  Draw out your wall-space.  Think about frame size and placement.  (Rule-of-thumb:  If space is not an issue, always go a little BIGGER than you’d think.)

3.  In order to save money on custom framing, choose COMMON sizes for your photos.  (Yes, there’s some cute online projects with 4×4 photos, but there’s nothing better than finding a standard frame marked down somewhere and having a picture ready for it!)

4.  Once you get your photos printed and framed, lay out the design on your floor.  You’d be surprised how often certain sizes don’t look right beside one another.  Better to know on the floor than after holes have been put in your wall.

5.  ENJOY!  Having photographs on my wall has given me so much happiness.  I love the pictures, but I REALLY enjoy remembering the moments and knowing they’ll be cherished forever!

“Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. 
What you have caught on film is captured forever…
it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything.”
-Aaron Siskind

blogDSC_7397Family photos taken by Craig Obrist Photography

blogDSC_7396Family photo taken by Brandelyn Lee

blogDSC_7549
Family photo taken by Misty Michelle Photography


 

I will be featuring MANY more “Decorating with Photos” ideas and examples!
Check back to see some really fun CANVAS examples and other great options!

 

Also, here are a few other post I’ve done that may offer some inspiration:
WALL GALLERY:       https://christymartinphotography.com/index.php/decorating-with-photos-part-i/
CHRISTMAS DECORATING:      https://christymartinphotography.com/index.php/decorating-with-photos-ii/
Another WALL GALLERY:       https://christymartinphotography.com/index.php/decorating-with-photos-wall-gallery-part-2/
WALL TEMPLATES:       https://christymartinphotography.com/index.php/decorating-with-photos-wall-ideas/

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