I've always been a fan of personalizing gifts for the special people in my life. It says so much more than a pair of Happy Socks or a gift card. But nothing quite compares to giving the gift of your art.
I've talked in the past about how making prints make good gifts, but landscape photographer and YouTuber Adam Karnacz, of First Man Photography, talks about taking that a step further than printing out a canned photo you've taken in the past. He talks about going out with intention and making a piece of art that your recipient can hang on their wall. For photographers, this is the ultimate expression of appreciation for someone. I've often specifically made photos and videos and manifested them into the real-world prints for my son, because I know he appreciates a good dinosaur photo.
One of the things he points out is that a print is something that "can be displayed, be cherished, be loved" in a way that perhaps a basket of chocolates cannot. He also points out that he loves sharing the stories of photos with the recipients. I recently gifted a photo of salt and food coloring that I made during the review of the Venus Optics Laowa 50mm f/2.8 Ultra Macro APO lens, and it was fun to watch as my friend tried to guess how the photo was made. And as photographers, the answer is never as simple as just being there and taking the photo, right?
Karnacz talks about how just being in a place at the right time can make for a unique photo of something we see every day. And it's on that note that he also advises to not shy away from taking pictures of the popular places that everyone likes to take pictures of, simply because those are the places that everyone wants to hang up on their walls. It's the photographer's eye that differentiates the image. It's also the photographer's willingness to get up at the crack of dawn and travel to that place that makes something worthy of hanging up on someone's wall. It also doesn't have to be just a wall. As Karnacz notes, you can make small boxed prints, a book, or any number of things. I'm partial to canvas prints from Bay Photo (which at this point likely won't get there before Christmas, but it's worth the wait).
So, if you're looking for a gift for someone special, there's still time to go out and make them a photo. Throw in a print from a professional-grade photo printer like the Canon PIXMA PRO-200, and you've got a gift in no time that's more special than anything in a store.
Well, this article is published 5 hours before.We now have 24 December 09.52 CET. The chance of getting a print on e.g. aluminium dibond before the shop closes at 16h is zero.
But the idea is great. I wonder, though, why the obvious idea of making a print and giving it to someone as a gift is not self-evident.
Good point. It is self-evident, and it is also obvious that the "idea" was used to have several promotions incorporated both in the video (which says "paid promotion included") and in the article.
I made a print for my wife weeks ago; it's still at the framer, as he can't get stock, because of the supply chain issues.
That is a great pity. I am sorry for you. I had a print 40x60cm (~3.4x2.9ft) Hahnemühle PhotoRag made on aluminium dibond on the 22nd and got it back today.
That's awesome, Jan!
It's not a huge issue, I've already told her she'll get her present next year.
:-), sounds promising.
About as original as making snide comments on the internet hey.
I shot my long term partners sisters wedding in the late summer… we printed and framed one of the wedding photos for her and my partners mum. The reaction to them receiving the gift was special and made their day.
I’m in no way a professional wedding photographer (or do I have any intention of being) but they had asked me to shoot it as it was a small event, I didn’t massively enjoy it but seeing their reaction to the shots made it all worth it.
*blah