5 Inventive Ways to Use Your Travel Photos
After returning from a trip, I often find myself with a plethora of travel photos saved on my phone’s camera roll (not to mention the countless shots stored on my camera’s memory card!). For a long time, many of these images would remain untouched. Nowadays, since most of us capture our travel memories using smartphones, fewer of these photos get printed or even viewed once the trip concludes. During last year’s Dinogo Breeze, we visited four major ports, and I was inundated with the sheer volume of pictures I brought back. Each port offered such diverse scenery that I ended up snapping a ton of photos with both my regular camera and my phone (not to forget the moments captured while on the boat).
From the plane touching down at Maho Beach in St. Maarten to the serene turquoise waters of Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic, I returned home with numerous digital files. Rather than letting these memories linger forgotten on a screen, I made it my mission to find ways to bring them back to life. However, high-quality prints and framing can quickly add up, and after a vacation, most people are reluctant to spend more money just on their photos.
To address this, and to effortlessly transform your photos from screens to physical keepsakes, I’ve devised five imaginative ways to weave your travel pictures into your home and lifestyle.
Think Big and Bold with an Engineering Print
While smartphone photos can be fantastic, they may not always have the highest resolution, which can result in blurry or pixelated images when printed at a large size. Embrace the pixelation and opt for a large-scale, black-and-white engineering print. These prints are typically large, grayscale images used primarily for engineering or architectural purposes (like blueprints, for example), but they can create stunning and unique photographic displays.
These prints are quite affordable (I recently snagged a large engineering print of palm trees for just $7.00), and they can be ordered from most printing services. Keep in mind, these prints are designed to be in black and white, resulting in an intentionally imperfect and grainy appearance. That’s all part of their unique appeal! You can easily frame them or use oversized binder clips for a casual display, as shown. There are numerous creative ways to hang these prints (washi tape, wooden dowels, decorative tacks, etc.) based on your current decor, and since they’re so budget-friendly, it’s simple to refresh and rotate them as you capture new travel moments.
Embrace Nostalgia with Instant Prints
During my latest adventure, I took my instant camera along and noticed a growing number of people around me doing the same. Now, I make it a habit to pack my instant camera with a few film packs for every trip. There's something truly special about returning home with tangible, printed memories from my travels, and they carry a delightful vintage charm. I gather my favorite shots and display them in a lovely dish or bowl on my coffee table. I swap them out from time to time, and guests always enjoy flipping through them.
Design a Collage of Images
We all know that purchasing frames, printing high-quality large images, and commissioning custom art can quickly add up. If you're looking to save money, you can still achieve a big impact by arranging a grid (or any other shape) with your favorite snapshots. With some mounting putty or tape (just be careful not to damage your wall paint!), a stack of prints, and about half an hour, you can easily create a DIY photo wall. This is a fantastic way to keep adding new memories after each trip, resulting in a vibrant wall of travel photos.
Showcase Your Favorite Instagram Shot
These days, we’re all accustomed to seeing images in a square format (thanks to Instagram!). Why not take your favorite travel Instagram shot, print it, and frame it for your home? This is a fantastic way to focus on that one special moment from your journey, and the square frame adds a trendy, modern flair.
Many retailers and printing services have caught onto this trend, making it possible to find stylish square mats and frames at affordable prices. Several printing companies now allow you to connect directly to your Instagram account, enabling you to have your photo printed, framed, and delivered to your doorstep in just about five minutes!
Mail a Postcard
It may feel a little retro, but I still enjoy sending postcards to friends and family during or after my travels. The downside is that many postcards can look a bit kitschy, and while the sentiment is appreciated, not everyone wants to display a tacky postcard on their fridge for long.
Rather than purchasing postcards, I opted to print some of my travel photos onto cards to send to friends and family immediately after my trip. People still appreciate receiving these, especially since they feature a unique image from my journey instead of a generic stock photo. Many printing services offer custom postcard options, or if you have a good home printer and some cardstock, you can easily create your own! For an added charm, I enjoy using vintage stamps on these cards.
Evaluation :
5/5