When we go out and take photographs, part of the enjoyment comes from actually taking the photographs - the process is not only a means to an end, but is part of what makes photography so irresistible for most of us. The end result is always the goal, but actually going out and taking the photographs is definitely part of the fun.

That being said, the end goal of showing our photographs to others is still why we ultimately take photographs. I mean, there’s no point in take photos if, once you’ve taken them, you simply erase your memory card and start again, right? Of course we don’t do that (at least, not on purpose!). Even if we only show a select few our photos on the display on the back of our cameras, on a website (like the Corner), or even just on our computer screens, displaying our photographs for others to see is an essential part of the photographic process.

Our cameras, our computers, and online forums and galleries are among the easiest avenues to display our photographs to the world. But there’s something that’s just not quite 100% fulfilling in looking at photos on a screen. There’s something a little magical about seeing a print - a photograph on paper. When comparing images online to even a print in a pile of photos on your coffee table, or in a frame hanging on your wall, or in a coffee shop or restaurant, or even in a gallery, there’s something in a print that simply can’t be captured on a screen.

If you check out the photos and videos by Park West Galleries, you can take a look inside an international museum with 23 exhibition galleries that take up 63,000 square feet (with over 1,000 new and original pieces). They even have a bunch of YouTube videos you can browse through for a sneak peak inside their galleries. Walk into a fine gallery like that and, as a photographer, you can’t tell me there’s something special about photography being displayed in an atmosphere like that.

While most of us, however, will probably not end up having our photographs hung in such a museum, there’s certainly nothing that should be stopping us from displaying our work in other places. Just yesterday, in fact, I saw, hanging in an office, several photographs up for sale. A local photographer agreed to lease some framed photographs for their office at a discounted rate, in exchange for an artist bio and some business cards at the bottom of the piece (which noted that it was for sale). Even less involved would be simply asking a local Starbucks or watering hole to hang some of your photos up in their space… and in return, you’ll give them a cut of the profits. It’s a win-win for everyone. They get your fantastic photography on their walls, you get to show your work to many more people that you would normally have access to… and if/when you sell some prints, everyone makes a little money. Then you can go out and buy new equipment to take, make and create better photographs to put on display (and the cycle continues).

Go out and enjoy the process of taking the photographs, and of course, don’t forget to share them with your friends online. But if you’re not occasionally printing them out and showing them to others, you are definitely missing one of the most important aspects of the photographic process.