Digital and Printed Photographs

Two Sides of the Same Story

We live in a time where we have the privilege of capturing memories in multiple ways—digitally, quickly, and without limits, or through print, tangible and lasting. Instead of asking which is better, I like to reflect on why both options are valuable and how the process of selecting photos for print can be a meaningful act in itself.

Digital Photography: Constant Change and the Freedom to Edit

One of the things I love about digital photography is that it’s never static. My style changes, my editing evolves, I experiment with light, colors, and textures. Photos that seemed perfect to me yesterday might be something I would edit completely differently today.

In the digital world, I have the freedom to play:

– I can explore different styles, from minimalism to rich, cinematic tones.
– I can always return to the same photo and reinterpret it.
– A photo is never “final” until I print it, until then, it remains alive, open to change.

And that constant adaptability is what makes digital special—the ability to play, to change, to create different versions of the same image based on how I feel at the moment.

Print: A Personal Choice and a Moment of Emotion

Unlike digital, printing is a much more intimate process for me. I don’t choose photos just to archive them, but to preserve them in physical form, for myself, for a feeling.

When selecting which photos to print, I don’t think about rules, I don’t ask myself if they are technically perfect. I simply choose the ones that move me in that moment. And that choice can be completely unpredictable—maybe it’s a raw, unpolished photo, maybe one that doesn’t even fit my usual style.

Printing also brings a unique, tactile aspect to the decision-making process:
– Format—Do I want a small, intimate photo or a large print for the wall?
– Paper—Matte, glossy, textured? Each has a different feel under my fingers.
– Photo albums vs. individual prints—Do I create a story through multiple images, or select only the most special ones?

The Selection Process: From Digital Experimentation to the Final Print

One of the most beautiful parts of this process is choosing which photos will transition from the digital world into the physical one. As I go through my digital albums, I relive the moments, carefully selecting the ones I want to preserve in time.

And the most interesting part? If I were to repeat this process in a year, two, or five… my selection might be completely different.

Conclusion: No Right Answer, Just the Right Emotion

It’s not about digital or print, it’s about what I want to preserve in a special way at that moment. Digital gives me the freedom to experiment, evolve my style, and explore. Print is my personal choice, something I do based on feeling, without rules or expectations.

And that is what makes print special, not because it’s “better,” but because it is chosen at the right moment.