You’ve stood in the freezing wind early in the morning well before sunrise waiting for alpenglow to ignite a mountain peak.

Perhaps, you’ve laid in the dirt and mud as a wildlife subject walked in front of the perfect background.

Or maybe you’ve woken at 1 a.m., driven miles down dark roads, hiked under headlamp, and held your breath as the aurora danced in the sky above you.

As nature photographer’s we’ve all experienced incredible moments like this and captured some truly fantastic images that we’re proud of. These are the moments we live for. They don’t come very often, but when they do all the preparation and work pays off!

And after all of that…

Our images live in a digital realm. They sit as information in the form of ones and zeroes on a hard drive. We may look at them every now and then and might share them as tiny digital files on our websites, Facebook, and Instagram hoping the algorithms just might show them to our intended audience.

These days the vast, vast majority of images don’t escape the digital realm. Their journey sadly ends here.

But here’s the truth:
In my opinion, your best images deserve more.

There is something deeply powerful — almost magical — about transforming a digital file into a physical piece of artwork that can be observed and enjoyed by yourself and others.

Whether you’re planning to sell your work or just want to enjoy it on your own wall at home, the process of printing an image is something that all passionate photographers should explore. Let’s break it down:

A Photograph Isn’t Truly Finished Until It’s Printed

When you press the shutter button on your camera, you begin the creative process of capturing a digital image.

When you edit, you refine your vision, transforming a bland RAW file into something that more closely resembles how you experienced a scene or moment in time.

When you share your images online, either to your personal website or the social media platforms of your preference, the story continues and this can be a great way to share your creation with others.

All of this is great, and I complete this process regularly with all of my favorites images, but the journey doesn’t have to end here. In fact, for your absolute best images, it shouldn’t. If you want to make the most out of this creative process, I highly encourage you to take things one step further and print your work. Bring your creations back into the tangible world and back to life!

Printing forces intention. It demands care. It elevates your image from something scrollable to something stoppable.

On a screen and online, your photographs compete with everything else. They are often overlooked, ignored, and almost never fully appreciated.

On a wall, they command attention and stand out.

There are details and nuances that can only truly be appreciated in printed images.
The subtle tonal transitions in a foggy forest scene…
The intricate feather detail in a snowy owl portrait…
The rich shadows in a canyon at dusk…

These nuances come alive in print in a way that backlit pixels simply cannot replicate.

A print has depth. Texture. Presence.

It exists in the real world.

Printing Makes You a Better Photographer

Of course, printing can bring your images to life but there are other benefits as well that are often overlooked. By printing your images to sizes much larger than a phone or computer screen and by observing them day after day, you’ll start to see things you may not have before, and you will grow as photographer.

When you see your work at 13”x19” or 24”x36”, you notice everything.

You notice fine details in texture and color.
You notice the true sharpness and contrast of your work.
You notice whether your composition truly holds attention and pulls you in.

Printing can of course expose areas that need to be improved upon — but it also reveals th strengths of your work and shows what you did right.

When you print in image you observe it more often and more thoroughly than a digital file. You observe it day after day as your feelings about the image change and evolve.

Photographers who print consistently develop a sharper eye, stronger editing discipline, and a deeper understanding of color and tonal control.

Printing isn’t just output. It’s education.

The Emotional Power of Tangible Art

At this point, I think I’ve made a pretty clear case for why I believe printing your best images is well worthwhile. Not only can it bring your images back to life and pull them out of a digital corner, but there’s just something so real and engaging about a physical piece of artwork. There’s something almost primal about holding your own artwork in your hands, driving a nail into the wall, and hanging a piece exactly where you want it.

At the end of the day printing is far more permanent. Digital files may live on for a while on some hard drive or remote server, but a real print made of metal or canvas may last even longer. Digital files can easily be corrupted, lost, overwritten but a physical print cannot.

A framed print on the wall invites people to pause. To step closer. To explore details. To ask questions.

A print has the power to hold someone’s attention and is much more likely to spark a strong emotional reaction. When someone stands in front of a large print of your photograph and says, “Wow…” — that experience is completely different and far more rewarding than a double-tap or a thumbs up on social media.

A physical print can:

• Transform a living space

• Become a meaningful gift

• Serve as a legacy piece for your family

• Represent a defining moment in your creative journey

It’s slower. Deeper. More emotional. More human.

A Great Opportunity to Master the Craft

For those who truly want to take their work full circle — from capture to creation — there’s something incredibly powerful about learning to print the right way, hands-on, with expert guidance.

The Backcountry Journeys Art of Printing: Fine Art Printing Masterclass in Chicago was created specifically for passionate photographers who want to bridge the gap between digital and physical art.

Over an immersive weekend, you’ll dive deep into:

• Color management and monitor calibration

• Professional-level soft proofing and tonal refinement

• Exploring a range of fine art papers to see how each transforms your images

• Hands-on printing with high-end printers and premium materials

During this workshop, you’ll receive personalized instruction throughout the entire process

And perhaps most exciting of all — you won’t just learn about printing.
You’ll have the opportunity to print and take home your own images.

This intimate workshop (limited to just 10 guests) offers a rare opportunity to transform your strongest images into museum-quality prints — and gain the knowledge to continue producing them long after the weekend ends.

If you’ve ever felt like your photography deserves more than a hard drive…

This is your invitation to make it real.

Because at the end of the day, your images deserve to live on walls — not just in folders.

I really can’t recommend printing your best work enough. It’s a great way to bring your favorite images to life and it will give you so much more than a digital image ever could.