Have you ever been frustrated with how dull your phone photos look after you print them?

This is what happens:

• the iPhone (and all other mobile phones) are designed to create photos that have a moderate, baseline look. It's average, with low contrast and a "safe" finish.
• Phone cameras are made to appeal to the masses. Some people edit their photos, and others don't, so camera makers ensure the output are photos that please both camps, on average.
• This average finish creates a safe amount of brightness, darkness, contrast, and sharpness.

This is why our photos look dull in print:

• Our photos look dull because photo paper is seen by reflected light, and not by backlighting.
• A digital screen is backlit, meaning light is produced from behind the image and shines directly toward your eyes. This makes colours and contrast appear brighter and more vivid. Your digital photo naturally pops out.
• A printed photo is not backlit. It only shows the light that reflects off the paper from the room you're in. This makes the print look dimmer and with lower contrast.

This is how you fix it:

• Now you know prints naturally look dimmer and lower contrast, you need to edit your photos before printing them.
• Specifically, you need to boost the brightness and contrast for the prints to look closer to how they looked like when displayed on a digital screen.
• For more advanced editing, you can also improve the colour balance, texture and sharpening.
• And for premium editing, you may need to use filters and the heal brush tool to bring your photos to a higher level.

(more on where to print your phone photos at the end of the email)

Here are photo examples and editing settings in Lightroom:

Now to edit this photo so it pops when printed:

Here's another photo straight out of iPhone camera:

Photo edited in Lightroom Mobile:

Compare and adjust as you go

The more you edit your photos, print them, then compare them from the paper print to what they look like on screen, the more you'll know if you need to add more brightness & contrast (or less).

Editing is a bit of trial and error

No two photos will ever need exactly the same editing, especially when taking photos in different locations.

The good news is that your printed photos don't need to look dull. Boosting the brightness and contrast will give them more life.

And remember, even a bit of extra brightness and contrast (more than looks adequate on a screen) will look good on paper. Don't forget to boost colour, texture and sharpness for even higher quality prints.

Where to print your phone photos for best results

Where you print your photos matters just as much as editing them well. There are cheap, consumer labs that have really poor quality printers. And then there are high quality print labs that produce outstanding prints and photo books.

I don't want to throw any particular lab under the bus, but the whole "you pay what you get for" motto does ring true for most labs.

That being said, I found a great photo lab in Canada (Posterjack) that I use for all my iPhone printing. I don't get a commission or discounts for sharing their name, I just love their products so much! Especially their photo books and peel and stick prints.

So if you're ready to get those photos off your phone and create prints once and for all, remember to edit them in Lightroom and choose a high-quality photo lab for best results.

PS: Need help editing? I created a quick crash course for you:👇

•••

Hi I'm Gabrielle. I run a full time photography business in Winnipeg, specializing in portrait and commercial photography. This newsletter started with my passion for helping everyday people realize their full photography potential. With a bit of technical and creative help, you too can take better photos with the phone camera you already have.

Find more of my resources here:

​Instagram • My Blog • Patreon • Learn With Me​

Gabrielle Touchette Photography

​Unsubscribe • Preferences • PO Box 46, Winnipeg, MB R2H 3B4