4 Ways to Turn Personal Photos into Display-Worthy Art

The personal photo was once a rare and valuable thing. In the olden days, folks had to sit around for long periods of time just to take one portrait. And even as recently as the 1990s and early 2000s, there were plenty of non-professionals using cameras that required physical film. Each shot was a bit more valuable back when our cameras didn’t have nearly unlimited space.

Today, though, photos feel fleeting. We send them to friends and delete them from our phones. We post them on social media, rake in the likes, and then forget about them. We even use apps that automatically delete our photos after we send them.

There are good things and bad things about this, of course, but some of your photos deserve more attention than they get. Let’s find ways to honor your most meaningful shots and bring your friends, family, and memories into the personality of your indoor spaces. Here are four ways to transform your photos into art that deserves a place of honor in your home.

Canvas printing

There’s nothing wrong with printing out a photo on photo paper and slapping it in a frame, of course, but why limit yourself to such a simple and familiar way of displaying photos? With modern printing options and their low prices, you have bigger and better alternatives to simple frames.

Among the best alternatives are photo canvas prints. Transform your photo into a real piece of art by getting a custom canvas print made. A tasteful vacation shot or a portrait of a friend will look more meaningful and better suit your beautiful space when you opt for a medium that communicates your taste and the value that you place on your personal art.

Photo frames and hanging in groups

Framing a photo is a classic choice, but it can also be a bit boring. One simple and affordable way to spice things up is to hang your wall art in groups. Invest in similar frames or carefully curate a selection of tastefully mismatched ones and arrange your personal photos in a cluster. Ideally, your personal photos will feel individually important even as they share their space with other memories — just as they do in your heart.

Free-standing photo items

Your wall is the obvious place to put your favorite personal photographs, but it is far from your only option. A freestanding frame can make your personal photo look at home on a shelf or an end table. And then there are all of the objects that you can create using a photo, from tasteful paperweights to fun and affordable coasters.

You have tons of options here, so just keep in mind that you’re trying to create something that is really worthy of display. Invest in something with a sense of permanence, and you’ll always be able to keep it out and in a place of honor.

Commissioned art

Your photographs are beautiful to you, but it’s possible that not all of them feel “display-ready.” Getting a canvas print is one way to solve this problem. Another is to turn to a reliable and talented artist and hire them to create a piece based on your photo.

The right artist can create the same image while giving it the weight and texture of a real painting (or of some other form of art — you could hire anyone from a painter to a collage artist). Artists can eliminate background distractions or change colors and lighting at your request, too. Look for great artists to hire at local craft fairs or via online marketplaces.