Why a photo beats another gadget
Ask a dad what he wants and you'll hear "nothing". What he can't get for himself is the photo of the car he was proudest of, blown up for the garage wall, or his father's portrait without the crack across it. Old photos are about him, and they don't need a place to be stored.
BeforeAfter10 sentimental gift ideas for dad
- 1
His first car, truck or motorbike, enlarged
A small snapshot of the vehicle he still talks about, restored and printed at 11×14 or 16×20 for the garage or den. Small prints need enlarging properly; see why photos print blurry.
- 2
His slides and negatives, scanned
Many dads have a carousel of slides nobody has seen since the projector broke. Get them scanned, restore the best ones, and give him a book or a digital frame.
- 3
A childhood photo of you two, recreated
You on his shoulders, the two of you fishing, the first bike ride: restage it today and frame the pair.
- 4
His parents, restored or in color
A portrait of his mother and father, restored and framed, or colorized so he sees them in color for the first time. Give the original too.
- 5
His service photo
If he served, his portrait in uniform is often the most cracked photo in the house. Restore it, frame it, and add his unit underneath.
- 6
The team or the band
His old ball team, crew or band, restored and enlarged, with the names written underneath while he can still tell you them.
- 7
The house or the shop, then and now
An old photo of the house he built, the farm, or the business he ran, beside how it looks today.
- 8
A calendar for the workshop wall
Twelve restored family photos, one a month, with birthdays marked.
- 9
A letter, framed with a photo
A handwritten letter about something he taught you, framed alongside an old photo of him at your age.
- 10
A photo book of his life
From his baby photos to his grandchildren, in order, with a line under each. Ask the rest of the family for the photos they have.
Getting the photos without him noticing
- Ask your mom, a sibling or an uncle. They usually know which box the photos are in.
- Photograph prints on a visit: flat near a window, flash off, phone straight above.
- Take the photo out of a frame on his wall, photograph it, and put it back.
- For slides, most local photo shops and libraries can scan them, or a cheap slide scanner does it at home.
BeforeAfter