How One Poster Helped Launch a Local Event With Massive Community Turnout
At PrintingCenterUSA, we love seeing print used to preserve tradition, celebrate community, and tell deeply personal stories. For Arizona photographer and designer Nicole Reynolds, this 2026 Pony Express poster was all of that and more.
What began as a creative project became a tribute to family, history, and a community event that has meant everything to her for decades.
About Nicole Reynolds
Nicole Reynolds is a Certified Professional Photographer based in Arizona, known for heartfelt portrait work and a lifelong passion for visual storytelling. Before photography became her full time career, Nicole worked for many years as a graphic designer in her own printing business. Creativity has always been part of her life, even through career changes and unexpected challenges.
In 2015, Nicole pursued photography full time, investing in classes, workshops, and professional training. Today, her background in graphic design and photography come together seamlessly, allowing her to create meaningful visual pieces for both clients and community organizations.
The Challenge
When the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office asked Nicole to design a poster for their 2026 Annual Pony Express Ride, the project was deeply personal. Her husband has been a Pony Express rider for more than 40 years, and the event is how the two of them met. One of the featured images even captures her husband handing off the mail to her son in law during last year’s ride.
Nicole needed to create a poster that honored the history of the event, showcased her photography, and worked effectively as a large scale promotional piece. The poster would be displayed along the entire 200 mile Pony Express route, hung in local businesses, and posted on community bulletin boards. It had to be bold, eye catching, and clear from a distance while still carrying emotional weight.
The Printing Solution
Nicole partnered with PrintingCenterUSA to print a full color, large format poster designed for maximum visibility and impact.
Poster Print Specs
Size: 11 x 17 inches
Quantity: 200
Paper Stock: 100 pound gloss paper
Ink: Full color front
Back: Blank
The glossy paper enhances contrast and color saturation, making the images stand out in bright daylight and indoor settings. The larger 11 x 17 size ensures the poster is readable from a distance while still showcasing fine photographic detail. Printing on one side keeps the design clean and focused for wall display.
These posters were created to travel just like the Pony Express itself, spreading awareness and excitement throughout the communities along the route.
The Impact
The finished posters will be displayed across Arizona, lining the 200 mile Pony Express route and appearing in storefronts, offices, and gathering spaces throughout the region. They serve as both an advertisement and a celebration of a cherished annual tradition.
For Nicole, the impact goes beyond promotion. The poster brings together her creative journey, her family story, and her love for photography and design into one meaningful piece. It is a reminder of how print can preserve moments, honor legacy, and connect people through shared history.
Thinking About Creating a Poster for Your Event or Community?
Posters remain one of the most effective ways to promote events, tell stories, and create real world visibility. Whether you are advertising a local tradition, fundraiser, performance, or community gathering, a well designed poster can stop people in their tracks and invite them to learn more.
How to Create a Poster That Gets Seen and Remembered
A great poster does more than share information. It captures attention, communicates importance, and invites people to take part in something meaningful. Whether you are promoting a community event, honoring a tradition, or telling a story that matters, thoughtful design and smart print choices can turn a simple poster into a powerful tool for connection and visibility.
- Start with a strong story: Choose imagery and messaging that reflects why the event matters, not just when and where it happens.
- Design for distance: Use bold visuals, clear hierarchy, and readable text that works from several feet away.
- Choose the right size: Larger formats like 11 x 17 inches create instant visibility in public spaces.
- Select paper that enhances your images: Gloss paper adds vibrancy and contrast, helping photos pop in varied lighting.
- Use our free design tools: Our free Online Design Tool and Adobe templates make it easy to build a professional, print ready poster even without design experience.
Pro Tip: If your poster will be displayed outdoors or in bright environments, choose high contrast images and limit small text. Your message should be clear at a glance.
If you are new to designing, download our free Adobe templates to fine tune typography, imagery, and color with professional precision. Both options make creating a polished, print ready poster simple and stress free, no matter your experience level. Next check your files in our free file review to ensure your project is exactly how you imagined. From bleed to resolution the file review will check and notify you of any printing errors to correct before sending your project to print.
Ready to promote your own event, tradition, or community story? Start your custom poster project today at PrintingCenterUSA.
Looking Ahead
Nicole continues to blend photography, design, and storytelling in her work, using print as a way to preserve meaningful moments and serve her community. Projects like the Pony Express poster show how powerful print can be when it carries both purpose and heart.
Explore more from Nicole Reynolds Photography by visiting her website and following her on Instagram and Facebook!
At PrintingCenterUSA, we are proud to help creatives turn their stories into print pieces that honor tradition, strengthen communities, and stand the test of time. Start your custom poster project at PrintingCenterUSA.
