diff --git a/client/python/cryoet_data_portal/src/cryoet_data_portal/_gql_base.py b/client/python/cryoet_data_portal/src/cryoet_data_portal/_gql_base.py
index aa8a2a326..0ab58d193 100644
--- a/client/python/cryoet_data_portal/src/cryoet_data_portal/_gql_base.py
+++ b/client/python/cryoet_data_portal/src/cryoet_data_portal/_gql_base.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import functools
-from datetime import datetime
+import json
+import logging
+from datetime import date, datetime
 from importlib import import_module
 from typing import Any, Dict, Iterable, Optional
 
@@ -215,6 +217,17 @@ def to_dict(self) -> Dict[str, Any]:
         """Return a dictionary representation of this object's attributes"""
         return {k: getattr(self, k) for k in self._get_scalar_fields()}
 
+    def _serialize_datetime(self, value):
+        if isinstance(value, (datetime, date)):
+            return value.isoformat()
+        raise TypeError("Unknown type")
+
+    def print_json(self) -> None:
+        """Prints a JSON representation of this object's scalar attributes"""
+        logging.info(
+            json.dumps(self.to_dict(), indent=2, default=self._serialize_datetime),
+        )
+
     @classmethod
     @functools.lru_cache(maxsize=32)
     def _get_scalar_fields(cls):
diff --git a/docs/cryoet_data_portal_docsite_quick_start.md b/docs/cryoet_data_portal_docsite_quick_start.md
index 73595a1d3..d39c35a61 100644
--- a/docs/cryoet_data_portal_docsite_quick_start.md
+++ b/docs/cryoet_data_portal_docsite_quick_start.md
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ for tomo in tomos:
     print(tomo.name)
 
     # Print the tomogram metadata as a json string
-    print(json.dumps(tomo.to_dict(), indent=4))
+    tomo.print_json()
 
     # Download a tomogram in the MRC format (uncomment to actually download files)
     # tomo.download_mrcfile()