To all digital photogs out there - how do you print your images? So far, all I've used is Snapfish and they did about 10 prints. Color and everything was spot on and I really like what I've got. However, because 8x10 is not the aspect ratio I shoot in (I use 3:2), I had to get a bunch of 12x8 prints for certain shots where cropping was a no-no. Unfortunately, 12x8 are too damned large to frame economically, so I'm going to have to ghetto some wall-frames using mounting boards and epic skillz. I'm determined not to repeat this mistake, so I need to order prints from somewhere but maintain the aspect ratio of my shots. I've done a helluva lot of googling but every online printing service offers 4x6, 5x7, 8x10 and then goes straight to 8x12. Is there no way I can get, say, 6x9 prints done somewhere?
That's really odd, seeing that (as you say) 9x6 is a standard print ratio... much more so than 7x5 or 10x8. I use 9x6 prints more than any other size - my last client's wedding album had 75 prints, all 9x6. Whilst many of my photographer friends outsource their printing, I use our local Jessops for all my prints; I find that they are cost effective, the turnaround of 1 hour is fantastic and the print quality is brilliant. Some photographers go the extra mile and buy a printer and do all their printing on site - it's expensive at first, but if you do a lot of printing it'll save you in the long run.
I'm not pro enough to need a printer. I just dick about with my camera and occasionally want to splurge enough to get something printed. This time it's this picture: Happy To Be Done by angad84, on Flickr For her graduation present. Unfortunately, 12x8 is obscene for a framed shot, 8x10-ish would be ideal but not without raping the AR, which I don't want.
Could you not use photshop or whatever to add black(or white) bars to the sides of your pictures so the image file you send is the right ratio for the paper but the picture is how you want it and then just trim the bars off the picture? On a slight tangent, is there an easy (and free) way to crop prictures but keep them in the right ratio for printing?
I don't print professionally, my client base simply doesn't need it. Personal snap shot sort of stuff I do in my printer here at home. For stuff that will be hung on my walls, I use Silvertone. Both allow me to print in what ever size I want, what ever ratio I want. If you want something that you aren't finding online, go offline. The last time I shot professionaly in LA, I used the Calumet photo on N. Highland Avenue as a resource in finding everything I needed. They were very gracious and helped out. I bet they can point you to a great printer that will do anything you want done. IMO, it's always better to know a printer and develop a working relationship with them, then to outsource online. It's part of networking, and I have gotten a few good jobs and client leads from printers. Why not? you have all that dead space above her head. It would be a better image if you lost it. Looks to me like you didn't recompose after AF lock, and just left it that way it was. I bet an 8x10 crop would let you lose all that empty space and get the framing size you want. Getting too attached to an idea is never a good solution to a problem, something it took me a while to learn.
A few months ago when doing photography for a Uni event i used Costco to print the photos. They had a fairly decent rate and also from a quick check of the UK site they do 9x6. (Think costco membership will be required though) Chris
I'm rolling with an Epson 3880 myself, a lovely printer, but Epson does have more affordable options if you don't need A2. I really want to manage everything from taking the photo to a mounted print on the wall, but that's just me.
Is it the fact you just like a larger print? As a 6x9 has the same ratio as a 4x6. Interesting thing is that labs that use 6" paper could easily print this size, but what it comes down to is the labs printers having that profile size in their software. I work in a photo lab using DL430 Fuji printers (becoming very common worldwide). I'll take a look today and see if their is a profile in the software for that size. If found you could find any lab using these printers and request a special print. Or just do what Hamish said and just use that lab online.
Yeah, I'm going to nip down to Samy's and Calumet when I get the time (hopefully tomorrow). At the risk of sounding like Sontag, because I like it that way. I tried a 4:5, didn't like it, decided I needed to print 3:2. I compose through the viewfinder, my camera shoots 3:2, my shots come out 3:2. I'm not "attached to it" for any reason but convenience - cropping every shot I do to 4:5 would make me slash my wrists open. UK-based. I'd love to (especially the framing) but I haven't the space or cash, so... Yes, 4x6 wouldn't make a terribly impressive graduation present, I think. Thanks for having a look anyway
I print the majority of stuff myself and anything bigger than A3+ gets done at a professional printers. I *always* leave at least a 0.5in border all around the print (preferably 1in) so that it can be properly mounted/framed. I've heard good things about Aspen Creek Photo in the US... they come highly recommended by several professionals. Also, I prepare my print files separately to the files I upload to the web. They're much flatter as most papers tend to block shadows fairly heavily (a typical paper has 4 or 5 stops of dynamic range, which is why most images come out quite dark if the lab doesn't auto-adjust for you). I use Photoshop's Soft Proofing with the correct printer/paper profile applied to make sure everything falls within the printer and paper combination's gamut. Anything that falls outside of it is basically made up by the printer.
Thanks Tim, I'm going to bookmark Aspen Creek for the future but the guys at Bel Air Camera sorted my issues out for now
You can frame your work on the "cheap" and you don't even need too much space to do it. I'm usually using Ikea Ribba frames which are probably available in the US as well. I do change a few things from the original design. Firstly the backing board has to go away since it's the least "archival" material and it will be in direct contact with the print. So I replace that with a sheet of foamcore. I attach the print to the backing with acid-free tape using T-hinges and use medium sized vinyl pockets at the lower corners. Clean the glass with window cleaning solution, hoover the frame itself, which is a PITA since it's something like MDF and it usually takes a few times to drop the print in the frame without any crap between the glass and the print. At A3 size I mostly crop to the original aspect ratio of the matte, but since the aspect ratio is different for all of the frames (30x40cm (A4) - 40x50cm (A3) - 50x70cm (A2)) I do have to order mattes for the biggest frames. Those aren't actually that bad when you have a good relationship with your local framer. After mounting the print I use vegetable glue tape (don't know if that's the right word) to isolate the backside from dust. It's a tape that you run through water and then apply. When it dries it shrinks a bit and makes a nice block for dust. Lastly I use a couple of metallic mounts for the "hanging wire" which are attached with a couple of screws instead of the Ikea ones which are pretty much useless. Oh, and I slap a print information sticker on the backside as well when it's all done. You can easily do this kind of stuff on your kitchen table, but if you have more space, use it. Saves you from getting gray hair before your time. I've written about framing in my blog, so clicky.
Thanks Darkened. I've bookmarked your blog post and ordered a pair of prints from Aspen as well. If they work out, I'm going to keep using them. Cheap and awesome Rep'd accordingly.
I'm printing my pictures on Epson T50.Really like this device. As for me it's the most compact, easy in use and great in quality.
