Quality Prints... where to go

[uniqcrafts]

I have had a few pictures printed at the local WalMart, but am not that happy about them. I want a picture that looks like a professional photographer printed them. Can WalMart print something like that? Am I simply ordering the wrong thing? Do I need to add texture to a photo? Is it the paper it's printed on? Please help. Where do you go to have your photos taken and do they look like somethine a photographer would print out?

[deedeeO]

Hi,
I use Mpix (http://www.mpix.com/) and have been very happy. when I first started going digital I used Costco, but after many heartbreaking attempts of achieving pro quality prints, I started testing other print shops where the personel were also pro photographers. it made a great difference. You may have to pay a little bit more, but happier with quality. Give Mpix a try...

[frank abramonte]

After many mediocre quality prints from Ofoto (Kodak), I decided to print my own. I printed the same photos both at home and at Kodak, and mine were far superior to the Kodak prints. Try printing a few different type (light, normal and contrasty) photos at home and at commercial sources and compare. You should correct the photos to your liking before printing.

[deedeeO]

You know Frank, I left out that little piece of information. And excellent point. I too found that my home prints were far superior than some of the lab prints. I ended up buying a "near professional" high end wide format printer (HP 8750) and I'm very pleased. I don't have to worry about color profiles, and calibrating my monitor as much (all though I will admit, I have yet to calibrate my monitor). And I love the flexibility of adjusting the print myself. I am currently exploring the use of artist quality paper on my printer, which will require a lot of tweaking since HP doesn't test their printing in that avenue. I currently just use their premium plus soft gloss paper (I find high gloss paper to be bothersome when home printing; and most portraits look better on matte anyway).

I do use Mpix and Photoworks San Francisco when I need to print 100+ photos and for customer/family proofs and speciality prints. Both places have done an excellent job in matching my color profiles to their printers....and they were very helpful in helping me achieve the best quality prints.

[frank abramonte]

deedee:
I agree, glossy is the worst for prints. Kodak used to make a "Satin" finish which was perfect for almost all type prints (perfect for photos in your gallery). They replaced it with a "Semi Gloss" paper which pretty much mimics the gloss. If you find a satin finish paper try it, I'm sure you will be more than satisfied. Matte lacks the depth of color which you get with "Satin" or "Semi Gloss". Whatever you use make test on each paper using the same photo. There are test photos you can download from Smugmug which incorporate all types of pictures and colors. These will give you an accurate gauge of the best settings for your printer and paper.

http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/364835

http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/54671

http://www.smugmug.com/search/index.mg?searchWords=test+prints&searchType=global

[seebee]

I also like Mpix for sending out my printing, and at home I've had nice results with the Epson Premium Lustre Paper. Unfortunately my preschooler has been sticking junk in my printer again & messing it up. :( (I've vowed that the next printer I get will somehow be kept out of reach for little hands!)

[msbrad]

Denise,
I didn't realize hp has a soft gloss paper. I'll have to look for thta.
And I've been eyeing the printer you have. Maybe one day. Right now,
the hp7960 is working still too good. Can't justify a new photo printer.
m

[deedeeO]

thanks for the info Frank. I too have used the satin finish by Kodak and was very happy with that as well. My other shopping venture for fine art paper is through Digital Art Supplies (http://www.digitalartsupplies.com/inkjetpapers.html). I am planning on purchasing a package of trial papers; which would also be great for print at home enthusiacists It should turn out very well. I find this site helpful as well for basic printing.

[deedeeO]

You can find the paper at Office Max, Staples, etc. I usually order online through HP...Free shipping...

HP Photo Paper online (http://www.shopping.hp.com/supcat/supplies/printing_supplies/paper/inkjet+and+all-in-one+paper/photo_papers)

My regular purchase is the 8.5 x11 softgloss and the 13x19 satin (for both photographs and scrapbooking 12x12). The prices online are the same as in the stores....sometimes the stores offer buy one get one free, but HP also runs the promo sometimes as well. For highest quality, get the premium plus...You will see a substantial difference in your photos, esp in color, if you use everyday photo. The quality is just not as good. And with premium plus the archival time is much longer.

[jlwilm]

My 2 cents on printing. Long story, but complicated issue.

I spent about 9 months researching colour management and ICC profiles before getting all the pieces that made me fell warm and happy.

Best site is one by KODAK that tells you how to configure your printer to their paper. It includes details for PC clones and Macs also and covers Photoshop CS2, and Elements 2&3. Not Elements 4 or 5, but the info gave me the insight to get 4 working right. Once you get the right path worked out, it is a question of identifying the ICC colour profile that are available on your printer, matching it to your paper and vie the right printer settings tell Photoshop to take over control of the printer to apply the Ink to the paper.

I don’t use Kodak paper, but their process worked. I shoot a Canon 30D in RAW format, with the colour space set to ADOBE RGB, have the colour management in Elements set up to reflect this and print on my Canon i9900 with paper from COSTCO and Ink from Staples.

URL for KODAK site is:

http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/member/photoPrinters/ICCProfiles.jhtml?id=0.1.14.32.23&lc=en


It is a combination of Paper, ICC Profile, Printer settings and the right printer. The KODAK site is a couple of years out of date so there may be other printers capable of being operated in this way.

For me it was “Printing Gold”. I had been printing at COSTCO.CA and was pleased with the results. In September 2006, I purchased a CANON i9900 printer and started out applying the principles from the KODAK site. I had some minor differences in the colours, especially in the aquamarines. I had a shot that I had taken at a local marina – lots of aqua boat covers and this is where the difference showed up. Took both shots back to the marina, similar lighting conditions, my i9900 printer was bang on.

At COSTCO, I was printing all of my stuff with an option selected that I only found at COSTCO – telling them to do no colour correction. COSTCO allows you to download ICC colour profiles for their printer (varies store to store). Photoshop CS2 allows you to map your print the colour space of a ICC colour profile. Save the image, upload to COSTCO and magic should happen. One of these days If I upgrade to full Photoshop, I will continue the experiment, but for now what I see on the screen prints perfectly on the printer and I am happy with all of the colours.

[uniqcrafts]

What does everyone think of the cost factor of printing them yourself? How expensive is it... twice as much, 3x as much to print them yourself? What do you think?

[CarolLHB]

I stopped printing myself, primarily because I didn't like what was coming off my printer and didn't want to invest in a new one (alathough the $800:eek: Canon Pixma I saw at Photoshop World was amazing) and started using a professional lab-4x6's are .29, 5x7's 2.99 and 8x10's 5.99-a little steeper than the drugstores etc, but tremendous quality and service and never an issue with showing cards etc or questions about ownership. So until I can afford the Pixma I'm hangin' with my peeps at the lab-great service and amazing quality.:)

[cats4jan]

For me, the ability to control the printing process and to immediately redo if I'm unhappy - makes the extra cost of home printing well worth it.

I use only high end paper - specifically made for my printer - and I like the feel of heavy weight paper.

For making greeting cards with graphics, I use double sided matte coated cardstock - 10 to 12 mil.

For printing scrapbook pages, I use semi-gloss.

For printing 4x6's and 8x10's, I use gloss.

My current printer is an Epson R800 - but I was just as happy with my Canon I-950's prints.

I know this isn't the most cost effective way to print - but I so often find I don't like my project as well after it's printed, so the ability to tweak it after it is printed - to me, is worth the price of home printing.

This is my hobby - money is secondary to the fun aspect of this.

[Bob_Benner]

I give another vote for Mpix.com. I have had a few images printed by them and they have never let me down. I always get thier matt finish, I tend to stay away from glossy. Give them a try, you will not be dissapointed.

[seebee]

At COSTCO, I was printing all of my stuff with an option selected that I only found at COSTCO – telling them to do no colour correction. COSTCO allows you to download ICC colour profiles for their printer (varies store to store). Photoshop CS2 allows you to map your print the colour space of a ICC colour profile.

Whoa, Costco actually lets you turn off the color correction??? You're right in that most places don't seem to give you that option. (Mpix does, which is one reason why I like 'em.)

[uniqcrafts]

Thanks soooo much for everyones input. Sounds like I will be looking into MPix. Never heard of them before now.

Thanks again!

[frank abramonte]

I stopped printing myself, primarily because I didn't like what was coming off my printer and didn't want to invest in a new one (alathough the $800:eek: Canon Pixma I saw at Photoshop World was amazing) and started using a professional lab-4x6's are .29, 5x7's 2.99 and 8x10's 5.99-a little steeper than the drugstores etc, but tremendous quality and service and never an issue with showing cards etc or questions about ownership. So until I can afford the Pixma I'm hangin' with my peeps at the lab-great service and amazing quality.:)

Carol, I don't know which printer your using but I have a 4-year old Canon i560 which cost $129.00 and prints beautiful photos, (I'm a retired printer with many years in quality color printing). You don't necessarily need a $800.00 printer to get excellent results. Most of these expensive printers come with more than the 4 basic colors which help compensate for inadequate color corrections of the photo, or to achieve certain unprintable shades of colors (however, there are times when having additional colors will help in getting museum quality prints). Most printers come with auto enhancement software or you can manage the correctons in Elements. If your photos come out well when printed outside, then you should be able to get the same results with your own printer, unless it's totally incapable of printing good prints. Ask your peeps what printer they are using, use that as a guide. Also, find someone who can explain what you should do to get the results you want at home. You are apparently correcting your photos well enough to print outside. The Pixma comes with 2 black inks. Hope this helps

[uniqcrafts]

I just ordered the identical picture I ordered somewhere else from MPix to try out. What's the difference between matte and pearlized? I ordered the same picture, one matte one pearlized and the other was glossy from somewhere else. I can't wait to see what they all look like.

[uniqcrafts]

I just wanted to let everyone know that I just received my order from MPix. I ordered the same picture, one was matte finish the other was pearlized. So for everyone else that would like to know, pearlized is gloss. To me it does not look like a semi-gloss or a satin finish just a simple gloss. It really is a good way to figure out what type of finish you like though.

Has anyone tried the stretch canvas? Where did you order it from? How did it turn out?