On site printing, Help/advice

Pixel perfection

Pixel perfection

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19
Name
Thomas
Edit My Images
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Evening all,

After a bit of help/advice, Ive been asked to do a bit of photography work for a Christmas function. Consisting of portraits on a green back ground with a selection of background people can choose from. The photos would need to be printed on site allowing customers to take away.

My question is what would be the best solution for on site printing. Ive had a quick noisy around and dye sublimation printers seem to be the likely option, If so is this correct or is there any other options out there.

Also if anyone has any tip how to go about this gig would be much appreciated as it would be my first if I decide to take it on.
 
Pixel perfection said:
Many thanks mike. Any advice on a start out printer.
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Advise to me from Mike was buy two second hand DS40's if you cant afford two new ones! Why Two? You dont want to not be able to print on site at an on site printing event!.....simple really I suppose.

I ended up with Two New DS620 printers and very happy, couple of events in the bag now and Darkroom trial.......running but not as intuitive as I expected I have used LR for now to print from under Win 7 and 8.1 but 10 seems flaky so I am staying with 8.1 on my laptop - Not done any green screen stuff yet waiting for my brain to absorb Darkroom software.

Post Office did a nice 28month interest free credit card.....now thats how you sort your cash flow!!
 
Pixel perfection said:
Many thanks mike. Any advice on a start out printer.
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Really is no such thing as a start out printer, if you buy the good brands (and a current model) such as Citizen, DNP, Mitsubishi then you can still get media, far too many machines being offered on fleabay that there is no longer media available, never could use with a PC or just over priced - as an example this at £350 is fine, much more and it is in the realms of expensive http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DNP-DS-40...584337?hash=item1eba0f4f11:g:k7sAAOSw8w1YARuG

Mike
 
Many thanks guys for the information.

Tempted to go with a bokeh background instead of having the change the background as potentially working on my own.

I envisage there being time during the meal to print out the photos,

once the photos are printed will do any more that are required.

then having a cut off time to stop taking photos and print and left of pictures. then call it a night.

Still abit undecided weather to take it on as it would be my first event. All be it only the people I work with.
 
Pixel perfection said:
Many thanks guys for the information.

Tempted to go with a bokeh background instead of having the change the background as potentially working on my own.

I envisage there being time during the meal to print out the photos,

once the photos are printed will do any more that are required.

then having a cut off time to stop taking photos and print and left of pictures. then call it a night.

Still abit undecided weather to take it on as it would be my first event. All be it only the people I work with.
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Honestly I think you'd be mad to go with a green screen. You're just setting yourself up with far too much working alone on your first event.

Background done well (in advance) is better than elaborate green screen that could take you far longer than you expect per image to edit.

You also need to think carefully about lighting, if you haven't already. Any tweaks to exposure is going to take you more time as well.
 
Many thanks for the reply was going to try have a bit of a test run before hand as the venue is where I work, so hopefully have a rough idea as to how things will click into place.

Any one got any recommendations for printers should only be looking at around 100 prints so a bit unsure weather to go full hog and get one that I can potentially use as a bit of a side like business or just one that will cope with the demands that I'll need.
I'm watching the item mentioned above as food for thought.

Many thanks again guys
 
Pixel perfection said:
Many thanks for the reply was going to try have a bit of a test run before hand as the venue is where I work, so hopefully have a rough idea as to how things will click into place.

Any one got any recommendations for printers should only be looking at around 100 prints so a bit unsure weather to go full hog and get one that I can potentially use as a bit of a side like business or just one that will cope with the demands that I'll need.
I'm watching the item mentioned above as food for thought.

Many thanks again guys
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A good dye sub printer is going to cost you more than you want to spend, I can guarantee you that. The only viable option is for you to hire one - here's something to give you an idea of costs http://www.parker-photo.co.uk/?page=printerhire

You need to be realistic about timing if you plan to print there and then - 100 prints - depending on your skill level, is going to take you at least 1-2 minutes per image - that's between 1.5 - 3 hours editing. Depending on the printer, you're looking at 14-45 seconds per print. Times that by 100 and again, you're looking at another hour!
 
2 people, one getting punters and shooting, the other doing the PP and the printing. If 6x4 will be big enough (might well get some orders for bigger prints off the back of the smaller prints), the Canon Selphys would do the job. Not sure what the printers cost these days but last time I costed prints, they came out at under 25p per print (buying packs of 100 from 7dayshop).
 
Pixel perfection said:
Any ideas on software I've looked at darkroom but don't fancy spending £350
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Honestly unless you know what you're doing I'd sack off the green screen and build a half decent backdrop with Christmas tat - light it well and you're laughing.

You're also reducing your turn around time and chances of things going off track ten fold.
 
I've got LR, PS. I did a bit of browsing research last night. There is quite a few which offer free trial. Was thinking of maybe using one to see how it goes and go from there. The only problem I can see with that is quite a lot of the functions are restricted with the trial.
However if I use something along the lines of a selphy printer can't really see much need for software as it would be a case of taking the photo and printing the requested photos. Assuming the lighting etc. Was correct
I'm happy to be corrected if my thinking is wrong

Many thanks for the help guys. At the start of the week before any research I was thinking off putting it off, but now thinking of taking up the opportunity and a new challenge
 
Mark G said:
I'm looking at a selphy printer to go with my portable studio set-up. The only thing that turns me off is the 50 second print time. Would be interested to hear opinions on it.
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Don't waste your money, perfect if you want to make 1 or 2 images for family but a bit like using a Ford Fiesta to move house when you have a 20 bedroom manision if you want to use for event photography

Mike
 
Pixel perfection said:
I've got LR, PS. I did a bit of browsing research last night. There is quite a few which offer free trial. Was thinking of maybe using one to see how it goes and go from there. The only problem I can see with that is quite a lot of the functions are restricted with the trial.
However if I use something along the lines of a selphy printer can't really see much need for software as it would be a case of taking the photo and printing the requested photos. Assuming the lighting etc. Was correct
I'm happy to be corrected if my thinking is wrong

Many thanks for the help guys. At the start of the week before any research I was thinking off putting it off, but now thinking of taking up the opportunity and a new challenge
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I know many event photographers that use Lightroom

Mike
 
If this is a one off event, maybe a relatively cheap inkjet would do? The biggest problem with inkets is moving them around - the ink can get spilled (and makes a hell of a mess when it does!) but if they're removed for transport and kept in a sealed (tupperware or similar) tub, you'll run almost no risk of spillage.
 
To dry completely, yes but they're handlable after a few seconds (with dry hands!) Do a test print and see for yourself.

Using a backdrop rather than green screen, you should be able to set the camera up so no PP is needed. If your printer has a card slot (some do), you'll be able to keep swapping cards between camera and printer so you can be shooting a fresh set while the previous ones are printing.
 
Im sort of getting a bit of a plan together as time progresses. Or should I say a bit of a idea.

Just need to come up with a bit of a method statement as to how im going to run the event. Also a list of equipment i haven't got to facilitate me doing it.

I think my million dollar question at the moment is, the equipment I buy, do I buy for "one off" or do I raise the budget a little and buy equipment that could potentially be used as a little Friday/Saturday pocket money business
 
If you find decent kit 2nd hand, you'll probably be able to sell it on for a similar price that you paid should you want/need to.
 
Mark G said:
I'm looking at a selphy printer to go with my portable studio set-up. The only thing that turns me off is the 50 second print time. Would be interested to hear opinions on it.
Click to expand...
I use one for quick personal prints but wouldn't suggest using one professionally. The print time is relatively slow and the media has a rather obvious perforation edge on both short sides.
 
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