Advice wanted about printing please

smr said:
Jessops do framed photos 30x20 inches for £48. Are they any good though in terms of quality?
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If you like white only mount boards and good luck deciding what each of their frame options look like.

What would you want to take that route over a professional frame company that allows you to build a custom frame to your exact requirement for similar money.

All you have to do is mount the print. It's not rocket science.
 
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Joel you have two problems. One is getting the printing right and the other is the framing. Printing isn't as easy as you might think - you have to reach a condition where the image on screen matches what what comes back from the lab in terms of tone and colour. So I'd experiment with that first, and for economy at smaller sizes. It's worth pursuing because it can be very satisfying to see your images in print form - you could say as well that it's the proof of the pudding.

Only once that trialling has worked would I go bigger.

Every town has a framer, so you could ask around to do with mounting and framing. To cut the cost down though you might buy an off-the-peg frame elsewhere (with or without mount), and install the print yourself, but ready-made frames and mounts as mentioned above come in a certain range of proportions and sizes which might not suit your preferred print size. So you've got to juggle this.

So to sum up, first get the printing workflow right, then think about framing.
 
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Ok, thanks. I think the best thing to do is get some A3 prints done from DSCL, quite cheap at £1.15 inc. postage? And see how they turn out, I've not calibrated my screen but have downloaded and installed their Lustre ICC profile so I'll see how it comes out once I've received the print.

or maybe like you say get smaller prints than that to check how the colours come out... the prices are very good.
 
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smr said:
Ok, thanks. I think the best thing to do is get some A3 prints done from DSCL, quite cheap at £1.15 inc. postage? And see how they turn out, I've not calibrated my screen but have downloaded and installed their Lustre ICC profile so I'll see how it comes out once I've received the print.
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Yes. A common problem these days is that displays are often too bright and you have to wind them down to about half brightness before a print will start to tally with what you see on screen, brightness-wise. Lots of info on the web and in threads on this forum.
 
droj said:
Yes. A common problem these days is that displays are often too bright and you have to wind them down to about half brightness before a print will start to tally with what you see on screen, brightness-wise. Lots of info on the web and in threads on this forum.
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See what you mean. I have an IPS Asus Monitor but the brightness when checking now was 100 percent!
 
Might sound a stupid question but if I order a few photos in 6x4" print and I'm happy with how the colour translates would I be ok to go ahead and order larger prints or can the colour change for whatever reason between print sizes?
 
No difference (prints) - the process is the same. So good idea. Brightness of 100% is crazy!!! 40 - 50% is probably the right area.
 
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Thanks, I've ordered some 6x4 prints to see how the colours translate, if I'm happy with them I'll order larger prints and then mount them with frames.co.uk's frames. Thanks for all the advice all, much appreciated. I'll have to check the forum posts if the colours come out all wrong!
 
smr said:
Might sound a stupid question but if I order a few photos in 6x4" print and I'm happy with how the colour translates would I be ok to go ahead and order larger prints or can the colour change for whatever reason between print sizes?
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With DSCL anything up to A3+ (I believe) is printed on their fuji printer so the ICC profiles you have should yield the same results for a 6x4", A4 A3, A3+ etc.
Maybe go with something a little bigger than 6x4 though. That's quite small and difficult to judge quality.

When you start printing larger prints for framing also ensure you leave a bit of a border otherwise when you mount you will be cutting off some of the image. You will need to take that into account when cutting or ordering the mount to ensure the aperture of the mount is the correct size.
 
An option I took was to get an A3 print (from Peak Imaging actually, but DSCL would have been cheaper) and use a frame and mount from Ikea for about £15 or so. Easy to do and it is also easy to replace the image later if you want.

One thing to watch out for is where the aspect ratio of the print differs from the aspect ratio of your photo. I think the D700 is probably a 3:2 aspect ratio, but A3 is different. That means the print shop would either have to leave white bands top and bottom, or crop something off. It's much better for you to control that crop, and give them an image in the target aspect ratio. It can be very annoying to lose some feature that you really like because the print house has cropped it off.

BTW @smr is that image from the Quantocks? Looks like something I recognise...
 
Thanks ^

Will look into this when I get some larger prints.

Got my photos from DSCL today, overall very pleased with how the colours look. Maybe one or two slightly darker than I'd like so I think just brightening each photo up ever so slightly will set me well, but the colours have come back ok. Apart from the zebra I think, I'll have to check the original, but looking a tinge of yellow for some reason.

20431434_10154779968187644_999423903677902168_n.jpg
 
smr said:
Thanks ^

Will look into this when I get some larger prints.

Got my photos from DSCL today, overall very pleased with how the colours look. Maybe one or two slightly darker than I'd like so I think just brightening each photo up ever so slightly will set me well, but the colours have come back ok. Apart from the zebra I think, I'll have to check the original, but looking a tinge of yellow for some reason.

20431434_10154779968187644_999423903677902168_n.jpg
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Make sure with DSCL that you are choosing the Pro option. This ensures they do not do any colour correction and will print the image exactly as you intended.
 
Well that thread made really interesting reading Joel! Great input from @ecoleman and @droj too.
So is there any further follow up on your printing Joel? Did you try upscaling the small prints to larger sizes and if you did was there any variation in print quality. Have you tried DSCL's fine art prints yet or do you think the quality of standard prints are good.
Sorry for the barrage of questions mate, just wondering if you took it a step further.
Cheers
Steve
 
Archie747 said:
Alternatively, I had some prints mounted on Diabond and hung them directly on the wall as I prefer not to use frames.
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With dibond, how are you securing the hanging to the material? Screw or glue? I have an image on dibond that i have been told requires Mirror plates for an exhibition, not sure how to attach. What would you recommend Archie747 ?
 
Geoff I think that you've got to negotiate this with the organisers / gallery, pointing out gently that at some stage they'll have to enter the modern world. Doesn't your Dibond print have a rail system on the back? Otherwise can't hook & loop ('Velcro') tabs be used?
 
@droj I suspect I will be mentioning it, regards rail system on back no. Was an additional option, at an increased cost, that I choose not to take duh! (I wasn't planning to exhibit in my defence) :) ... I'll take a look at the hook/loop Velcro, thankfully the items are small 12x8 approx So although not ideal I could SG the mirror plates on.
 
Superglue - or Araldite - but with these adhesives a lot's in the prep - ideally surfaces need to be clincally clean, and certainly grease-free as from fingers etc ...
 
Geoff Moore said:
With dibond, how are you securing the hanging to the material? Screw or glue? I have an image on dibond that i have been told requires Mirror plates for an exhibition, not sure how to attach. What would you recommend Archie747 ?
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Geoff,

When I researched the issue, I found very little information and the print firm I used would not make any recommendations. I bought some self adhesive fixings, but these are not visible from the front and are not mirror plates. However they are very firm and I have not had any issues. No idea if self adhesive mirror plates exist.

The exhibition I saw that had prints mounted on diabond probably used Velcro. Looked neater than mirror plates.

Regards
 
69Bonni said:
Well that thread made really interesting reading Joel! Great input from @ecoleman and @droj too.
So is there any further follow up on your printing Joel? Did you try upscaling the small prints to larger sizes and if you did was there any variation in print quality. Have you tried DSCL's fine art prints yet or do you think the quality of standard prints are good.
Sorry for the barrage of questions mate, just wondering if you took it a step further.
Cheers
Steve
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Hi Steve,

Yes a lot of interesting points and I've learnt a fair bit too. I haven't had any larger prints done yet no, been busy with work etc. but looking back into this now.

I went to see a friend the other day who is well into his photography and he uses a colour monkey calibration tool so I saw how that works. Now I'm looking into them as I saw it made a difference to his monitor when he ran the software. I asked him why it would constantly change but he didn't seem to know the exact reason why - maybe to do with the light levels in the room varying or something?
 
ecoleman said:
If you want a framed print then I recommend https://www.frames.co.uk/made-to-measure-picture-frames

Just get a print done from DSCL, then visit the site above. You can upload your image which helps you choose the right mounts and frame. Enter the image size information and order.

A few days later your custom frame arrives ready for you to mount your photo.
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Have you used this firm and if so would you recommend them?

Many thanks.
 
smr said:
Hi Steve,

Yes a lot of interesting points and I've learnt a fair bit too. I haven't had any larger prints done yet no, been busy with work etc. but looking back into this now.

I went to see a friend the other day who is well into his photography and he uses a colour monkey calibration tool so I saw how that works. Now I'm looking into them as I saw it made a difference to his monitor when he ran the software. I asked him why it would constantly change but he didn't seem to know the exact reason why - maybe to do with the light levels in the room varying or something?
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Hi Joel, I use the X rite i1 for keeping the displays calibrated, and it makes a hell of a difference. More so the first time you calibrate it for sure. You wonder why looking at your photos looks different on other monitors, well lack of calibration is the answer. If I take some of my photos to work and look at them on my uncalibrated monitor they look totally different .
I'm surprised your mate who is 'well into Photography' didn't know why calibration is an ongoing task. Well apart from the peace of mind that the display is accurate, and to ensure consistency in printing. The reason for recalibration is that monitors will drift, that can happen to the colour, brightness, contrast etc, this is generally due to temperature changes, heating of the backplane of the display. Also changes due to similar heating in the graphic driver card. (This is why you should not calibrate a display until it has been turned on for at least 30 minutes so it can warm up and stabilise). Then longer term through gradual degradation of components of the display and graphic card, the older the components are the more they tend to drift, having said that LED is much more stable than the older displays were. Then also, as the ambient light changes in the room this will have an effect. (The x rite can if you want it to automatically adjust the display for ambient light).
I'm interested in the printing because I'm selling more stuff now and I struggle trying to print with consistency at home, (it's just too much hassle) and using a lab has got to be the answer!
Cheers Steve(y)
 
69Bonni said:
Hi Joel, I use the X rite i1 for keeping the displays calibrated, and it makes a hell of a difference. More so the first time you calibrate it for sure. You wonder why looking at your photos looks different on other monitors, well lack of calibration is the answer. If I take some of my photos to work and look at them on my uncalibrated monitor they look totally different .
I'm surprised your mate who is 'well into Photography' didn't know why calibration is an ongoing task. Well apart from the peace of mind that the display is accurate, and to ensure consistency in printing. The reason for recalibration is that monitors will drift, that can happen to the colour, brightness, contrast etc, this is generally due to temperature changes, heating of the backplane of the display. Also changes due to similar heating in the graphic driver card. (This is why you should not calibrate a display until it has been turned on for at least 30 minutes so it can warm up and stabilise). Then longer term through gradual degradation of components of the display and graphic card, the older the components are the more they tend to drift, having said that LED is much more stable than the older displays were. Then also, as the ambient light changes in the room this will have an effect. (The x rite can if you want it to automatically adjust the display for ambient light).
I'm interested in the printing because I'm selling more stuff now and I struggle trying to print with consistency at home, (it's just too much hassle) and using a lab has got to be the answer!
Cheers Steve(y)
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Brilliant thanks for that very interesting.

So the good thing about having your monitor calibrated is that you are safe in the knowledge that what you then see on the screen is how the photo will look when printed?

I definitely could do with getting one I'll have a look.
 
A lot of people are hooked on shopping for stuff, but It's not essential that you buy a hardware device - you can calibrate a display by seat of the pants methods without one. You've no doubt got brightness and contrast controls in your on-screen menus if you call them up, and somewhere to adjust the balance of rgb channels (maybe in the graphics driver software). Believe me - I've been sending to print for a long time, since long before flat-panel displays appeared, and I've never had a print (from digital file) come back that was too light, or too dark, or had a colour cast.
 
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Do remember, if doing 'seat of the pants' calibration that if you calibrate against a print then the calibration will be affected by room lighting because you are comparing 2 different source of light. Make sure that the comparison is against 'daylight'.
 
Hello @Archie747
I bodged it :) went down the local haberdashery and asked if they had any of the black self adhesive double sided Velcro stuff. The lady smiled, then nodded, then handed me 1/2 metre for 50p . Worked like a charm. Its worth noting, when cut into 8 parts, They held x2 12" by 8" Dibond Alu prints. Felt very secure and made placement a breeze.
 
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