Today, I received a package full of beautiful things. I love getting packages in the mail...in particular, I love when prints are delivered. From almost every session that I photograph, I order prints of my favorite images. These prints are not to sell, they are for me. Maybe it sounds weird, but stick with me.
I have always considered myself a fine art photographer. I love film & beautiful prints, the bigger the better. When I was in college, I rarely made prints smaller than 11x14, but typically I printed 16x20. (That is probably why I was so broke...50 sheets of 16x20 paper wasn't cheap & I went through many boxes!)
I love to fill my home with art. Photographs, paintings, ceramics...any & all art. I frame my kids artwork and display painted rocks or found objects through my home. Art makes everything better!
I am asked by clients (and friends), on occasion, why photo prints don't look as good as digital files? There is more than one answer to this question, but one reason could be the print lab you are using. I have tested many labs, professional & consumer, and the results were extremely varied. There are some great labs out there and there are also some real stinkers.
When someone hires a professional photographer, the expectation is that they will receive professional images. This goes beyond what is captured in camera during a session and the fine tuning that happens in post production. When you receive your high resolution, digital files, that shouldn't be the end of the story. You've gone this far to create beautiful images...keep going.
The amount of time, effort (and money!) that a client & photographer spend preparing for a session, the session itself and post processing of images to create beautiful pieces of art should not be wasted by turning over the files to a lab that is not dedicated to producing the highest quality product possible.
So, you're probably thinking this is all a ploy to sell you prints? Well...yes & no. Would I love for you to purchase prints from me? Of course! After all, I am a business.
I've tested many images & my equipment is calibrated to achieve quality results specifically with the lab I use. What does that even mean? It means that after I've spent hours editing & processing photos, what I see on my screen is what you will see when you receive your print.
If you decide that you aren't ready to purchase prints or would like to purchase elsewhere, I'm happy to recommend labs that do a good job. They may not be the exact quality, but they come pretty close.
At the very least, please, please, please have prints made. Large prints for your wall, small prints for counter & desk top, books for the coffee table...just don't leave them in a file on your computer.
Make your home beautiful...fill it with objects, painted rocks, and yes...photographs.
recent client prints to fill my walls...(and one personal image){sizes pictured: 12x18 and 8x12)