Looking for a printing company that can advise

[RobbieKB]

So I'm looking to print and sell some work and I have people lined up to buy them. However, I really don't know where to start with printing. In the distant past I've used crappy generic websites and I'm always disappointed with the quality.

I would like a printers who will talk to me about the print and will know if it's going to be under-exposed or spot any problems before I fork out. My monitor is properly calibrated but every time I get a print done it comes out under-exposed. Who do you lot use?

(I vaguely remember there being a guy on PH who can handle this sort of stuff, but I couldn't find any threads when I searched.)

[Pickled]

Prints will always appear darker than shots viewed on a screen - screen backlights, whereas a print is reflected light. Lightroom has a soft proof option that gives you an idea what the printed version will look like. Normally when printing anything I bump the exposure up a bit in LR (between .025 - .05 on the exposure slider)

I'm sure Loxley or DSCL will advise if you give them a call after you sent them your files.

[Simpo Two]

Pickled said:

Prints will always appear darker than shots viewed on a screen - screen backlights, whereas a print is reflected light.

This could be part of the disappointment - no part of a print can be brighter than a piece of white paper. Can you post an example?

[LongQ]

RobbieKB said:

(I vaguely remember there being a guy on PH who can handle this sort of stuff, but I couldn't find any threads when I searched.)

I think you may be thinking of Tim who specialised in canvas prints but as I recall he has moved on to other things these days.

Turn your monitor brightness down to process for output. It will be a little nearer what reflective technology (paper) can offer.

How you light the prints can make a difference as well - but that's more of a gallery thing.


At the end of this month Phase One are running a webinar about printing using Capture One.

https://www.phaseone.com/en/Events/Capture-One-web...


Whilst it will be Capture One centric I have no doubt that general principles will be discussed in the Colour Management section so should provide some useful input. Plus they take type in questions during the session which can be useful.

Other than that - as has already been suggested contact the printers, some of whom have help sections that cover at least some of the ground.

You could also prep a few versions of images with different settings, crop out a representative 6x4 section at the intended print size and get those printed for, presumably, not too much outlay. Make sure you can tell which is which, then use them as a current and future reference point within your workflow.

Some printers may offer this sort of proofing for larger prints ordered in quantity but it's not something I have checked recently.

[LongQ]

Also - this might be useful reading.

http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/article_pages/c...

[Pixel Pusher]

RobbieKB said:

I would like a printers who will talk to me about the print and will know if it's going to be under-exposed or spot any problems before I fork out.

Who do you lot use?

http://www.bayeux.co.uk/home

or

http://www.tapestry.co.uk/print/

[LongQ]

This may also be useful.

https://uk.whitewall.com/service/Faq-image#AaiB-6


You need to scroll down to the Colour Management section.

I not they also offer a full set of samples on all the media they provide apparently using the client's image. Free other than for P&P.

An interesting idea.

[Craikeybaby]

If you're not in a hurry why not get some smaller prints done as proofs?

[RobbieKB]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I always bump my exposure up before print but it's simply guesswork and I've never been fully happy with the results. I will go through all the links and hopefully that will shed some light () on the subject.

[MysteryLemon]

If you want to send me an image you've been unhappy with in the past, I'll run you off a print on our system and post it out to you for the cost of postage.

We generally tweek files before sending them to print to get what we (as experienced printers) are happy with on our monitors that are calibrated to our printers. Of course we can print as is too.

[LastLight]

LongQ said:

This may also be useful.

https://uk.whitewall.com/service/Faq-image#AaiB-6


You need to scroll down to the Colour Management section.

I not they also offer a full set of samples on all the media they provide apparently using the client's image. Free other than for P&P.

An interesting idea.

I've used various print companies and Whitewall are the best I've found so far - though not cheap - represented by a number of prints of different media and of different size.

[LongQ]

LastLight said:

LongQ said:

This may also be useful.

https://uk.whitewall.com/service/Faq-image#AaiB-6


You need to scroll down to the Colour Management section.

I not they also offer a full set of samples on all the media they provide apparently using the client's image. Free other than for P&P.

An interesting idea.

I've used various print companies and Whitewall are the best I've found so far - though not cheap - represented by a number of prints of different media and of different size.

Re-reading the Samples offer I think it uses one of their images not a client image.

I have not used them but I recall looking at their offering a few years ago and thinking that it looked expensive but likely good quality.

Maybe not so expensive compared to the rest in the market these days? I'm not sure - it's been a long time since I compared.

[LastLight]

I'd say it is expensive! I've now bought an A3+ Epson to try to save money - shouldn't take long give their charges. But I was more happy with their prints than those from Print Space at a similar cost.

[RobbieKB]

MysteryLemon said:

If you want to send me an image you've been unhappy with in the past, I'll run you off a print on our system and post it out to you for the cost of postage.

We generally tweek files before sending them to print to get what we (as experienced printers) are happy with on our monitors that are calibrated to our printers. Of course we can print as is too.

Thank you mate. I may well PM you when I'm ready to print if that's ok. Do you have a website or anything?