Any specific labs for printing commercial works?

[ellery]

Interesting this Esty site is actually running on non exploitive model . The bump is you have to do everything - print either before or after orders come in, pack and ship. My 2nd hand experience (not my business) with online selling was that postage can be a killer in dollars and time. It could be more profitable than RF stock, if abilities ran more to artsy direction.

 

[Agetan]

By the way, giclee is French from spraying through nozzle... May sound sexy like Quattro for Audi, simply means 4 (four door).

Just digress here... Photographer who just started ( shamelessly including myself many years ago) like to use big words to impress (themselves mostly). So it is very easy to spot those.

So please make sure you understand what the words really means before jumping into using big words.

Regards,

Hart

 

[ziggy]

By the way, giclee is French from spraying through nozzle... May sound sexy like Quattro for Audi, simply means 4 (four door).

So please make sure you understand what the words really means before jumping into using big words.

I assume you are referring to me since I had first used the term/word here. Yes I am fully aware of its meaning as spelled out in my post.

Giclee IS inkjet printing but using the large format 8-ink or more printers and high end papers. But over time it has been used to mean all types of inkjet printing. Whatever it is, it usually means top quality digital printing.

 

[ellery]

Dude please do your research on the term. I live thru that time period, I read about the trials and tribulation of print making saw of the some of the works and then knew that hype reigns supreme in the art world over talent and genius. My big takeaway was who the fish can afford to cough up at least a quarter million to get an Iris printer. Grin maybe a former pop start - any one remember Nash Editions ?

It all starts with the Iris printer costly temperamental had a manual as thick as a phone book and ink formulations that were decided non standard each printer claims to have the perfect blend for color, for stability for longevity. The black art was in part ink formulation, operation of the print to irk out more performance out it or just to make the pice of crap work. If you think it refers to ink jets of the last 10 years, let's say when you talk to people who have deeper roots you sound not grounded in your craft. It is often in the details in the dim dark corners that marks the more knowledgable from the less so,

I assume you are referring to me since I had first used the term/word here. Yes I am fully aware of its meaning as spelled out in my post.

Giclee IS inkjet printing but using the large format 8-ink or more printers and high end papers. But over time it has been used to mean all types of inkjet printing. Whatever it is, it usually means top quality digital printing.

 

[JasonB]

I assume you are referring to me since I had first used the term/word here. Yes I am fully aware of its meaning as spelled out in my post.

Giclee IS inkjet printing but using the large format 8-ink or more printers and high end papers. But over time it has been used to mean all types of inkjet printing. Whatever it is, it usually means top quality digital printing.

I think you are being too sensitive.

But to topic, my take on this with assess the client. If the client is a curator or collector in the known, you are in heaven and walk among inner circle people, then go that expensive path. 95% of the time we are dealing with common consumers and facing market competition, so it sadly boils down to lowest cost with the most impressive appearance equals to profit (after deduction for conscience if you have)

 

[ziggy]

I think you are being too sensitive.

But to topic, my take on this with assess the client. If the client is a curator or collector in the known, you are in heaven and walk among inner circle people, then go that expensive path. 95% of the time we are dealing with common consumers and facing market competition, so it sadly boils down to lowest cost with the most impressive appearance equals to profit (after deduction for conscience if you have)

Ha ha. Well said. I am perhaps a bit too sensitive.

Yes, it's finally up to the client as top end printing is not cheap, most of them cannot really tell the difference, and even then only good if the original file is very good.

 

[heheapa]

Ha ha. Well said. I am perhaps a bit too sensitive.

Yes, it's finally up to the client as top end printing is not cheap, most of them cannot really tell the difference, and even then only good if the original file is very good.

This isn't true. The archival fine art printing doesn't need a very good (high res, noise free, ...etc) file. It's about the lightfastness and longevity of the print. You can print even a 2MP family photo with pigment printer and fineart paper. It's about how important of the print to you. You may not really tell the difference when it's printed but it will be significantly different over times.

Sometime, the print from non-archival media may look better compared to the archival media as they focus more on the "POP" factors, eg. the dmax, the texture, etc rather than the high R&D cost in print longevity.

And not just printing, for archival purpose you need to consider the factors of UV, humidity, fungus, acid, ...etc that hurt the print in times. and hence you need to make sure the photo is framed with archival grade material (from the varnish, the glass, matt board, back board, storage box even till the masking tape, glue and the handling process, etc)

For commercial works, many of studio or freelance clients told me that as long as the print can last for 2~3 years, they should get rid of problem, and I always ask them to give option to their customers as we won't know how important of that photo to the client. That could mean it's the last and the only photo for the family.

 

[Agetan]

This isn't true. The archival fine art printing doesn't need a very good (high res, noise free, ...etc) file. It's about the lightfastness and longevity of the print. You can print even a 2MP family photo with pigment printer and fineart paper. It's about how important of the print to you. You may not really tell the difference when it's printed but it will be significantly different over times.

Sometime, the print from non-archival media may look better compared to the archival media as they focus more on the "POP" factors, eg. the dmax, the texture, etc rather than the high R&D cost in print longevity.

And not just printing, for archival purpose you need to consider the factors of UV, humidity, fungus, acid, ...etc that hurt the print in times. and hence you need to make sure the photo is framed with archival grade material (from the varnish, the glass, matt board, back board, storage box even till the masking tape, glue and the handling process, etc)

For commercial works, many of studio or freelance clients told me that as long as the print can last for 2~3 years, they should get rid of problem, and I always ask them to give option to their customers as we won't know how important of that photo to the client. That could mean it's the last and the only photo for the family.

It is more important as a photographer to look at what they want.

For me, I would love to produce something of the highest quality at this point of time so clients can pass on through the generation. This is my need and client might not know this is what they need until everything is gone.

I believe if that I do this enough, I can create a legacy for me... selfish I know, but that is how I can sleep better at night knowing I have done the best I could.

Regards,

Hart