Go print something! :)

Gubrz

O.* Gonzo's & Bentley's Dad
Location
Austin, TX
Name
Eliot
so i was getting bored and adhd about photography, so thought id obsess over using film
i bought a rollei 35 t on ebay
it all got me wondering "okay... how is this REALLY going to change my slump?!"
the only thing i could think of was that my photos would be in my hands, not in my digital frames all over the house
then i decided id have had them scanned and theyd be in the frames too...
so, really... the only difference was that id have something to hold.

that seemed silly
but, i thought id do an experiment
i went thru all my photos, and picked 3 that i thought would look good printed, not necessarily my fav photos, just 'good in print' photos...
just got them in today... WOW... it was so nice to HOLD a photo
i was giddy all day and running them around town to show them to family n friends
everyone basically had a similar reaction
something like "wow.. i saw them on flickr, but they look even better on paper!" or some such similar thing

so anyways
next time youre in a slump, or just bored, or... have an extra $25... lol... pick out 3 photos... print them... not 8*6 or something small and one hand-able
go at least 12*9, big enuf youd use two hands to hold em
try out some different papers
i know Canvaspress has like 4 diff types, im sure the other guys have similar products
i almost printed 1 photo 4 times just as examples of how the papers all looked
but instead, i picked 3 photos that are processed differently enuf that i thought itd be interesting to see how they look different on the same paper

i tried out canvaspress.com(they are coincidentally 2 blocks away, no affiliation) and their metallic paper
it basically looks a lot like an aluminum print, but brighter, as its a shimmery pearly white paper, not a shimmery silver metal slab! :) (i still might up the exposure or brightness a TAAAAAD)
i like it, and it saves a huge amount vs going full on aluminum, and gaves me a chance to see how theyd sorta look to know if i really want an aluminum version made up

it also didnt hurt that the printer that handed me the photos said "wow.. some really great work there!" with eye brows raised in sincerity, no less!
hehe

so...

GO PRINT SOMETHING! :)
 
I don't print at home, but I use various online services depending upon usage. I absolutely agree; I have an archival box, around foolscap size. Every so often as a matter of course I go through my Flickr stream and print up my favourites. When people come around it is far nicer to hand them photos from that box than to sit them at a screen.
 
Great post. I enjoy all aspects of photography. In the end though, I love to look at prints. To me they are Photographs, rather than just images. People of all generations, including my hyper-digital kids, love to hold photographs, or view them nicely framed, or open a box and go through a bunch. It's a tangible, tactile pleasure.

I print a lot, and enjoy the process. But I love Gubrz's point about just printing a few you like. I think it's important that you really like them. Print for you. It can really refresh your love for photography.
 
Just started using a printer myself to complete the full photographic process. I even do my own mat cutting and framing. I'm still working with getting the prints to match the screen, but so far what I've seen is more than acceptable, at least to my eyes. I agree with Antonio, it's not a photograph until it's committed to paper!
 
I've been looking into printers recently, but it might be a while before I splurge on another expensive purchase. I know it would be more economical to use a printing service instead, but I think it would be really fun to have a hand in the entire process of capturing, editing, and printing.

By the way, the recent printing threads have inspired me to take printing a little more seriously. Thanks to everyone contributing to those threads. You've given me enough to start with so I can research it further.
 
I have a Canon 9500, I am very please with the results, comparable if not a smidgen better than the commercial printers. The Canon replaced a big Epson, much cheaper with better results.

Gary
I've been looking into printers recently, but it might be a while before I splurge on another expensive purchase. I know it would be more economical to use a printing service instead, but I think it would be really fun to have a hand in the entire process of capturing, editing, and printing.

By the way, the recent printing threads have inspired me to take printing a little more seriously. Thanks to everyone contributing to those threads. You've given me enough to start with so I can research it further.
 
I've been looking into printers recently, but it might be a while before I splurge on another expensive purchase. I know it would be more economical to use a printing service instead, but I think it would be really fun to have a hand in the entire process of capturing, editing, and printing.

By the way, the recent printing threads have inspired me to take printing a little more seriously. Thanks to everyone contributing to those threads. You've given me enough to start with so I can research it further.

In my experience Canon and Epson will both give you good results. One thing to measure carefully is the real cost of the ink. In particular, look at the price mer ml of the cartridges. Larger cartridges will, on average, deliver a lower per ml cost and over time it adds up. For example, and Epson 3880 (awesome, and in my view peerless printer) can be had for under $1k when on special. A full load of it's large cartridges is included, to a value in excess of $400. So this larger printer actually costs $500-600.

The Epson 3000 prints to 13", and has larger than average cartridges (though not as large as those of the 3880). Great printer.

You will read here and there about printers clogging with infrequent use. First, if you're going to use it infrequently, unless you are batch printing then why have a printer. Second, with the most recent models clogging is not (in my experience) an issue.
 
What 3 did you pick, can we see?

this one i think i did as 20" wide

7607396434_21f71f852a_o.jpg
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!P7190068 by Gubrz, on Flickr

i had printed this one out at 8/6 before, but it just isnt the same small
beware, its psycho hdr overload!

6897233461_e598ba9302_o.jpg
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Holy HDR disaster, Batman! by Gubrz, on Flickr

this one my middle super arty 13yo niece took(i did the processing for her, tho she did just NIK up her own work on our last outting! but i dont think shes into processing yet)
i got it printed to test the orange simplified look i have on a few photos, and to get her a print made for a crazy vibrant tourquoise frame i got her for her bday for it

6267557506_db82d2a693_o.jpg
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PA150844 (1) by Gubrz, on Flickr
 
I have a Canon 9500, I am very please with the results, comparable if not a smidgen better than the commercial printers. The Canon replaced a big Epson, much cheaper with better results.

Gary

In my experience Canon and Epson will both give you good results. One thing to measure carefully is the real cost of the ink. In particular, look at the price mer ml of the cartridges. Larger cartridges will, on average, deliver a lower per ml cost and over time it adds up. For example, and Epson 3880 (awesome, and in my view peerless printer) can be had for under $1k when on special. A full load of it's large cartridges is included, to a value in excess of $400. So this larger printer actually costs $500-600.

The Epson 3000 prints to 13", and has larger than average cartridges (though not as large as those of the 3880). Great printer.

You will read here and there about printers clogging with infrequent use. First, if you're going to use it infrequently, unless you are batch printing then why have a printer. Second, with the most recent models clogging is not (in my experience) an issue.

Great information! Frequent printing would not be an issue, since I plan to produce small prints for snapshots. My current all-in-one printer would probably suffice, but I also want the ability to print large as my photography improves. Before I tackle the project, I need to calibrate my monitor, learn about profiles, and look more into the best practices regarding sizing and sharpening for prints. I might be pulling my hair out and have an empty wallet after all of this.
 
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