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Print lab recommendation
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Hi all,
I’m an amatuer photographer who runs a small blog (http://www.thestrayphotographer.com” onclick=”window.open(this.href);return false;) and I’m looking for some advice on printing.
A while back I purchased the photocrati theme for my website with the intention of using the ecommerce galleries to sell prints on my site. I have some friends and family who I know would be interested in buying prints, so this may provide me with a good platform to make a little cash and pay for gear and travel expenses.
Now with some time on my hands I am hoping to get this side of things up and running. The idea I have is to recieve payment via paypal, then email the photo to the lab, and have them send it onto the client once printed. I have no real experience with printing and have a number of questions I’d like to ask.
Firstly I should mention that the majority of my prints will be landscape or general travel photos.
1) Initially most of my clients will be based in Ireland and some in the UK. Can anyone recommend an online lab that service this area? I’m Irish myself, although currently travelling long term, so I’d prefer to use an Irish lab, and would love to hear your recommendations.
2) Should my monitor be calibrated? (Right now it is not) If yes, what sense would it make if my monitor is calibrated, but not against the printer which will actually print the photo?
3) I have heard that some labs offer color correction. Is this a good option for me given that my monitor is not calibrated? Is there a chance that the human doing the correction, could take away from the creativity etc? for example in a split toned image. I have read that test prints can be ordered for comparison, but I am travelling long term and have no fixed address, so it’s not an option for me.
4) If color correction is carried out by the lab, do they also fix things such as exposure? I am thinking in the case of a black and white image, where the blacks will generally print out darker than seen in the monitor. If my levels aren’t adjusted for the printer, will this be an issue? Are there rules of thumb regarding where my black and white point should be set for printing?
5) I see that most labs offer a myriad of paper types and sizes. Is it best to keep things simple regarding the options that I offer to a client? For example one paper type and 3 or 4 sizes, or should I offer more expansive options?
6) Do most people generally only offer the print and have it sent, or have it framed by the lab? Do labs generally offer framing too?
I would be extremely grateful for any advice.
Thank you very much for your time
__________________GMS are an Irish company, they have an online ROES system taht you can upload your images to and they well send directly to your costumer. They offer colour correction aswel. I have ysed them and the quality is first class.
ken
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