Where does everyone print their photos??

Katie1987

Katie1987

Senior Member
I don't do a lot of printing - share many of my photos online with family and friends, but when I do need to print some I've been disappointed with the quality of the prints. Admittedly I used Target Photo because it was mostly more convenient for me. But my last batch of prints I picked up from them were just god awful and nowhere close to what I had submitted to them (colors were off, clarity was compromised, the crops were wrong).


Anyone suggest a better place to send their prints to? I don't mind spending a few extra dollars each time if it means that my prints are much more professional looking and more as I had intended them to look like :)

Also, if anyone has any place they absolutely would not recommend, that'd be good to know too so I can steer clear of this mistake again in the future! :)
 
BackdoorArts

BackdoorArts

Senior Member
The quality of the photo printers available out there has me currently doing anything at 8.5x11 or smaller at home on my Epson R280. I'm currently looking to get a 13" printer and am researching that. Fortunately for me, my brother does gallery printing as a side business, so if I want something bigger I can go through him, but I've also used local camera shops to do poster sized shots as well with great results. I tried going a little cheaper with places like Kinkos (Staples) and others, but they do little to no printer profiling, so what you see on your monitor or theirs is never what they attempt to deliver (I've never actually paid for a print there, but have ripped up half a dozen before giving up). I suspect the Targets and Walmarts of the world are the same - they just take your image file and however it comes out is the way it comes out.

Find yourself a good, independent camera shop and see how they do. And invest in a good printer for home. And if you can get your monitor calibrated so that what you see there is what you get on the printer, it'll go easier on you. If not, Lightroom 4 now has soft proofing that will allow you to adjust for specific printers and paper types, so you can use that to learn how to best tweak what you see on your monitor so that it prints the way you want it to.
 
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TedG954

Senior Member
I don't print often, but when I do, I drink Dos XX. :very_drunk::very_drunk:

Actually, I use Walgreens.

Often they have sales and discounts on everything like $1.99 8X10s and half price posters 11X14 and up.

My local store does a nice job and it's far more economical than DIY for me.
 
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Carroll

Senior Member
I live in a small town, where your choice of printing photos is Wal-Mart or Walgreens...soon will have a CVS available when construction is completed.

I use Walgreens, because they have a 1-hour service, and will make glossy prints. Wal-Mart offers matte for 1-hour service, and I prefer glossy.

I have found out that Jake is correct in stating that what you see on your monitor is not necessarily what you will see on your print. Everything, not just color. Contrast, cropping, and all the other things that you so carefully edited to get your image just the way you like.

What I have done is figure out what the "Photo Lab" does at Walgreens or Wal-Mart. They have software that automatically adjusts the photo file that you submit to them, either off a CD, card, or through the internet. Cropping is preset, and they do not re-size it like you would. In other words, they make changes to what you give them, in hopes that they will give you a great print, and you will come back and spend more money with them. (My guesses from what I have seen...)

At my Walgreens, it costs me 19 cents for a 4x6 print. I have learned to lighten my images just a tad, and to give my images a white border. Thus, I send in the image that is about 95% of a 100% image... The white border takes care of their cropping, so that I still have the entire photo I sent, and the very light adjustment they give the image is taken care of by my lightening...hope that all makes sense...

In other words I have experimented with what I send, so that I get back what I want. I really don't have to make big changes, and I automatically know what to do with images I transmit to them from my computer. So, for 19 cents I can preview my image, or use them to figure out how edit images to send to them. And, I like the instant gratification...usually in 30 to 45 minutes I have my prints.

Walgreens also has an option for you to transmit a high resolution file to them, and they will not make any of the changes that they normally would to produce a print. This is what I use. It is slower, but the results are much, much, better, IMO. Minor changes are still applied to the image... I think Wal-Mart has, and does, the same thing.

You may already know all of this, and I apologize if I duplicate information here.

I have not had anything printed bigger than 8x10. I have had really excellent results from Walgreens here.

I am sure there are members who work at Photo Labs that could give you further tips about their service, and perhaps they will lend a helping hand.

I have learned that printing is a whole 'nother world in the Photography Universe...and I have a LOT to learn about it!

Have a Great 2013!
 
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Mike150

Senior Member
DosXX??? Email one to me.

I always got my best results by lettime my grand daughters sit in front of the monitor with paper and a box of crayons.
Actually, I have an HP all in one that is now on my wife's computer. It was great for sizes up to 8x10, but it was very tempremental with paper from anyone but HP.
I just got a Canon (yes I said canon) Pixma Pro9000 which can go up to 13x19. I bought that because of the super deal I got. I just have to get busy with the camera now so I'll have something to print with it.
 
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cdly

Senior Member
does anyone use Snapfish or Shutterfly? I have seen some picture books and calendars from there that are pretty good. Of course I didn't see the original photos, just the end result...
 
Katie1987

Katie1987

Senior Member
Thanks all for the great tips! I might test a few on our printer this week and see how they turn out. Ted - I could go for a Dos XX, unfortunately I'm growing a baby inside me at the moment :) 3 more months and I will be!

I've heard mixed reviews on Shutterfly by people online, but my friends seem to be happy with stuff they've printed from them. Granted they aren't doing more advanced photography.

Anyone used Costco? I've heard they are half-way decent. I've also read about MPix.com - claim to provide "professional quality" printing, appear to be geared toward professional photographers, but anyone can print from them. Anyone have experience with using their service?


I think I'll first try our local photo store where I've bough lenses before (I like to support the local companies from time to time :) ) also have a coupon for discounted prints so should give me a good excuse to try them out!
 
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unkyjohn

Senior Member
I use Costco here in UK when I need any printing done, I have had 4 calendars made in the last fortnight and the colours and cropping are fine.
 
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Dave_W

The Dude
I have an Epson R2000 and am very happy with the results. And Ozarkite is right, printing is a whole other world and it takes a lot of patience and effort.
 
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Rick M

Senior Member
I use Nations for all of my printing, excellent quality, service and prices. I recently ordered 2 16x20's for a customer and the package had a slight dent on the corner (I always request that they do not roll my prints) which resulted in a 1/2 inch minor crease in one of them on the corner (not visable when framed). I called them and they fed-ex'd 2 new prints the next day, no questions or returning the damaged one.
 
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