Printing and framing

[AstroEd]

How do you all decide if a picture is worth printing and framing? Where do you go? I am just starting out and I know I am not good yet but really really am fighting myself because I want to hang two images I took. I went to Bedfords but got confused as to which print method to do, Metal, Metal paper, wrap around etc.

These are the 2 (Using the original files not these compressed FaceBook ones.

Are they worth it or am I wasting my money?
WHEN are they worth the money?
People are telling me to submit them to the Missouri Conservationist Magazine for publishing but I am a long way off from being that good.

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[RichF]

Only you can decide. Do you love them, do they have meaning for you?

 

[AstroEd]

These are very nice compositions and great subject matter, but seem a little "soft" to me. You may not be entirely happy with printed copies, if you plan to print enlargements. You should always make sure that you've done what you can to eliminate noise in the photo, either by using a lower ISO when shooting, and/or using software in post (e.g. Topaz DeNoise). What I typically do for photos that I am considering printing is first print a smaller copy (say 8x10), and see if I like the result. If so, then I'll scale up. Working with a local digital printer also is a good way to ensure quality - s/he can generally tell you how large you can go without compromising the image, and often will be willing to print a "proof".

Which medium you choose generally is a matter of taste. In my opinion, a great, sharp shot always looks wonderful on gallery quality, gloss paper, which you can mat and frame however you wish (although this adds expense). I like "floating" images on the wall by mounting to wood (unframed), or printing to metal. It all depends upon the subject matter and the effect that you're trying to create.

Hope this helps a little.

These images were saved to ipad from facebook post, my originals at home look sharper.

 

[RichF]

Another comment - over the years I have found my taste in my images have changed. So don't be surprised that what you hang on your wall this year might be taken down in a few years as you skills imrprove, you have a wider range of timage to select from, ...

 

[Jmaes]

As already mentioned, all that matters is that you like it.

Do keep in mind though that the larger you print, the crispier/sharp you want the image to be and the more obvious flaws in the image will become. So make sure you pick the appropriate print size.

 

[AstroEd]

As already mentioned, all that matters is that you like it.

Do keep in mind though that the larger you print, the crispier/sharp you want the image to be and the more obvious flaws in the image will become. So make sure you pick the appropriate print size.

I am thinking 11x16 or smaller long ways vertical.

 

[aolander]

Wildlife prints on metal look great as they show all the detail and have great color. You also don't have to frame them as you would paper prints. Not so sure you'd like canvas, but they can be nice. At the size you're thinking about, the metal isn't too bad cost wise, especially since no frame is needed.

 

[bleirer]

I print quite a bit. I'll give examples from Bay Photo since it is my go to, but quality shops will be similar. It doesn't have to cost a lot, but it can. You send them a jpeg or 8 bit flattened tif in adobe rgb or srgb. They will do color and brightness correction done by a human eye, unless you tell then not to. They have a softproofing profile for lightroom/Photoshop that is good for basic paper prints. You can push the fine art prints farther than the softproofing indicates. The basic paper print is a C type print. It is silver halide photographic paper exposed to light - led or laser, then run through chemical baths. Pretty inexpeneive, an 8x10 is $3.50, 14x20 about $20. Another paper print is a fine art print. This is a giclee - best quality inkjet pigments on archival paper, various surfaces. An 8 x10 is $24, 16x20 $50. Super high quality and archival along the 100 year line. They will mat and frame for you for a price, but it is easy to find precut mats and backing boards and frames online. Or you can cut your own. I use linen tape and hinge mount technique, because it is archival and makes it easy to change the mat. Local craft stores also have custom frame departments.

There are also a lot of ready to hang options. Fine art gallery-wrapped canvas is a great choice. You can either have the print on paper and fused to the canvas or printed directly on the canvas. 8x10 is $55 and 16x20 is $95. They will frame these for extra in a float frame, but they look nice unframed. Another ready to hang option is face mounted acrylic. The print is fused to the back of a sheet of 1/4 inch plexiglass with mounting hardware attached. Metal can be very nice as discussed above.

Personally, I'd advice getting a 8×10ish C-print to start, see if it looks good in print or if you need to brighten it or fix any missed dust etc. then decide if you want to go for the larger fine art paper, or metal, acrylic, or canvas.

 

[Andy Work]

If you like it, print it and hang it on the wall.

 

[Replytoken]

I find printing large, or larger, to be the acid test of image quality. Some images come to life and others show off their defects that you might not have seen on the screen. I would recommend starting with basic paper prints until you have things under control. Metal, and acrylic, can add up quite quickly, and what are you going to do if you do not like the shot? I also recommend a "snip test" if you are thinking real large. Print out a piece of the large image on an 8x10 so you can see what it will look like before spending a lot of money.

With respect to decisions, I am quite picky about what makes it to a print larger than 5x7 or 8x10. In al most all cases, unless the subject matter works with the technicals, I will not print things that are slightly off focus. On the other hand, I have a relative who loves to overcrop/oversharpen and print stuff that I would probably never keep in the first place, and he has friends who gush over his work. Then again, this audience knows little about photography, so I suspect they probably find the subject interesting, not unlike the images that are often shared on social media. So, you really need to know your audience. If it is for you and you print on paper, it is easy to update you displays. Print on metal/canvas/acrylic, then it becomes a bit more expensive and logistically challenging unless you have space or are comfortable with getting rid of your work.

Good luck,

--Ken

 

[jeffnles1]

How do you all decide if a picture is worth printing and framing? Where do you go? I am just starting out and I know I am not good yet but really really am fighting myself because I want to hang two images I took. I went to Bedfords but got confused as to which print method to do, Metal, Metal paper, wrap around etc.

These are the 2 (Using the original files not these compressed FaceBook ones.

Are they worth it or am I wasting my money?
WHEN are they worth the money?
People are telling me to submit them to the Missouri Conservationist Magazine for publishing but I am a long way off from being that good.View attachment 27039
View attachment 27040

It is worth the money if the photo makes you happy. My wife and I have a lot of framed prints and canvas and metal prints in our house. They may not be the most technically perfect images but they are ones that bring back special memories or just make us smile.

 

[Nimi]

Print away! And if you tire of it, take it out and put a new print in the frame. Frame Deatination (no affiliation) makes great aluminum frames, right here in Dallas. Invest in the better (anti-glare) glass. Stick to standard sizes.

 

[AstroEd]

Wildlife prints on metal look great as they show all the detail and have great color. You also don't have to frame them as you would paper prints. Not so sure you'd like canvas, but they can be nice. At the size you're thinking about, the metal isn't too bad cost wise, especially since no frame is needed.

What type of wall mounting are on the Metal portraits? I thought they were just flat sheets without hangers.

 

[DRwyoming]

What type of wall mounting are on the Metal portraits? I thought they were just flat sheets without hangers.

Depends on the lab you use. I've ordered a lot of metal prints from White Wall printing and they come with metal brackets across the backside of the metal that accept normal photo mounting hooks. I'm sure other labs have different methods. That's for larger prints as in 8"x10" or larger on small metal prints it's just a flat sheet of metal but they ship it with some adhesive backed hanging hooks that you stick onto the back of the metal.

I agree with others that only you can decide what's worth printing and after you print a few and shoot a lot more your judgment of what's worth printing may change. But one trick is to do any interpolation (upsizing) you need to achieve the print size you want at the resolution you want (e.g. 16x11 @ 300 dpi) and then inspect that image at a 50% view in a tool like Photoshop that allows you to zoom to specific levels. I generally do not do critical print inspections at 100% zoom (1:1 pixel view) as that's not how prints will typically be viewed in real life. Avoid mid sized views like 33% or 66% as that can lead to monitor artifacts that aren't actually problems in the image (e.g. straight lines taking on a jagged stair step look) as it splits pixels in your image across multiple pixels on the monitor but views like 25%, 50% and 100% avoid that problem.

But realistically it takes time to develop an eye in terms of what you want to print and how large you might want to print it.

 

[Replytoken]

What type of wall mounting are on the Metal portraits? I thought they were just flat sheets without hangers.

It varies from lab to lab. Most offer choices.

--Ken

 

[AstroEd]

It is worth the money if the photo makes you happy. My wife and I have a lot of framed prints and can as prints in our house. They may not be the most technically perfect images but they are ones that bring back special memories or just make us smile.

The Great Blue Heron was my first sharp(ish) close up Image that was not a Duck or Goose LOL. The Osprey was my first sharp(ish) Bird in flight that was closer than 800’ so in a way they are milestones for me.

 

[jeffnles1]

The Great Blue Heron was my first sharp(ish) close up Image that was not a Duck or Goose LOL. The Osprey was my first sharp(ish) Bird in flight that was closer than 800’ so in a way they are milestones for me.

Print them, put a mat and a frame around them and hang them on the wall with pride. MPix and WHCC do good jobs on prints as do a lot of the others. Metal prints are really nice too. We had some made wildflowers and are hanging on the wall now. I had the metal prints done at ProDPI. They did a really great job. Metal prints are more expensive but the richness of colors and just something nice about them.

Anyway, regardless of where you have them printed or print them yourself, you have photos to be proud of, they deserve to be displayed and enjoyed.

Jeff

 

[aj500]

Here's what I did when I had the same question. I had Walgreens print an image (less expensive), bought an 8x10 matte at the hobby shop. I made an inexpensive photo to temporarily hang on the wall for about a week. If after a week if I was satisfied with the it I would have Printque (formally Adarama Pix) print my photos, I would frame them and hang them.

 

[PhilcTx]

An attractive more economical alternative to metal prints are metallic finish papers such as Kodak Metallic. Ask the print lab for print paper samples.

I like gator board mounted prints that look good, are lightweight (frame-less), not pricey, ready and easy to hang.

Print what you like - not what you hope someone else will like. Before spending $$$ on mounted/framed big prints have them printed 8x10 or 11x14. If they look good at those sizes then you'll feel more confident ordering them mounted/framed at 16x20 or bigger sizes.