Clients often ask me where to have there images printed, and from personal experience, I know where to tell them NOT to have their images printed.
I remember the first 16 x 20 black and white image I had printed, it was at a "big box store", I was so excited to pick it up and how quickly that excitement was replaced with a profound feeling of disappointment when I saw that my print was not black and white at all, it was actually a green and grey. It sucked, it REALLY sucked.
Keep in mind if you are reading this post (and viewing these images) on a crappy uncalibrated monitor going any further would probably be a waste of your time.
Okay, now that only those with fancy shmancy calibrated monitors are left, let's move forward.
What I want to share with you today are two print comparison images from Wendy L. White and Corey Ann Photography.
They both took the time to have some of their photographs printed at a bunch of different places and laid them out so we could see the difference.
As they say, an picture is worth a thousand words, so let's get to them.
The first print comparison image is from Corey Ann Photography:
The next is from Wendy L. White:
If you follow this link it will take you to Wendy's site where you will see MANY more comparison shots.
Both of these images can be viewed much larger simply by clicking on them.
Be sure to visit both Wendy L. White and Corey Ann Photography as you will se some gorgeous photography from both of them.
So, today's lesson is... don't trust your valuable photographs to just anyone.
4 comments:
Scott,
Do you know when/if each lab's color corrections options were left on or turned off?
On some sites, like SmugMug and Shutterfly, you can turn off their auto color correction (which is always "on" by default). I have found that can make a big difference in how your printed pics turn out.
Ed,
That is a great question, I read both write-ups and they did not mention using any options.
I am assuming (yes, I know what happens when one assumes) that no correction or editing options were used, for two reasons:
1. Not all vendors offer the same options.
2. To use an option at one vendor that was not available at another would make it an unfair/inaccurate comparison.
Hope that helps.
Scott
Just to chime in (I saw the link coming in, thanks!) that I did post in the comments that basically I did whatever the company forced me to do. If I had the option to turn it off I did but I wanted to act like a customer and a few of the places wouldn't let you turn it off without a lot of searching and the average consumer wouldn't know to do this :) If I let it correct, I did mention it in the blog.
Hope that helps!
Corey,
Thanks for adding to the conversation, and for your great work in helping people understand the importance of where to have prints done.
Scott
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