Where to print?

 In my last blog entry we talked about the reason why we should print our pictures. The images are memories that matter and bring us joy, and they need to be brought to life. They are reminders of times spent with those we care about. We photograph to remember how people, relationships and special moments made us feel. Photographs keep those memories alive for the future. 

In todays entry I want to talk about where to go and order prints of your digital images. Not all photo labs are of equal quality and there are a lot of details that go into a great professional photography print. 

Way back there were 1-hour photo labs on every corner and in every mall. You would take the roll of film from your camera put them in a bag and drop them off for development. Then came the digital camera and suddenly there was no film to develop. Those kiosks abruptly disappeared, taking our photo printing options with it. Photo printing services went online, while most produce better results than the 1-hour labs ever did, unfortunately some online services are not the best choice for printing your images.

Before you order prints, consider a few things: 

Who is the print for? 

You may just be ordering prints for yourself. Or maybe you are also considering sharing the photos with other family members or friends. Sharing our photos digitally is convenient and easier than ever but doesn’t it lack the thoughtfulness that makes a physical print a heartfelt gift? By taking the time to select a specific photo and having it professionally printed you are turning a lasting impression into a memento of love that will be cherished for years to come. Printed photographs given as gift make memories and emotions tangible. A moment perfectly preserved in time and a very thoughtful and personal gift to share with those we care about. 

Where and how will the print be displayed?

Stroll through any home, and you will likely see walls decorated with photographs. Every person has a different home and their own unique sense of style and personal preference on how to display photos. For some people it is a large section of wall with a collage of carefully placed photographs or a single big, beautiful image. Others prefer 4×6 and 5×7 prints framed and grouped on sideboards or shelves.

How do you want your digital images printed?

 Photographs can be printed onto more than simply photo paper. Favorite images printed onto canvas, metal or wooden surfaces transform this work of art into a one-of-a-kind hallmark of the home. Or gathering all your favorite images and compiling them into beautiful photo book can be a great way to tell your story.

However the most common way to print your digital images is still the good old photo paper. Did you know that digital images printed on quality photo paper by a professional photo lab usually have an archival value of about 100 years for display and up to 200 years in dark storage?

 When printing your images you will be presented with a variety of options. Below I listed the most common ones with a short explanation. 

Glossy 

• Offers high color saturation and brightness
• Has a sheen/reflection on the paper

Mat 

• Less color saturation and brightness compared to Glossy paper
• Attracts less finger prints
• Ideal for framing purposes where reflections are best avoided

Metallic 

• Shimmering, pearlescent finish, which increases sharpness, brightness and color saturation 
• Resistant to tearing and curling
• Gives the photo a unique look and increased visual appeal

Black and White paper  

• Paper best suited for continuous-tone black and white prints

Surface Texturing  

• Surface texturing is a printing add on that embeds different texture patterns subtly onto the print. It makes the photo less shiny and gives a unique look to it. Prints with surface texturing are best suited for albums and photo books.

Besides prints on professional photo paper, prints on canvas or canvas board have become very popular. Here is what you need to know about canvas prints:

Canvas 

• Generally only larger print sizes are available on canvas
• Resolution and sharpness is lower than a print on photographic paper
• Often used in conjunction with a Gallery Wrap 

Gallery Wraps  

• Canvas is stretched on to a rigid frame and mounted on it
• Edges of the photo extend over the sides of the frame 
• Gives a very classical look

Once you have a pretty good idea of what you are looking for, size and material wise it is time to choose a printing service. Most photographers will offer professional photography print services. These services are usually fulfilled through a printing service that is only available to professional photographers. The quality of such prints is superior and well worth the money. If you do not wish to order professional prints from your photographer for whatever reason, please consider going with any of the three print services below. They are open to anybody and their print quality is the next best thing to photographer prints.

Mpix

Mpix is the consumer part of Miller’s Professional Imaging, a pro-only printing service. Mpix prints on Kodak Endura paper. Their E-surface choice renders pictures with rich deep blacks, and very true-to-life colors. The print quality is great.

Uploading your pictures is easy and the their website is easy to navigate. Once your images are in your Mpix account you can order prints in virtually any size, including options tailored to images for your phone (4 x 5.3 inches, for example). There are also options to print on canvas, woodprints, and more.

They are slightly higher priced but run sales frequently. 4×6 prints start at $0.24.

Printique

Adorama’s photo printing service. You can choose a range of papers like Kodak Endura or Fujifilm Matte. They offer the option to print the date and file name on the back of each image.

Printique shines with its photo upload process. You can import images from just about anywhere.

Printique is on the pricier end, but the extra money gets you much better prints. The Kodak Endura Luster paper gives you colors that are very true to life, with rich blacks and good details in both shadows and highlights. Just like MPix you have options for canvas, metal, wood and even acrylic prints.

4×6 prints start at $0.31.

Snapfish

Looking for a cheaper alternative but with decent quality? Snapfish might be the place for you. 

You can upload images from your computer, phone, or import them directly from social media. The website and app are easy to use. Only downside you’ll receive a lot of upsells for books, mugs, and more.

Less than a third of the price of MPix and Printique. 4×6 prints start at $0.09.

And last but not least a few general pointers on how to get better prints. A few simple things to keep in mind when uploading your pictures but which will make a great impact:

• Image files taken by a full-frame camera with a good lens are going to print better than anything you get from your phone. Picture taken with the phone tend to produce good quality for pictures printed no bigger than 5×7.
• Avoid printing pictures with filters applied to them. Frequently these will turn out to be distorted in color and out of focus. 
• A lot of photo services offer direct uploads from social platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. While this is rather convenient, please keep in mind that social media photos are compressed and the quality of your prints will be highly affected by that.

I know this is a long blog post and I appreciate you bearing with me to the end. I hope I was able to supply you with some food for thoughts but above all knowledge to make a well-informed decision when it comes to printing your digital images. Let me know in the comments below if this blog post was helpful or post any additional questions you might have.  

Thanks for reading.