Recently I have noticed in the critique form that on several images suggestions are made, and the photographer talks about how the print looks in a response.
I actually do not print many of my photos. I use them on my computers (I am a software tester), but I do not print many photos. I do not own a printer, so when I do have them printed I am having a shop print them.
So I am just curious, what percentage of your photos do you print? If you print a high percentage, do you own a printer and print them yourself?
For me since I consider myself rather old school in that seeing an image printed is the culmination of my efforts. So I print all my work that I consider worthy of keeping. I own an Epson 1280 and have plans to buy an Epson 4800.
There is something "final" in holding a print in my hands that seeing it on screen can never really match for me.
I fall in line with Rick, for the most part: Basically, if an image is worth working up on the computer, it's worth printing, at least on letter size.
Entry cost for doing it "my way" is pretty low, even if you do run up the paper and ink costs. For these prints I use an epson C84, for which I paid less than $100. It's out of date now and there are comparable successors for even less money. But on matte paper, it really is worth every cent simply to hold a finished print in your hand.
Printing even letter size can add up to a lot of money over time. I've got literally hundreds of these prints. They're really "proofs," but have turned out to be especially useful for other things. I bring them to art fairs and allow people to paw through them, and always generate more sales from special orders than the prints I have nicely packaged and on display. When I sit someone down at the computer to review stock shots in the studio, I also have a stack handy. Even when the client is looking for images to use online, they spend more time going through the stack of prints than looking on the screen. And I sell more stock images from the pile than I do from the screen, even though there are lots more on the screen.
Need a quick gift for a special occassion? Go to the pile.
Even if you aren't selling shots, it's really fun to have the prints around and hang them in your office- framed, leaning against the wall, thumbtacked to the bulletin board or taped to the window. It doesn't matter. They'll brighten up the place, and with frequent changes, always keep your space "fresh." It makes a big difference in my overall creativity simply to surround myself with favorite examples of my own work.
I agree with Hank on hanging my work in my office/studio. I have em all over my walls and I do get inspirational motivation from having them there. Plus when folks first walk in they are amazed at how many images I have that they like!! That keeps the ole ego well fed and motivated to go out and do more!!
I agree with the others. There's only so much an image can do on a computer screen. A large detailed print is the proper way to study an image. If that were not the case there would be no point in using anything more than a 2-megapixel point-and-shoot.
I print an extremely low percentage of the total number of photographs I make, but I still own two wide format printers
The only good thing I can say about computer display of images is that the transmissive view of an electronic image is often more vibrant than a reflective print and akin to looking at a nice chrome on the lighttable. In all other repects, looking at electronic images (jpegs especially) is an extreme disappointment.
I have fun making many small prints on my Epson C88. Though the print quality sort of sucks, it's cheap and I like to do it for some reason. I probably send out 20 or 30 larger sized digital images to be printed by Slideprinter or WCI for display in my home or as casual sales. I honestly think that getting a nice large sized print is part of the joy of taking photos. I've thought about displaying my photos more just so I can maybe sell a few have the fun of printing more. But right now with the small number of higher print quality prints that I make in a year it doesn't seem to justify buying a nice tabloid or larger sized printer and keeping up with all of the ink expenses.
Posted by Scott Hussey on March 3, 2006 at 10:06 PM
Not as many as I would like to. I should make some prints this weekend.
The percentage of images printed is quite low but since the total number of images is relatively HIGH, the total number of prints I've made is probably pushing 100. I only print what I regard to be my very best stuff and, yes, I do print my own. I used to use an Epson 2000P; that has was relegated to back up duty more than a year ago. I now use an Epson 2200.
Thanks all! Interesting answers. I think I need to try printing more stuff. I think I also need to follow Hank's idea, and hang them up around the house in any way possible. I do not end up doing much with my prints, since I feel like I always need to mat and frame them to display them.
I was also interested in size, but it seems that most do about letter size. I have actually NEVER printed anything larger, so that would be interesting.
I'd been shooting slides almost exclusively since I started trying to make good photographs. Slides are great for learning. I probably had fewer than 10 prints made in 10 years, well make that 15 years. Now that I'm using a digital camera everything is different. I still haven't made a lot of prints, but I'm starting to now that I have a printer. More than ever before, I'm starting to understand the attraction of prints. The largest print I can make myself is an 8x12. I've made a few of those, and I'm starting to wish I'd sprung for the Epson R1800 that would let me go up to 13" wide. Anyhow, now that I'm slowly learning how to get a decent print from the digital camera, I'll probably end up printing a mitt full every year.
As with most of the others, I print the ones I like the most. And I've begun matting a framing what I think are the best. There is something very gratifying in looking at a finished print and thinking, "Wow, I made that? I want to go out and try to 'do that' again.
Its motivational for me.
Al
Like Kerry, I only print what I consider the best of my work. I didn't start printing until about 6 months ago, after hanging out with a few PNWNP friends one day and seeing their work printed (Thanks again Rick and Nancy). It is amazing how incredible it is to see your own work on paper, especially big if you can manage to go that way. It is a much different experience than seeing it on the computer. My husband and I both now print on our Epson 4800.
I print out quite a few. I make prints to hang in my office and around the house. I also make birthday and Christmas cards to send to family and friends.
I would say that there's a whole new learning curve when it comes to printing. Color and sharpness become incredibly important issues, and they are very different from dealing with pictures on the web. For a low-priced printer, I'm really impressed with the Epson R200 I've got. I paid $90 for it, and that included a full set of 6 ink cartridges. I do the color control manually, but it's print quality is pretty amazing.
Printing your own is a whole new ball game!
Discussion
15 repliesI actually do not print many of my photos. I use them on my computers (I am a software tester), but I do not print many photos. I do not own a printer, so when I do have them printed I am having a shop print them.
So I am just curious, what percentage of your photos do you print? If you print a high percentage, do you own a printer and print them yourself?
Nathan
There is something "final" in holding a print in my hands that seeing it on screen can never really match for me.
Entry cost for doing it "my way" is pretty low, even if you do run up the paper and ink costs. For these prints I use an epson C84, for which I paid less than $100. It's out of date now and there are comparable successors for even less money. But on matte paper, it really is worth every cent simply to hold a finished print in your hand.
Printing even letter size can add up to a lot of money over time. I've got literally hundreds of these prints. They're really "proofs," but have turned out to be especially useful for other things. I bring them to art fairs and allow people to paw through them, and always generate more sales from special orders than the prints I have nicely packaged and on display. When I sit someone down at the computer to review stock shots in the studio, I also have a stack handy. Even when the client is looking for images to use online, they spend more time going through the stack of prints than looking on the screen. And I sell more stock images from the pile than I do from the screen, even though there are lots more on the screen.
Need a quick gift for a special occassion? Go to the pile.
Even if you aren't selling shots, it's really fun to have the prints around and hang them in your office- framed, leaning against the wall, thumbtacked to the bulletin board or taped to the window. It doesn't matter. They'll brighten up the place, and with frequent changes, always keep your space "fresh." It makes a big difference in my overall creativity simply to surround myself with favorite examples of my own work.
Guy
The only good thing I can say about computer display of images is that the transmissive view of an electronic image is often more vibrant than a reflective print and akin to looking at a nice chrome on the lighttable. In all other repects, looking at electronic images (jpegs especially) is an extreme disappointment.
I was also interested in size, but it seems that most do about letter size. I have actually NEVER printed anything larger, so that would be interesting.
Nathan
Pete D.
Its motivational for me.
Al
I would say that there's a whole new learning curve when it comes to printing. Color and sharpness become incredibly important issues, and they are very different from dealing with pictures on the web. For a low-priced printer, I'm really impressed with the Epson R200 I've got. I paid $90 for it, and that included a full set of 6 ink cartridges. I do the color control manually, but it's print quality is pretty amazing.
Printing your own is a whole new ball game!