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 05/13/2011 12:42:20 PM · #1
Hi:
I have some high quality digital photos of my son that were done by a professional photographer for his senior picture. I would like to get some high quality 8x10s and 2x3s wallets done to give to family and friends.
I am looking for a place that can do high quality prints with reasonable prices.
By high quality, I mean prints that have the same (or better) sharpness, color, resistance to fading & aging that one would get from labs that processed chemical-based film.

I think there are two categories of prints that I am interested in:
1) just printing the single pictures + wallets
2) a place that also has colleage templates, etc.

Would these places also do extras such as putting name/date in corner of print, etc.?
Any pointers are appreciated.
I am on the east coast (Pittsburgh)and would prefer a lab on this side of the states, but am open to all suggestions.

TY
-John
05/13/2011 12:45:33 PM · #2
I send prints to Nations Photo Lab...not sure where you live, but I'm certain you can order and they ship.

Originally posted by three_jeeps:
Hi:
I have some high quality digital photos of my son that were done by a professional photographer for his senior picture. I would like to get some high quality 8x10s and 2x3s wallets done to give to family and friends.
I am looking for a place that can do high quality prints with reasonable prices.
By high quality, I mean prints that have the same (or better) sharpness, color, resistance to fading & aging that one would get from labs that processed chemical-based film.

I think there are two categories of prints that I am interested in:
1) just printing the single pictures + wallets
2) a place that also has colleage templates, etc.

Would these places also do extras such as putting name/date in corner of print, etc.?
Any pointers are appreciated.
I am on the east coast (Pittsburgh)and would prefer a lab on this side of the states, but am open to all suggestions.

TY
-John
05/13/2011 12:52:16 PM · #3
I do almost all of my printing at Costco -- if you are already a member, you can't beat the prices (8x10 = $1.49). Prints are on Fuji Crystal Archive paper, glossy or lustre finish. If you are into color-management, you can download and use their printer profiles. You can upload and order your pictures over the internet, and pick them up in 1-2 hours, or have them mailed. My alternate (for specialty prints) is KodakGallery -- pretty much the same deal except Kodak papers and more expensive.

I prefer printing to photographic paper -- I don't even have an inkjet.
 05/13/2011 12:55:11 PM · #4
I honestly don't know where they are but Mpix is amazing! =D
 05/13/2011 01:33:28 PM · #5
WHCC

White House Custom Color does a fantastic job.
 05/13/2011 04:01:13 PM · #6
As a matter of print processing, do the above mentioned services automatically perform any color adjustment/correction or other image enhancements before printing, or, do they just take what is sent to them and print it??

Two things I am thinking about:

1) skin tone adjustment?

2) light balancing of scene?

Thank you!

-John
05/13/2011 04:06:08 PM · #7
Originally posted by three_jeeps:
As a matter of print processing, do the above mentioned services automatically perform any color adjustment/correction or other image enhancements before printing, or, do they just take what is sent to them and print it??

Two things I am thinking about:

1) skin tone adjustment?

2) light balancing of scene?

Thank you!

-John


No, that's what a professional photographer normally does before he delivers the images and what he is normally paid to do.
 05/13/2011 05:06:43 PM · #8
Are these photos on a disc or are you trying to scan a print and make more?

Message edited by author 2011-05-13 17:11:08.
 05/13/2011 06:10:05 PM · #9
Originally posted by three_jeeps:
As a matter of print processing, do the above mentioned services automatically perform any color adjustment/correction or other image enhancements before printing, or, do they just take what is sent to them and print it??

Many/most places will have an automatic color correction setting, which you can turn off, which is what I usually do.

KodakGallery offers a line of "Professional Prints" for which they do individual color correction, and which are printed on their "better" or specialty (e.g. metallic) papers.
 05/15/2011 09:35:00 PM · #10
Originally posted by SEG:
Are these photos on a disc or are you trying to scan a print and make more?


The photogapher emailed me the .jpg file. The picture was taken with a Nikon D200.

I received one 8x10 print from the photographer.

I *believe* the photographer retouched the original photo - color and white balance, etc.

I am asking these questions because I made 3 prints from the picture I was sent (hp photo injet with viva inks, epson photo inkjet with Claria® Hi-Definition dye ink, and prints from Wallgreens photo service). I know the inkjets are not 'professional grade' and I am assuming the Wallgreens process is, well, at least closer.
I also have the only print the photographer sent us. Comparison of all 4 prints had mixed results:
For sharpness/clarity: 1st was the print from photographer, then the epson, then wallgreens, than the HP.
For color saturation: first was epson, the the photographers, then HP, then wallgreens.
All printed on semi-gloss paper. The photographer used Kodak Endura paper.

I am doing these comparisons by my eye, no machine measure is used.
The variation in the prints bothers me, and I am not sure what should be the standard/reference print - I am guessing the photographers but the colors didn't seem as vibrant or true to actual as the epson.
Perhaps I am getting a bit pedantic, but there is noticeable variation in skin tone as well.

Thanks for your input.
-J
05/16/2011 08:10:55 AM · #11
Kodak Gallery actually does decent prints for the cost. I personally couldn't see a difference in quality between them and WHCC of the same print.

Their "color management" is basically a boost in saturation, and may not be needed for a photo that is already retouched.

Also with Kodak, their customer service is outstanding. I purchased an 11x14 with Color Management and it came out overly saturated (the version I uploaded was already very saturated). They gave me credit to order another print (with instructions on how to order without the default Color Management setting), all with no hassle.

Also, where WHCC requires a minimum order, Kodak does not.

Message edited by author 2011-05-16 08:11:37.
 05/20/2011 12:15:27 PM · #12
Thank you all for your replies. I checked out all the recommendations and I got my prints from Nations Photo Lab. I was very pleased. They did a good job and it was just what I was looking for.

I compared for 3.5x5 reprints, and was somewhat surprised by the variation of cost ($0.19 at snapfish to $0.86 at WHCC). Nations cost is $0.26. I compared equal finishes: lustre and no CC. IIRC, most all said they used Kodak Endura paper (for some labs, it depended on the quality one specified).

Turnaround was 1 day, and 2-day ship. An added bonus is that they are located fairly close to me (250 miles).

One thing I was a little confused about is specifying stamping on the prints. Seems like most of the labs did not do this, and if they did, specifying it on the order was quite a mystery.

Also, there were a few labs that showed stamping on the photos but nowhere in their price list could I locate a cost.

Again, thank you all.

-J
05/20/2011 06:41:39 PM · #13
Originally posted by three_jeeps:
One thing I was a little confused about is specifying stamping on the prints. Seems like most of the labs did not do this, and if they did, specifying it on the order was quite a mystery.

Also, there were a few labs that showed stamping on the photos but nowhere in their price list could I locate a cost.
-J

FYI: If by this you mean printing info like the order number and the date on the back of the print, Costco does have several options for doing this for online orders which are picked up in the store, but apparently not for those mailed back. The backprinting can be customized to some extent, I think up to sixteen characters or so. Interestingly, the one option not available for these orders is to have it turned off completely. There is no additional cost involved.
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