Creative mediums for photo printing

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

02/15/2013 04:35:45 PM · #1

I'm brainstorming on how to creatively present a photo in a large size. I know canvas printing and I've heard of metal printing (but only really seen it in person in Peter Lik galleries). Are there other creative mediums for presenting photography as art?

rooum

02/15/2013 04:40:02 PM · #2

Some sort of lightbox type set up?

This company sells them. Could always knock some up yourself of course.

Message edited by author 2013-02-15 16:49:07.

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

02/15/2013 04:55:34 PM · #3

T-Shirts!

Depending on the subject matter, I like the look of backlit transparencies in a dark room (e.g. aquarium displays, stained glass ...)

Yoi can also go tiny, like stamps or stickers -- cheap and easy to distribute to maybe attract interest to your larger work. Your profile pic as it appears on the left in the forums is a good example of something I think "works" at that size ... ;-)

hahn23

Canon EOS-5D Mark IV

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS II USM Lens

02/15/2013 05:33:43 PM · #4

For my customers that don't like canvas or aluminum, I recommend a large print on plaque. I haven't done this with a photo paper print bigger than 30"x45", but I've done several at that size. I have my regular lab (whom I trust) print the print. Then, I drop ship to the company putting the print on the plaque. Don't need glass. Don't need a frame. Durable and relatively inexpensive. Gives us a good price point. There is a company in Colorado, whom I don't recommend, who does a great job, but their cost is too high, allowing no room for a moderate markup.

Message edited by author 2013-02-15 17:35:00.

Brent_S

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II

02/15/2013 05:44:53 PM · #5

You might want to consider an acrylic print Jason. I have not done one myself. But the printer I have linked below does them if you search their products. I'm not so sure mounting them with the posts poking through the image itself will work much, but you can see in their products they have one where the image is smaller than the acrylic plate itself and it looks kind of nice. I placed a really big metal print order with them this morning (and I do recommend metal prints too), but as metal gets more common I may start going with acrylic for some images.

Northwest Fine Art Printing

02/15/2013 06:16:49 PM · #6

Thanks guys. Keep the ideas coming. The University of Oregon through Nike is having an artwork contest for Oregon football for their new office building opening in July. Top prize is $15,000. I want to explore some more creative ways to present one of my Autzen photos. All seem expensive which will either wind up being well worth it or would be a nice piece of art for my house (although I'm not currently looking to hang a $600 photo somewhere).

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

02/15/2013 06:23:13 PM · #7

Brent, are you a professional member at that printing company and do they offer pricebreaks for those members?

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

02/15/2013 06:38:19 PM · #8

Originally posted by DrAchoo:

I want to explore some more creative ways to present one of my Autzen photos.

How about a panoramic wrapped around the front half of a baseball cap? Something they can sell at the stadium ...

Brent_S

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II

02/15/2013 06:39:09 PM · #9

Originally posted by DrAchoo:

Brent, are you a professional member at that printing company and do they offer pricebreaks for those members?

Yes, I just signed up for a Pro account that did require I give them my resale permit number, but that's just to avoid sales tax here in-state since I am reselling them. You could sign up as a Pro on their site and just leave the reseller field blank I would think. Typically, signing in as a Pro gets you a 20% discount that won't reflect in your on-line sales cart but will happen when the sale actually goes down.
I would expect their low flat rate shipping would get shipments to you in Oregon in only one day which is kind of nice.

Also note, their metal prints don't show up online as I write this, but their site will be getting an update any time now. If you change their site address field to "dev" instead of "www" you can see what the new site will be ;)

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM II

02/15/2013 06:57:57 PM · #10

Originally posted by GeneralE:

Originally posted by DrAchoo:
I want to explore some more creative ways to present one of my Autzen photos.

How about a panoramic wrapped around the front half of a baseball cap? Something they can sell at the stadium ...

I like your ideas Paul, but I'm looking for something creative to hang on the wall as art. :)

Silent-Shooter

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

02/15/2013 08:39:19 PM · #11

What about wood?
I saw this done on Pintrest a while back. A print is made on a piece of paper with a lazerjet printer, wood glue (I think) is applied to the actual image itself and stuck onto the wood. Left to dry. Then using a wet sponge and some manual labour rub the paper off leaving the print glued to the wood (image is flipped in reverse). You can then distress the wood and varnish it if desired.
I thought it had a really nice nostalgic look.

A quick google off my phone led me to this - not the original I saw and not as good but it will give you some idea. I see the comments at the bottom say that transparency film / plastic is better. Good idea
//apinterestaddict.com/2012/01/01/photo-transfers/

Message edited by author 2013-02-15 20:58:25.

escapetooz

Canon EOS-500D Rebel T1i

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

02/15/2013 10:24:08 PM · #12

I second the wood idea. I did it on small coaster sized pieces of wood for presents for my whole family and they all turned out beautifully. I've seen it done in large form as well (that's where I got the idea) and I think it just looks so cool!

Forum where I posted about it.

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

02/15/2013 10:30:37 PM · #13

Originally posted by escapetooz:

Is this the same as decoupage?

escapetooz

Canon EOS-500D Rebel T1i

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

02/15/2013 10:40:37 PM · #14

Originally posted by GeneralE:

Originally posted by escapetooz:
I second the wood idea. I did it on small coaster sized pieces of wood for presents for my whole family and they all turned out beautifully. I've seen it done in large form as well (that's where I got the idea) and I think it just looks so cool!

Forum where I posted about it.

Is this the same as decoupage?

Hmmm... "Decoupage (or dÃ©coupage) is the art of decorating an object by gluing colored paper cutouts onto it in combination with special paint effects, gold leaf and so on."

I wouldn't suggest deoupage substances like 'mod podge' for photos. My first attempt a couple years ago it was sticky forever as in, it never fully cured. Perhaps I put on too many layers too fast or perhaps it's just meant for paper and the photo gloss is too slippery to properly bond?

My second attempt went much better as I used miniwax polycrylic as the coating. Though I still didn't get that super thick epoxy plastic kind of look I was going for...

kitkatklok

Canon EOS-50D

Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

02/15/2013 11:27:12 PM · #15

For my (and my best friends) senior photography exhibit, our teacher had us experiment with a bunch of different things, and one that turned out pretty awesome was a photo with really vibrant colors printed on plastic translucent paper.