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 11/09/2006 05:56:58 PM · #1
I visited a print service website a few days ago and I had to walk away from my computer for a few min and when I came back, my husband shut down the computer. I hadn't made a fav yet so now I can't find it again.

Which print services do you use and why?
I'm looking forward to everyones answers.
Tlem
 11/09/2006 06:02:49 PM · #2
well recently I have been using Pictage, which is great if you have a high volume of customers.. I do not so I'm getting ready to drop them.

In the past I have used Mpix, which I personally have had good results with, but a few of my customers did not like the prints from them. IMHO though I think they really didn't like the processing, I was letting a graphic design friend of mine do the processing, and although he did a great job, I think the printed version did not reflect the digital version.

Lesson here when in doubt do your own processing... :)
 11/09/2006 11:30:26 PM · #3
Good advice, I'm not sure I could trust anyone else to do the processing anyway. How would they know the artists intentions?

11/09/2006 11:32:59 PM · #4
I use Mpix and have been very happy with the results and their service.
 11/09/2006 11:38:22 PM · #5
Smugmug because my clients can order directly and the quality is nice. For myself - Mpix or Shutterfly depending on what I need. For albums Asuka, Shutterfly and BayPhoto. Wedding albums especially - Bay. Other books I like Asuka best.
11/10/2006 11:50:20 AM · #6
Hey idnic,

why do yo choose Bay over Asuka for weddings? I havent had a chance to order an Asuka album yet, but I got a sample and I thinks its great..

Not trying to hijack the thread just thought the answer might be helpful to others besides me. :)

11/10/2006 11:52:58 AM · #7
Originally posted by jenesis:
I use Mpix and have been very happy with the results and their service.


Mpix has really nice prints. Their Black and Whites are exceptional. Their packaging for shipments is the best I have seen.

kopa21
 11/10/2006 11:55:05 AM · #8
Originally posted by koriley:
Hey idnic,

why do yo choose Bay over Asuka for weddings? I havent had a chance to order an Asuka album yet, but I got a sample and I thinks its great..

Not trying to hijack the thread just thought the answer might be helpful to others besides me. :)


price! I do wedding albums at 10X10 which gets really expensive with Asuka. But for smaller books Asuka is very comparable to the other book printers with great quality. For a lesser expensive alternative for portrait clients, I use a Shutterfly book that costs me $22 and I sell for $45. (Just remember to use a razor to cut out the page that has Shutterfly's logo on it). :)
 11/10/2006 11:59:24 AM · #9
[quote](Just remember to use a razor to cut out the page that has Shutterfly's logo on it). :)[/quote]

LOL... nice..
 11/16/2006 10:55:24 AM · #10
For online order fulfillment or for a lab type thing?

For a lab if you're a pro, making money at photography, then find a good lab. Most of the 'online' types are very consumer oriented (aka expensive).

I use profilmet.com and am very satisfied. Benefits of a true pro lab is they want you to sell more and be successful - so they support the photography business and community. My lab gives FREE software, all day training at their lab, discounts on samples, free shipping...and more.
whcc.com, h&h color lab (google them) are also good.
For sports teams I;ll be using another lab tpiphoto.com - they have more sports and team oriented stuff for me to sell, and have full color order forms for me to use, so that will increase my sales. Very few online labs do any of this and their uploading interfaces are not very good IMO. Use ROES system and you'll understand why I say that.
 11/16/2006 11:00:32 AM · #11
Originally posted by idnic:
Originally posted by koriley:
Hey idnic,

why do yo choose Bay over Asuka for weddings? I havent had a chance to order an Asuka album yet, but I got a sample and I thinks its great..

Not trying to hijack the thread just thought the answer might be helpful to others besides me. :)


price! I do wedding albums at 10X10 which gets really expensive with Asuka. But for smaller books Asuka is very comparable to the other book printers with great quality. For a lesser expensive alternative for portrait clients, I use a Shutterfly book that costs me $22 and I sell for $45. (Just remember to use a razor to cut out the page that has Shutterfly's logo on it). :)


Cindi - raise your d@mn prices! People will pay more, and if they won't then they're not your customers (the ones you want that is).
$45 for an album? You make $23 on that? You should be charging $23 a PAGE!
What's your 8x10 sell for? Put that in a book and it should cost MORE, right?
Any tom dick and soccer mom can use shutterfly. you want to get more than $45 for a book you need to sell them something that they can't get on their own. I find ArtLeather has wonderful books - the iMount deluxe 8x10 20 page/side is $85 or so, and mylab dos $8x10 prints for $1 per - for $115 (shipping...) I have a book, a box for presentation, and EVERY bride loves it. Charge $35/page and that's $700. Give them a deal if you want, but if you have nice work and the confidence to ask the price, they'll pay it.
 11/16/2006 11:05:19 AM · #12
Originally posted by Prof_Fate:


Cindi - raise your d@mn prices! People will pay more, and if they won't then they're not your customers (the ones you want that is).
$45 for an album? You make $23 on that? You should be charging $23 a PAGE!
What's your 8x10 sell for? Put that in a book and it should cost MORE, right?
Any tom dick and soccer mom can use shutterfly. you want to get more than $45 for a book you need to sell them something that they can't get on their own. I find ArtLeather has wonderful books - the iMount deluxe 8x10 20 page/side is $85 or so, and mylab dos $8x10 prints for $1 per - for $115 (shipping...) I have a book, a box for presentation, and EVERY bride loves it. Charge $35/page and that's $700. Give them a deal if you want, but if you have nice work and the confidence to ask the price, they'll pay it.


Well now. Aren't we up on a soapy box. :)
 11/16/2006 11:18:44 AM · #13
I use snapfish for all my 4x6 prints (love snapfish, great prints and a ton for free prints) ....but I use MPIX & smugmug for posters, than for panoramas I use jumbogiant

Message edited by author 2006-11-16 11:19:15.
 11/16/2006 11:23:52 AM · #14
Originally posted by nards656:
Originally posted by Prof_Fate:
Cindi - raise your d@mn prices! People will pay more, and if they won't then they're not your customers (the ones you want that is).
$45 for an album? You make $23 on that? You should be charging $23 a PAGE!
What's your 8x10 sell for? Put that in a book and it should cost MORE, right?
Any tom dick and soccer mom can use shutterfly. you want to get more than $45 for a book you need to sell them something that they can't get on their own. I find ArtLeather has wonderful books - the iMount deluxe 8x10 20 page/side is $85 or so, and mylab dos $8x10 prints for $1 per - for $115 (shipping...) I have a book, a box for presentation, and EVERY bride loves it. Charge $35/page and that's $700. Give them a deal if you want, but if you have nice work and the confidence to ask the price, they'll pay it.

Well now. Aren't we up on a soapy box. :)

But, Ne makes a really GOOD point which is, "Don't undersell yourself."
 11/16/2006 11:29:43 AM · #15
I've used MPIX several times including my last order which was 46 8x10s for the showcase I'm doing on Sunday. I ordered Sunday night and had them in hand Tues afternoon. That's why I love MPIX.

One of these days when I have REAL Photoshop and can do layout, I'll have to try a real photobook company, but I've used the Mypublisher software (didn't like it), Blurb.com (we'll see in 2 weeks the result), and heard about Lulu. I may try Lulu just for the hell of it (8.5x11, perfect bound, color, 40 pages, $10.53).
 11/16/2006 11:33:54 AM · #16
for photobooks I used snapfish & picaboo.com for this wedding I shot, only bad thing was that the software was for pc (winxp), so I had to go and use my dads pc since I'm a mac man... the wedding book from picaboo was ok but the same book from snapfish was alot better.

Message edited by author 2006-11-16 11:34:08.
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