Investing in Prints

As part of your photography session, many photographers will offer their clients edited, high resolution files with a personal printing release.  Photo sessions do not always include prints, and clients can opt to purchase prints after their shoot or print at a location of their choice (for most people, it’s the latter). It’s easy to understand the appeal of printing at your local big box store- why order a 4×6 for $2 when you can get it from Walmart for $0.19?  Or an 8×10 print for $2.50, instead of $7 from a professional lab?

You’ve invested in getting professional photos done, why not invest in professional prints? 

You’ve spent time selecting the right photographer, getting ready, coordinating your family’s wardrobe and busy schedules. Your photographer has scheduled your session just before sunset so you’ll have the best lighting. You are confident you’ve done everything right to have the most beautiful photos.

There is a lot of time and energy that goes into each session, both by the clients and photographer. Why outsource the last part of the job?

After your session, you’ve received your photos, an online gallery and a print release. You’re ready to print and head over to your local big box store. You’re soooo excited to see you images in print and they look awful. The colours are wrong; too dark and too dull. How did this happen?

I recently ordered 2 sets of the same photos from 4 different labs to see how each photo would be printed.

First up, here are the original photos: Second, here are the scanned 4×6 prints from each of the different labs.
Printing location and cost (clockwise from top left):-Loblaws: $0.19, Walmart $0.19, Blacks $0.38, Professional lab $2

Things to note:

– All labs used different papers

– Loblaws Photolab made the photos look overly saturated and too bright

– Walmart photos had a green tint, and were slightly darker

– Blacks photos were a bit red (and the photo with  the yellow leaves is much darker)

– The professional lab printed the clearest photos and truest colours.

Once your photos are sent to a non-professional lab, there are a number of factors that can go wrong during printing. Big box stores all use different printers, inks and papers – it’s easy to see why all of these look so different!  By ordering through your photographer, you are ensuring that you will receive high quality photographic prints that are an accurate representation of your photos.

Why not turn your memories into beautiful artworks and invest in prints?