Recommendations for a NYC lab for printing

[A miller]

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I'd very much appreciate recommendations for a not over-priced lab in NYC that prints:

 

1. digital B&W files with Ilford baryta paper and

2. manual negatives (either 35mm and/or medium format) in palladium/platinum (through a hand process and not a process by which the negative is first digitized and then printed from a printer)

 

Many thanks in advance.

 

Adam

[sblitz]

try color house on lafayette st ……. easy trip from office, 6 to canal st walk two blocks north

[A miller]

Thanks, Steve. I'll look them up. Best, Adam

[johnkunstadter]

For digital B&W prints you might want to try Sugar Hill Works: Archival Pigment Giclee Prints, Pro Film Scans, Custom Websites | SugarHill Works, NYC

 

Very competitively priced and excellent craftsmanship.

 

St. Nicholas Ave. at 146th Street; take the 1, A or D to 145th Street.

[LarryK]

Try Green Rhino in Brooklyn for the platinum/palladium:

 

Brooklyn Print Works + Green Rhino Inc.

 

Larry

[Broadside]

Not NYC but does mail order.

 

ILFORD Lab Direct US

[Michael Hiles]

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1. digital B&W files with Ilford baryta paper and

2. manual negatives (either 35mm and/or medium format) in palladium/platinum (through a hand process and not a process by which the negative is first digitized and then printed from a printer)

 

I have successfully used Ilford Lab Direct (UK) and Digital Silver Imaging (Boston) also successfully. I assume that Ilford Labs Direct (US) would deliver the same quality as the UK plant. They work from a digital image and produce silver gelatin prints. The prints were identical to my screen images.

 

As for Platinum/Palladium, there is a process where a print-sized negative is made on a digital printer and an acetate material from a scan of a negative. The large negative is used to contact print onto hand sensitized paper. I think making a normal sized platinum print from a small negative using only film-type processes is essentially impossible. You would have to enlarge the image onto print-sized reversal film (or do this twice - you need a print-sized negative), and then make the platinum contact print. There is no direct enlargement process to make platinum prints - the exposures require very high light levels and long exposures - way beyond the design capabilities of any enlarger I have heard of.

[A miller]

Thanks again, all, for your feedback.

 

Does the Ilford lab make prints larger than 10"? Their website suggests not and I've mailed them inquiring but rec'd no response.

 

So far, I have used, Whitewall in Germany, Sugarhill, Digital Silver Imaging and Laumont.

 

I liked the B&Ws on fiber-based baryta paper the best from Whitewall (which uses a manual (by hand) chemical treatment in its prcessing), although their processing takes very long (up to two weeks) and their is no personalize service (although their customer service is as helpful as they can be and very patient).

 

Digital Silver Imaging ended up with a very good B&W on fiber based baryta paper (and the same manual treatment as Whitewall); about as good as Whitewall. They gave me personalized service but were very expensive and it took two proofs to get it right.

 

I liked the service from Sugar Hill Works the best as the printer was obsessive about tweaking B&W image just right before printing and made several extra prints to get it just right.

 

I used Laumont very recently based on a suggestion on this thread for the scanning, editing and printing of a medium formate slide film negative. The technician/printer was extremely professional and friendly. He was patient with regard to proofing as well. He wasn't as much of a perfectionist as the professional at Sugar Hill, and didn't really impart any artful influence on the edits of the scan. But he took my comments and directions in stride. Keep in mind, though, that all of this is in the context of being by far the most expensive, which is not sustainable for me. Plus the schlep to their offices to view proofs. If I were a true for-profit professional and I had the budget, I would probably use Laumont for everything.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, I am still on the hunt for the ideal combination of quality, speed and personal service.

 

Thanks again for all the feedback.

 

Best,

adam

[Broadside]

Does the Ilford lab make prints larger than 10"? Their website suggests not and I've mailed them inquiring but rec'd no response.

 

Looks like the largest is 10 x 15 for $20

[A miller]

Thanks. I do find this odd, and frankly not all that useful given the other labs that are probably at least as good and have a vastly greater number of size options...

[Michael Hiles]

Does the Ilford lab make prints larger than 10"? Their website suggests not and I've mailed them inquiring but rec'd no response.

 

The UK Ilford site shows prints up to 50" x 50"

[CalArts 99]

 

Does the Ilford lab make prints larger than 10"? Their website suggests not and I've mailed them inquiring but rec'd no response.

 

If I were a true for-profit professional and I had the budget, I would probably use Laumont for everything.

 

Just for the record, Ilford has contracted Swan Labs to do their US Ilford Direct service. Swan Labs is also The Darkroom. They're in San Clemente CA (north of San Diego.) You might want to contact Swan directly if you want special services outside of Ilford's formal offerings.

 

I warned you that Laumont was expensive I think they are very good, but best if you have an ongoing long term professional relationship with them. They have produced a lot of work for some of the world's best artists (they did the Carrie Mae Weems exhibit not too long ago.)

[A miller]

You certainly did, CalArts. And I went into Laumont's studio eyes wide open. Thanks for the tip