Advice please - workflow/settings, Epson P800 + LR

[Winedemonium]

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Prompted by some advocates for printing in another topic on another forum section here, I am posting this to solicit advice on getting on with printing.

I use Lightroom to process my photographs.

I have an Epson SC-P808 (the Hong Kong market variant of the P800, which I believe is exactly the same). 

I have a range of paper types in A4 cut type from Hahnemühle - photo rag (308gsm cotton white), photo rag ultra smooth (305gsm, cotton white), museum etching (350gsm cotton natural white), glossy fineart baryta (325gsm cellulose bright white high gloss). The idea here is to try multiple papers types in order to see how paper type affects the look of a photo, and to play with printing settings, etc. Experimentation, in short. My goal is to use these papers to learn some basics on and then move up to larger paper sizes.

1. Should I be considering higher print resolution levels than the default 240ppi if the file  size allows for more? When you make this setting, what trade offs do you consider?

2. I'm looking for resources please that will help me develop my LR > print workflow, how to make adjustments in LR for printing, settings to use, etc. Do you have something you can point me to please?

Thank you.

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[Jeff S]

Technical resources abound, in book form, video, and workshop.  Books from folks like Victoria Bampton (Edit Like a Pro), Jeff Schewe (The Digital Print), Scott Kelby (various), etc.  Videos from Julieanne Kost (free from Adobe), video tutorials (e.g., 12 hour session from Luminous Landscape....Camera to Print...by Reichmann and Schewe), Kelby One courses, etc.  And lots of workshops, by local and national experts.

It might be a cliche, but I believe that learning the basic principles and techniques is the easy part.  The harder part is learning when, where and to what degree to apply those techniques....and that's all about learning to see and developing one's own vision and style.  This hasn't changed from darkroom days; only the tools are different (and far more flexible and convenient).  Looking at lots of prints, and other visual arts, in person, can be invaluable. As can workshops that go beyond techniques, and involve real prints and feedback.

I use ImagePrint in conjunction with LR (and other software) for editing and printing, but that's another story, which has been covered elsewhere on the forum.

Jeff

 

Edited January 13, 2021 by Jeff S

[Winedemonium]

Jeff, thank you. It's not hard to find all sorts of guidance via a Google results page, but that is never the same thing as a selection offered by someone experienced in the field. So, thank you for that list of resources. 

And yes, the yawning gap between competence and mastery is what gets me out of bed in the morning, in all things. That's where the pleasure is to be found.

5 hours ago, Jeff S said:

Looking at lots of prints, and other visual arts, in person, can be invaluable. As can workshops that go beyond techniques, and involve real prints and feedback.

I agree completely. I also keep at home a collection of books from photographers and artists I admire, and frequently sit down with a cup of coffee or glass of wine and delve in. It's inspiring, motivating. 

Thanks.

[LocalHero1953]

I agree with Jeff's list of resources, especially the Kost videos.

Unless you use Imageprint, you will need the paper/printer profiles downloadable from the paper manufacturer. I select the appropriate one in Lightroom, turn OFF 'colour management by printer' in LR, and make my layout settings in LR. Then, in the Epson printer set up, I select paper size, type, feed and turn OFF colour management. Back in LR I save the whole lot as a print preset for future use. I thus have presets for every paper type/size/layout combination I might need.

I do less B&W printing than colour, but when I do I don't use the colour profile, but use Epson's Advanced Black & White settings, which I have adjusted to my taste. To use Epson ABW you have to turn ON 'colour management by printer' in LR. You can still save all your settings, including the Epson ABW ones, as a single preset in Lightroom.