Do you print your photographs?

[delander †]

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Had great fun yesterday printing some A3+ stuff on my new Epson 3800 using Epson's traditional photopaper. What a paper!

 

It seems that from the limited responses to this thread that not many M8 uses do much priniting which I think is a shame - too busy arguing over what could be in Leica's new M9.

 

Jeff

[Shootist]

Had great fun yesterday printing some A3+ stuff on my new Epson 3800 using Epson's traditional photopaper. What a paper!

 

It seems that from the limited responses to this thread that not many M8 uses do much priniting which I think is a shame - too busy arguing over what could be in Leica's new M9.

 

Jeff

 

I think you are mistaken. This thread has 3 pages to it and there is another thread going on about what size prints you can make from the M8 sensor images.

Do I print a lot, No. But that is because I don't take many good photos.

In the old days of negative film you had to print, or have printed, every negative on the roll (even if it was just a contact sheet) to see what was good and what was throw away and then print or have printed the one you liked. Now you can do all that on the computer. I only have so much wall and storage space.

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[akiralx]

I have never printed one of my M8 photos, but may invest in a printer when we move to Australia in September.

[delander †]

Do I print a lot, No. But that is because I don't take many good photos.

 

Sometimes Ed stuff that does not look good on screen takes on a whole new life as a print. But I understand about the wall space, I ran out some time ago, mainly with other stuff not photo prints. I do store quite a lot of them however and bring them out as an when.

 

Jeff

[Jeff S]

I only have so much wall and storage space.

 

As I posted earlier, prints often make nice gifts for others' walls.

 

But, I can relate to lack of wall space. I reserve much of it for collected photos...mostly from dead photographers...and other art. For my own prints, I have an inexpensive picture ledge in a room where I do photo work, and rotate a few mounted images from time to time to remind me of prior work, and to inspire me to do better.

 

Jeff

[jsrockit]

Owning an M8 (or a DSLR, etc.) for personal use is pointless unless you print..

 

I don't agree... there is something to be said for having fun during the process of making photos... the M8 is a much more pleasurable experience than using a P&S.

[SJP]

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Originally Posted by larry

Owning an M8 (or a DSLR, etc.) for personal use is pointless unless you print..

I don't agree... there is something to be said for having fun during the process of making photos... the M8 is a much more pleasurable experience than using a P&S.

+1

In addition regardless of print size or medium the signature of a fast lens is immediately obvious, you cannot get a 50lux or Noctilux look on a P&S.

 

If sharpness from 1m to infinity is the aim then the point is more or less OK but not quite (consider the lack of distortion with M glass/lenses, flare resistance, "3-D", bokeh etc.).

[trs]

I don't print a lot, but purpose of every frame I shoot is someday I want to print it. Thus, I am just happy having the shots I like it OK or better and storing them aside even before processing. I usually comeback in year or so and process few and print because I seem to like the pictures more after time has passed.

 

I have not printed beyond 12x18. But, I really want to try some bigger prints. For vacation shots, I usually make a book (blurb book) whenever I get an excuse.

[fotografr]

I only have so much wall and storage space.

 

I solved that problem by using aluminum section frames. It's very easy to disassemble one and remove a print you might be tired of looking at and replace it with a new one using the same matte. It keeps things from getting visually stale.

[dNorm]

I own a custom printing company, so I regularly print my work at 16x24. The M8.2 prints fabulously to this size. Cheers. -Norm

 

How many M8 users actually print their photographs, particularly at large sizes such as A3+ or A2 (or US equivalents such as 13x19)? For me working in photoshop, getting image sizing and sharpening to my taste, choosing different papers, getting the colour profiles correct and making a final large print has become a most enjoyable and creative part of the whole process.

 

To see how it looks printed (large) - that's what completes the process.

 

Jeff

[wstotler]

I don't print a lot, but purpose of every frame I shoot is someday I want to print it. <snip> I usually comeback in year or so and process few and print because I seem to like the pictures more after time has passed.

 

+1.

 

Interesting thread.

 

Three years ago I started with on-screen work only--slideshows and shooting for the Web (Flickr and work) primarily. Cropped much of the time. Heavy post-production exposure/contrast fixing. Printed the occasional 4x6 locally. No desire for printing anything larger. I could shoot sloppily and get away with it.

 

Thanks to advice from the forum (and a lot of shooting to improve) I reduced my post work for exposure-related mistakes significantly. And printed more 4x6s and 5x7s.

 

Late last year I made it a point to stop relying on post-production cropping and paying a lot more attention to framing "in camera." I worked to get good at that. Because to have the capability to print credible enlargements you need every pixel.

 

Then, I had an art critique earlier in the year and had to bump out a whole set of 8x12s. I found that many of the things I'd been getting away with I just couldn't get away with. <sigh> But when I "nailed" it, they looked incredible. I've made several additional sets of 8x12s, since. And I've worked to nail it more often and pay even closer attention to the shooting process.

 

Eliminating the crop slop, reducing reliance on post work (to tweaks and adjustments, not "saves"), learning from the 8x12s, and then working to get better shots technically has opened up the possibility for good 16x20s on a regular basis, and enough confidence to have 20x30s made. (I now have a workflow at a local shop ironed out so the large sized stuff comes back clean.)

 

Big prints for many here are a validation of their work--or just a continuation of a photographic work process they already know.

 

Big prints for me have been a learning tool, forcing more care and diligence during shooting. I'm still learning, but I will say that when I shoot I want to get *at least* a very credible 16x20 out every shot I take now. I want that capability in case somebody sees something they like and wants it "printed big." I'm running sets of larger prints roughly bimonthly at the moment.

 

Thanks,

Will

Edited December 9, 2009 by wstotler

[delander †]

For those in the UK it might be worth visiting London in December. A fabulous exhibition of landscape photography can be seen at the National Theatre. I went yesterday, full of big prints. I would not have believed you could make a stunning 5ft by 3ft print from a 6Mp DSLR.

 

Big prints are in. I also went to a lecture of the exhibition where our lecturer commented that big prints are all the rage in the US.

 

A completely different exhibition of press photographs can be seen almost next door at the Festival Hall. Also lots of big prints but this time gritty and disturbing subjects, recording death, disaster and war and also the bravery and and wonderful eye of the press photographer.

 

Two great photographic exhibitions, totally different uses of photography, very inspiring.

 

Jeff

[Jeff S]

Bigger prints have been "in" for years in the US. It has become a cliche, and resembles the US car industry...bigger every year. We saw where that brought us.

 

The great photographers of the past seemed to print some pretty amazing work at 8x10 (or no more than the limit of the camera's light gathering mechanism, e.g., glass plate). I'll stick with that.

 

Jeff

[Brett Cambern]

My wife recently saw an exhibit of large prints of wild horses by Roberto Dutesco and fell in love. Given that his prints sell for 5 figures, she asked if I had any shots that could be printed that large. I had my doubts about the outcome but gave her a file that she took to a local blueprint shop that said they could make large prints on canvas. She had the picture printed at 5 feet by 7 feet. I have to say that I was shocked at how well it turned out. It makes me want to go through all my files and find more pictures that might look good that size.

[Pedro]

But how do you store / keep your prints? Particularly those who mentioned to print hundreds of photos in large format / year?

 

I assume, most of us are not living in mega mansions with infinite wall space...

 

And if you put them on boxes, on a shelf, how often do you go back and look at them? If not often, do you print just for a 5 minute contemplation before putting them to rest?

 

Thanks.

[ottocrat]

Owning an M8 (or a DSLR, etc.) for personal use is pointless unless you print. Obviously, professionals have reasons why they might not need to print, but a P&S will do the job for e-mail attachments and posting on the Web.

I profoundly disagree with this.

 

Owning a "proper" camera (as opposed to a P&S) is about being able to control the image creation process, work with exposure, depth of field, etc. Whether you then display the end result on paper or on a screen is secondary, to me at least. Certainly - unless you're a pro with published work - you are going to be able to share your images with far more people via an electronic display. I don't see what you're getting on paper that you wouldn't get on a screen of an equivalent size. Printing my photos would add a wholly unnecessary and expensive element to my workflow, and my office walls will only hold so many prints. Forget me trying to persuade my wife to let me put up any more of my photos on the walls at home; and why would I print them only to keep them stored in a box somewhere?

 

I'll print one or two, now and then, to put on a wall. The vast majority I will share with the world via the web. I think people can tell between an image snapped with a P&S and one taken with care and skill on finely crafted equipment. Would you have to see an A3 print of these before knowing whether or not they were taken with a P&S?

[delander †]

Bigger prints have been "in" for years in the US. It has become a cliche, and resembles the US car industry...bigger every year. We saw where that brought us.

 

The great photographers of the past seemed to print some pretty amazing work at 8x10 (or no more than the limit of the camera's light gathering mechanism, e.g., glass plate). I'll stick with that.

 

Jeff

 

I think the big print does work particularly well for landscape, it can give the viewer something similar to the emotions that the photgrapher experienced when he/she was there and tried to capture the scene/light etc.

 

Jeff

[Jamie Roberts]

I print a ton and all the time:

 

 

• 300+ shots per wedding as proofs (4 * 6)
  
• 60-100 in finished albums
  
• thousands of loose prints per year (automated from my Lab)
  
• special order fine art prints (usually large but not always)
  
• special order large (up to 42" wide) and canvas prints
  

One of the reasons I love the Leicas is that they get me to a great print faster. My workflow is all print-oriented.

 

Even for my personal work I feel the best stuff needs printing to be appreciated; wall space or not (I just rotate them).

 

This is also the reason that new print technology intrigues me so much... one of the "last frontiers" (no pun intended for you Fuji- users )

[Bo_Lorentzen]

Ottocat,

 

Naturally people can tell if something is shot with a P&S or a 4x5.

 

Also, I just found myself with a "retired" 40 inch LCD screen, which plays SD cards. hmm. wood frame, hang on wall. shoot for electronic presentation may quickly change format, I could easily see a complete gallery show on LCD, even with the lack of dynamic range a illuminated display glows. I think we will see some interesting things in the future. maybe when we start retiring 60+ inch screens, also color digital ink may be interesting for its ability to easily change images, maybe I can network all images in my lobby..? My girlfriend use a pretty large digital picture frame constantly and love creating slide-shows for it.

 

Jeff, while big prints are interesting, I must say that there are some practical limitations for how large a 35mm neg can be printed while retaining fine details.. personally I find 6x7cm and 4x5 or larger much better suited for huge landscape prints.

 

Edit: I forgot to say, yes I love printing images and handling a big print, it is a very gratifying experience, almost all favorite images are instantly printed to 8x10. This were not my point, just that electronic presentation is as valid a media and may become a big media in the future for presentation.

 

.

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[delander †]

Hi Bo,

 

With this exhibition every print is accompanied by a text concerning the camera used to take the photo and the work done in photoshop. It is only when I read this text on one of the larger prints that I saw the words Canon EOS 300D (digital rebel).

 

Now the same print made from 21 Mp would probably look better but the thing is that I, a keen photographer for 30+years, did not see a problem with the print. And I dont think any regular member of the public saw a problem either. Of course it has to be said that as one of the sponsors Epson did all the printing.

 

Jeff