A couple of years ago I had problems with DSCL's images coming out dark and contrasty, despite me using their profile. I complained and they sent me some test images to use in order to try and calibrate my screen, it was hard holding the image up to my screen because the image on paper will never look as bright as the screen, I tried my best to get them to match. My screen was previously set at a much higher brightness than the paper images so I really had to bring the screen right down to the point where it looked quite dark in comparison. In addition to this, instead of uploading the images via their website, I copied them to disc and sent it through the post, it took a bit longer but I felt the images came out better once printed. I have used DSCL a few times since and have been happy with the images, I usually do a batch at the start of the competitions season to take me through the season, it saves on postage. But other than printing for competition, I don't tend to print.
I have been meaning to create a photo-book for each year to show my favourite shots, but like everything else, it's having the time to sit down and do it.
I print 1 photograph per day. I have an R3000 printer and use Lyson ink. It cost about £5.00 per print and I have full control over what quality is produced. I can take pictures during the day and print out at night, I then store the prints in a box untill I need them for competitions than I put them on to mountboard. Atherton annual cost me £112.50 for the prints and £1 for the digital. It's not hard to see why prints are losing ground on digital . But there is still one thing that make prints better than digital, the control of how other see your images. The projector made them TOO DARK, TOO LIGHT, TOO MUCH COLOUR, NOT ENOUGH COLOUR. I don't care what anyone say's I would rather have a print on my wall than a digital frame on a shelf, or a book in a draw.
Hi just seen this about do you print ,a resounding yes all family photos are done by boots at7x5 normaly 200 at a time =I think 15p a print , I also print at home either on a A4 printer or my comp photos on the A3 printer as Johns says if you do enough it becomes second nature to get the print you want first time, if not do it again, having spent a lot of money on camera gear the next best thing is to complete the job by printing your own photos.I use epson original ink a bit more expensive but the colors are great, an a3 print costs about £5,so not much difference to commercial prints.I have prints on display and they look as good now as when they were printed.
