Good digital C-prints in NYC?
June 30, 2011 1:21 PM Subscribe
I'll be exhibiting a number of my photographs at a small gallery here in NYC in August. Between now and then, I need to have the images (which currently exist only in digital form) printed. This is an area I have very little experience with! Can anyone steer me to a lab (preferably in NYC) which will produce good digital C-prints? More details after jump.
My reading on the subject thus far has persuaded me that I should go with actual photographic prints (e.g., LightJet prints) rather than some kind of inkjet process... for reasons of image quality, durability, and cachet. (The prints will be for sale.)
The images are all square; my plan is to print them at 12" x 12". An added wrinkle: They are anaglyph (the old red-blue 3D format). Color reproduction needs to be as accurate as possible, so that the stereo effect works well when they're viewed with the appropriate glasses.
I'd like the lab to be in NYC so that I can interact with them more easily -- possibly checking out proofs, going to pick up the prints personally rather than having them mailed to me, etc. -- and also to reduce turnaround time in case I end up pushing my deadline.
So far the only labs actually in the city that I've come across in my search are this one, this one, and this one. Only the 1st of those provides a price list online... and they don't actually do LightJet prints, but use an allegedly similar system (a Polielettronica printer) with a 254dpi resolution (isn't 300dpi considered the minimum resolution for good image reproduction?).
Any recommendations?
My reading on the subject thus far has persuaded me that I should go with actual photographic prints (e.g., LightJet prints) rather than some kind of inkjet process... for reasons of image quality, durability, and cachet. (The prints will be for sale.)
The images are all square; my plan is to print them at 12" x 12". An added wrinkle: They are anaglyph (the old red-blue 3D format). Color reproduction needs to be as accurate as possible, so that the stereo effect works well when they're viewed with the appropriate glasses.
I'd like the lab to be in NYC so that I can interact with them more easily -- possibly checking out proofs, going to pick up the prints personally rather than having them mailed to me, etc. -- and also to reduce turnaround time in case I end up pushing my deadline.
So far the only labs actually in the city that I've come across in my search are this one, this one, and this one. Only the 1st of those provides a price list online... and they don't actually do LightJet prints, but use an allegedly similar system (a Polielettronica printer) with a 254dpi resolution (isn't 300dpi considered the minimum resolution for good image reproduction?).
Any recommendations?
Response by poster: Yes, as I said, the images are all digital. What I'm looking for is a lab than can make color prints from digital files.
I'm leaning toward chromogenic printing like LightJet (which is done with lasers on photographic paper), but I'm open to arguments in favor of inkjet. There too, of course, I'd be interested in recommendations of places where I could get the prints made.
posted by Artifice_Eternity at 1:41 PM on June 30, 2011
I'm leaning toward chromogenic printing like LightJet (which is done with lasers on photographic paper), but I'm open to arguments in favor of inkjet. There too, of course, I'd be interested in recommendations of places where I could get the prints made.
posted by Artifice_Eternity at 1:41 PM on June 30, 2011
I really love Adorama. They did all the prints for my photography show a year ago and I was extremely pleased. I wrecked one of the prints while I was framing it and in a panic, went to the local, supposedly top of the line, photo printing place here. The replacement print cost three times as much as Adorama, the color was horrible and the image inexplicably suddenly grainy. I'll only use Adorama now. I've sent other friends their way and they've all loved them too. My only experience with them is online but they have a shop in NYC; I highly recommend going and checking them out.
posted by mygothlaundry at 2:18 PM on June 30, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by mygothlaundry at 2:18 PM on June 30, 2011 [2 favorites]
Resolution requirements really do vary depending on the machine. If the machine is designed to print 254ppi, then you should get results that are just as printing 300ppi on a machine designed for 300. Ask to see a sample from the lab, and you should be able to tell if the overall quality meets your standards.
So no, 254ppi isn't bad resolution.
Also, is there anywhere to see your work online? (I'm in California, I don't think I can make it to the gallery...) What kind of stuff do you shoot?
posted by mintymike at 2:22 PM on June 30, 2011
So no, 254ppi isn't bad resolution.
Also, is there anywhere to see your work online? (I'm in California, I don't think I can make it to the gallery...) What kind of stuff do you shoot?
posted by mintymike at 2:22 PM on June 30, 2011
Response by poster: mygothlaundry: Thanks for the recommendation.
mintymike: Some of my previous anaglyph 3D images are here. I'm planning a new site for my "art" photography, but haven't put it together yet.
posted by Artifice_Eternity at 2:28 PM on June 30, 2011
mintymike: Some of my previous anaglyph 3D images are here. I'm planning a new site for my "art" photography, but haven't put it together yet.
posted by Artifice_Eternity at 2:28 PM on June 30, 2011
hey, look at that, lost this part: I've been completely happy in all my interactions with them, and furthermore, so has everyone else I know who's gone there. They're also very good about answering questions.
posted by dubold at 2:29 PM on June 30, 2011
posted by dubold at 2:29 PM on June 30, 2011
Response by poster: Hmm... Adorama seems a little more "consumer-grade" than the services I've been considering. But good customer service does make a difference. I also like the fact that they do framing.
Maybe I'll do 1 or 2 test prints with them.
posted by Artifice_Eternity at 2:44 PM on June 30, 2011
Maybe I'll do 1 or 2 test prints with them.
posted by Artifice_Eternity at 2:44 PM on June 30, 2011
After informal surveying of the last few years of art fairs, chromogenic / LightJet does seem to be emerging as the winner for fine art prints in the gallery world. It's in Boston, but if you get in a pinch, Color Services is fantastic (they print Rachel Perry Welty's work).
posted by mmmcmmm at 3:58 PM on June 30, 2011
posted by mmmcmmm at 3:58 PM on June 30, 2011
Minimum dpi is arguably considered to be 220 or above, some people would put the minimum at 300. For fine art photography which people look at very closely I would say more is better. If your are printing larger than you have previously you may find that the images need sharpening to appear as sharp as they do at smaller sizes, so you may want to test different levels of sharpening on you initial images. The other thing to get is a color profile for the printer you will be printing from so you can soft proof your images before sending them to the printer.
posted by doctor_negative at 4:14 PM on June 30, 2011
posted by doctor_negative at 4:14 PM on June 30, 2011
Duggal is good. Also google Beth Schiffer. They have a DIY digital lab where you can bring your files in, rent a workstation, and make your prints right there. Specs and gear is on their site.
posted by xo at 5:10 PM on June 30, 2011
posted by xo at 5:10 PM on June 30, 2011
The gallery that I used to work for got stuff printed at Laumont.
And I saw some of Duggal's work recently, and it looked pretty solid.
posted by D.Billy at 9:51 PM on June 30, 2011
And I saw some of Duggal's work recently, and it looked pretty solid.
posted by D.Billy at 9:51 PM on June 30, 2011
My wife usedthe C-Lab (broadway and bleeker) for years and years. Great staff did great work.
posted by From Bklyn at 5:18 AM on July 1, 2011
posted by From Bklyn at 5:18 AM on July 1, 2011
Response by poster: Thanks, everyone!
xo and D.Billy, any clue as to Duggal's pricing? It's not posted on their website.
posted by Artifice_Eternity at 8:07 AM on July 1, 2011
xo and D.Billy, any clue as to Duggal's pricing? It's not posted on their website.
posted by Artifice_Eternity at 8:07 AM on July 1, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
If you have a digital image, I think an inkjet image, professionally done, is going to be very competitive with anything else.
Honestly I think everyone is basically printing digitally now. The other thing is I think the craft of analogue printing is kind of going down the tubes, so it may be harder to find someone to do a good job for you.
If you were shooting B&W negative, then I would say track down a darkroom printer, but for anything else I think you'd be better off putting your energy into digital.
posted by sully75 at 1:31 PM on June 30, 2011