Custom photo printing shop suggestions?? ?

“As you may or may not remember, I posted some photos of prairies awhile ago that I sent in for consideration for a traveling exhibit for The Prairie Enthusiasts group, a group that is mostly in Wisconsin, but also has chapters in northern Illinois and southeastern Minnesota.

http://www.thebackpacker.com/trailtalk/thread/41901,-1.php

Based on their needs, two were selected, the church and the goat prairie above the Mississippi River. (Nope, the really cool one wasn't selected, but it wasn't what they needed to round out the exhibit. I don't know; it was probably more grass as opposed to true prairie.)

The photos need to look good for the exhibit, at whatever enlarged size, and also have prints available for sale. I don't think my inkjet prints are good enough.

What I would like to do is this. Send them out to a custom shop for:

1. Matching color of the photo print to the digital shot. My digital prints may or may not accurately reflect this.

2. Pump up the resolution. I know there's some kind of costly software that will do this. I would rather have someone else doing the work on this, using that software.

I want the prints to look the best they possibly can. This show will include pros Jim Brandenburg, Jill Metcoff and Gerry Emmerich.

Brandenburg is a National Geographic photographer with galleries, I believe, in Ely and in LuVerne, close of I-90.

I need to give at least 30 percent of any print sales to The Prairie Enthusiasts. Likely, it will just be 30 percent, because while this is really cool and an honor, I'm going to go broke doing it. LOL.

Any idea on sale prices for an unmatted 8x10?

Any suggestions/help on getting those prints to be the best possible -- who to contact -- is very much appreciated.”

“i've worked with Dale Photolabs in Floriday before - great response times, good service and ( i think ) good priceing. I was using them for slide processing and printing. Take a look:

http://www.dalelabs.com/”

“Yellow Pages”

“That was another good question/subject, Lizs.

Congratulations on those photograph selections.

Custom Photo Printing - What To Expect and Watch Out For

A link at this site provided me with some good photograph gift ideas.”

“Liz
How large are you going.”

“Good question. I"m hoping just 8x10 -- that is what I will do for prints to sell. But as I understand it, those running the show are going to tell us what size we need (is that common? That was my understanding... and I had specifically asked that.)”

“Lizs, my lab suggests a pixel size of 200% your target printing size, at 300 dpi. You can do this best with Photoshop, it's what most labs would use if they did it themselves. As for custom color shops, if you don't have one locally, may I recommend Replicolor in Salt Lake City?”

“Hey Hobbit, give me an example of what you mean, sticking in some sizes, so I'm sure I understand. Thanks!”

“---
Pump up the resolution. I know there's some kind of costly software that will do this. I would rather have someone else doing the work on this, using that software.
---

I'm a graphic designer by trade. I've never heard of any software that can actually increase resolution. There's a method called "interpolation", but it's not particularly sophisticated, any modern photo software does it.

Anyway, what resolution are the images?”

“I use Mpix to print my digital photos. As for prices, I'd say $15-25 for an unmatted/unframed 8 x 10 would be fair. Here's what I charge: prices”

“Hi Lizs
No this is not common, Well this is from an artist point of view. You should tell them what you are willing to do. If you enhance the piece this will lower the valve in most cases. But, if the work is being viewed as information, or record of a place, enhance away. It really depends on what kind of show you are talking about. I'm thinking that this is more of an information display. With that said, there are two ways you can go. #1 - make high quality archival prints, #2 print them cheep and take the money and run. From what I've seen you want to be on the high end. I wouldn't do allot to the print, well no more that what is considered normal darkroom procedure. the high end buyers are well informed, they will ask you if the print has been digitally enhanced, even though the print is a good one they will look down on it. The thing to remember is your work was chosen for a reason, it's quality, it's artist value, and so on. With 8x10 prints you shouldn't have to do allot, or you wouldn't have been chosen. Normally with 8x10 11x14 and so on. I dry mount the print on 6ply museum rag mat white, then over mat leaving 1/2" on sides and top and 3/4" on bottom. Then sign the print lightly in pencil on the bottom right. I would offer these prints signed and numbered with a letter of authenticity, in either a open end or closed edition.
I frame all prints in Black metal frame with deep stand off. The point is to focus everything on the print. I can give you all the information on these things if you like.
I know what you are going though, it's scary when you jump into the deep end of the pool. But if your work wasn't good enough they wouldn't have asked you to join the group.”