aluminum prints / Aspen Creek - an update

<p>Many of us are quite ready to complain about problems large and small, but we need to also tell each other about companies that go the extra mile to provide good products and services, and about how to best take advantage of those services. Well, let me give a big +1 to Aspen Creek and its Rich Seiling, regarding their aluminum prints (prints made onto smooth aluminum panels).</p>

<p>Back on February 14 I posted about some aluminum test prints I’d gotten from Aspen Creek, which seemed too yellow (http://www.photo.net/digital-darkroom-forum/00bLrD). I’m an amateur and don’t use a color-managed workflow, but I’ve developed a pretty good sense of how prints will look, based on how the files look on my screen, and one of the files I sent I'd had printed by several labs on different papers. But my three aluminum test prints came out fairly yellow, and I asked here whether it was more likely me or them. Given my suspicion that it was probably partially my fault, I did not contact Aspen Creek.</p>

<p>Evidently my post came to Aspen Creek’s attention, and Mr. Seiling e-mailed me. We had a long and interesting exchange about their file handling and the printing-onto-aluminum system (which is a dye sublimation process). He also told me that they’d been tweaking their process, and offered me a reprint using their revised process. The redone aluminum print came this week (along with a couple of comparison prints from the same file using other processes). It is <em>much</em> more neutral; in my seat-of-the-pants estimate, the yellow tint is reduced by about 70+% compared to the first print (that is, it is largely, although not entirely, eliminated). Also, given Mr. Seiling’s explanation of the process, it appears that <em>with some subjects / colors / densities</em> a yellow tint related to the aluminum is likely to show through regardless. On the whole, the color of the new aluminum print is fine, and the process does produce a very interesting print that might be just right for certain subjects.</p>

<p>So thumbs-up to Aspen Creek and Mr. Seiling, not only for substantially improving their aluminum print product, but also for taking a lot of time and making a strong effort to work with their customers.</p>

 

<p>I've gotten 11X14" lustre prints on gator board from Aspen & color fidelity is excellent with a very reasonable price point. I highly recommend Aspen.</p>

<p>Why not say, '...with a very reasonable price." rather than, '...with a very reasonable price <em>point." </em>What's the point of writing point?</p>