Need recommendations for master printers to print my images

[bob_dobbs1]

<p>I'm unfortunately too tied up with other life activities to delve into the complex and arcane aspects of printing fine art images, as much as it interests me.<br>

I do have some color images that I would like printed by a master printer. One who can apply needed photoshop tweaks (mild color correction, dust spot removal, mask fine tuning, optimal output sharpening for their specific printers) and then print for me. I shoot medium format film and full frame digital, focusing mostly on street and landscape. I process in Lightroom and Photoshop. I have a fully color managed workflow.<br>

Can you recommend master printers ideally in the USA or Canada who is accepting outside work from amateur photographers such as myself?<br>

I've been considering Laumont, Ken Allen Studios, Mac Holbert, Grieger, Duggal, Weldon Color Lab, The Lightroom, Dan Berg, West Coast Imaging, etc.<br>

I am willing to pay well for the talent.</p>

 

<p><strong> </strong></p>

[Bill C]

<p>I don't have any specific recommendations, but if you really think you need a "master printer," then I think you need to be sitting down with that person and looking at test prints and calling out the adjustments.</p>

<p>Probably any large lab is going to have some exceptionally good printers, and what they do is limited by business decisions. These individuals won't be known to the general public, but will to the lab manager. If you have a fairly large pro lab in your area, I'd suggest stopping by and speaking with the manager. Let them know what you want, and find out if they have a staff person who can do it. I'm making a wild guess here, but I'd say you should be willing to pay on the order of 10X the normal custom print price to get this sort of attention.</p>

<p>If you haven't already tried it, you might find that the standard premium prints will meet your expectations. If not, perhaps you could have one made, then mark up your desired adjustments and ask them to reprint at custom prices. Just some options.</p>

[ellis_vener_photography]

R. Mac Holbert of The Image Collective http://www.theimagecollective.org/who-we-are/r-mac-holbert/

 

As co-founder with Graham Nash of Nash Editions , Mac created the craft and art of high quality digital printing for fine

artists.

[digitaldog]

<p>Another vote for Mac Holbert, the guy pretty much invented this fine art inkjet printing industry! And he knows his stuff. He does all the work himself.</p>

[david_henderson]

<p>Like everyone else, I can comment only on the printers that I've used in decent quantity myself. There are others that I'd expect to be good, from what others say, Albeit I live a long way away, I've used West Coast Imaging a lot and though its a while ago , they still have the same people scanning and printing. I thought WCI were very good, and seemingly cheaper now than they were when I was having a hundred or more prints a year made there. I've also used The Lightroom in Berkeley for b&w digital prints successfully, and cannot comment on their colour work.</p>

<p>The one point I'm going to make is that asking <strong><em>any</em></strong> lab to interpret your image is a big ask. Nowadays I send labs a file that I want printed on a paper of my choosing, and the file is adjusted via soft proofing against profiles that the lab provides. That , together with a colour managed workflow, gives me confidence that what I send will be very close to what I get back. What I used to do when WCI were scanning and printing for me was to get a proof, of about A4 size first, and ask for changes referenced against that. That gave me an element of control without needing to scan or create the print-file myself. But as I say not necessary at least on digital images today unless as you say, you're short of time. But the point here is that no matter how good these guys are at making print files and managing machines, they are not inside your head, and in my experience they will sometimes interpret your image differently from what you hope no matter how good and comprehensive a brief you give them. </p>

 

[peter_lagus]

<p>Bob:<br>

<br />I have used Color Folio in Northern California and been very happy with the results<br>

The owner, Bob Cornelis, has been involved in high quality color printing for many years.<br>

He is quite knowledgeable about all aspects of fine art printing.<br>

Pete</p>

 

[bruce_watson1]

<p>Tyler Boley in Seattle. The words "master printer" aren't lost here -- he's at Adams / Weston level. No, I'm not kidding, he really is that good. And he's quite a nice guy too. He would be my #1 pick.</p>

<p>You might also try John Dean of Dean Imaging in Atlanta, GA. Another master printer, but with his own sensibilities. </p>

<p>There's also Jon Cone in Vermont. Heck of a printer, was one of the originators of digital printing. Cone invented the Piezography system of inks and software and knows more about B&W printing than anyone I've ever met. And he's darn good with color too. </p>

[lenny_eiger]

<p>I already responded to you on another forum. However, I thought I'd just leave this here... so other people know as well. I've been a professional printer since the '80's. I printed for Avedon in both platinum and silver, and a few other top people. I have ink jets set up for both color and b&w. Everything is about personal service, and museum quality.</p>

<p> </p>

[bob_dobbs1]

<p>RE: Tyler Boley. He is outstanding! However, he is no longer printing color. Only B&W, which is really amazing with. </p>

[owen_omeara]

<p>Ron Landucci at Infinite Editions in Denver CO. He is outstanding with both BW and color and his process are excellent.</p>

<p>-O</p>

[custom film holders for fl]

<p>You mentioned Canada. In case you are actually up there, Bob Carnie at Elevator in Toronto is building quite a good reputation: http://www.elevatordigital.ca/<br>

<br />Doug</p>

 

[lynnthomas]

I just found this lab

 

http://www.digitalsilverimaging.com/roes-value-priced-prints

 

I haven't used them so I can't recommend.

 

Actually I was planning on posting a question about this same thing and wondered if anyone has ever used

them/heard of them.

[dan_svedevi]

<p>The best printer in New York, and I would argue in the world is Griffin Editions, located in Tribeca, Manhattan. They're super high end, amazing customer service, they will work with you until you get the exact color you're looking for. Super friendly. They print for all the pros from hiroshi sugimoto to cindy sherman. Everybody I know that works with them loves them. I've used Laumont too, but they are extremely stingy with color testing. It's pretty much their way or the highway. Also, if they damage your prints in mounting and framing, it's their policy that the client always pays for reprinting. I discovered this the hard way, when they damaged a $750 mural exhibition print for me, and refused to reimburse me because it was printed with a different printer. The prints they didn't screw up were framed nicely, but they were very impatient helping me with the frame selection. </p>