Recommendation for color prints?

[ericphelps]

Here in Tucson Jones Photo, open for 76 years has now closed its doors. Last place here where one could get prints carefully made, buy film, smell stop bath. If it re-opens as a coffee stop I'll bomb it.

Can someone recommend an online shop then for color prints? There are too many to browse through the unknowns, and though none of my work will hang at the Tate, I'd like a good job. Thanks- 

[ericphelps]

Got it - Delete

[Nick D.]

It's so sad. 

[ericphelps]

11 hours ago, Nick D. said:

It's so sad. 

Yes it is. When I re-started B&W in the darkroom a few years ago, one of the guys there gave me a real bump start. Later when I went digital another guy was invaluable on a simple first camera recommendation. This loss is more than just a 'store'.

 

[David_Cavan]

I've used Optimal Print, Whitewall, and Pictorem in the past 2 years to have prints prepared for customers. Not cheap, so I only have a few examples printed to show people in person, and then have custom prints done for the customer.  The quality is good, I've never had a complaint about it. I'm not sure that's the service you're looking for but I'll give all three of those companies a solid reference.

[ericphelps]

1 hour ago, David_Cavan said:

I've used Optimal Print, Whitewall, and Pictorem in the past 2 years to have prints prepared for customers. Not cheap, so I only have a few examples printed to show people in person, and then have custom prints done for the customer.  The quality is good, I've never had a complaint about it. I'm not sure that's the service you're looking for but I'll give all three of those companies a solid reference.

Thanks David, still looking at the options so these help! 

[Ken Katz]

I have used these folks when they were called Westcoast Imaging:

https://bayphoto.com/

I liked them because they use imbedded icc color space profiles in their workflow.

For run of mill prints, I use my local CVS, or for larger orders Printique (Adoramapix).  For those, I convert the print files to the sRGB color space when resizing (like 1200 x 1800 pixels for 4" x 6" prints).

[ericphelps]

1 hour ago, Ken Katz said:

I have used these folks when they were called Westcoast Imaging:

https://bayphoto.com/

I liked them because they use imbedded icc color space profiles in their workflow.

For run of mill prints, I use my local CVS, or for larger orders Printique (Adoramapix).  For those, I convert the print files to the sRGB color space when resizing (like 1200 x 1800 pixels for 4" x 6" prints).

Thanks for this Ken!

[rodeo_joe1]

That happened in my locality over 15 years ago. All the little independent photo retailers closed one after another like folding a pack of cards. Even a major retail chain went out of business. Just be thankful your local store held out for this long. 

Times change - fact of life. 

[Ricochetrider]

Might try Blue Moon Camera up in Portland OR 

 

I’m not sure about color but Hidden Light LLC in I believe Flagstaff does a lot of darkroom print stuff in B&W. Could be worth a call of a website visit to see what they offer by way of color prints. 

[ericphelps]

On 4/2/2023 at 1:58 PM, ericphelps said:

Thanks for this Ken!

Decided to try BayPhoto, and got the UPS delivery today. They look great, no complaints and delivered in a sturdy wrapper with the photos in soft celophane. The price goes down of course on larger orders, but this was a test really so no problem.

Thanks again Ken- 

[httpwww.photo.netbarry]

I've not used them, but a friend said she had good results from Adorama.

[Ricochetrider]

13 hours ago, ericphelps said:

Decided to try BayPhoto, and got the UPS delivery today. They look great, no complaints and delivered in a sturdy wrapper with the photos in soft celophane. The price goes down of course on larger orders, but this was a test really so no problem.

Thanks again Ken- 

Eric,

Just curious b/c I’ve been agonizing for years over having prints made! 🤪

Were these wet prints from negatives? Or did you email files?

Thanks,

Tom

Edited April 7, 2023 by Ricochetrider

[ericphelps]

9 hours ago, Ricochetrider said:

Eric,

Just curious b/c I’ve been agonizing for years over having prints made! 🤪

Were these wet prints from negatives? Or did you email files?

Thanks,

Tom

Hey Tom - Jpgs sent on the interweb. They have the ability, of course, to do far more than I required so it was very straight. I did the RAW edits in LR and sent the jpgs at roughly 14mb.

I'm happy with them, mostly I think because they mirrored the jpg I sent, but I did choose linen paper which I like very much. Hard to give an actual recommendation, the ideas and eyes of others may be quite different, but I'll use them again I'm sure, and still have my daughter's wedding album to do.

Good luck if you try them!

[Ken Katz]

Glad to hear that BayPhoto (Westcoast Imaging) is still in business and providing quality service.  Did you use their standard service or no color corrections service?

It is my understanding that these folks only print from files, and don't process film or print directly from film.  They do Tango Drum Scans, but the cost, as expected, is quite significant.

[ericphelps]

7 hours ago, Ken Katz said:

Glad to hear that BayPhoto (Westcoast Imaging) is still in business and providing quality service.  Did you use their standard service or no color corrections service?

It is my understanding that these folks only print from files, and don't process film or print directly from film.  They do Tango Drum Scans, but the cost, as expected, is quite significant.

I used standard service, not being certain what effect color correction might have and I was satisfied with how the jpgs looked when sent. I don't have any film cameras any longer so printing from files has to do for me. 

[glen_h]

There are still some smaller labs around that do digital prints, sometimes on actual light sensitive paper.

For smaller prints, dye sublimation isn't so unusual.

I have used Shutterfly, Printerpix, and Snapfish, mostly for non-prints, such as mugs or calendars,

but also for prints.  All three have sales fairly often, sometimes a lot cheaper than list price!

Maybe not museum quality, but plenty good enough for home walls.

[Robin Smith]

I have not used Bay Photo for about 5 years, but I was always happy with their service. I never used their color correction service. I sent them files and they printed the prints on Fuji Crystal Archive paper. So it is a "real" color print not an inkjet.

[hjoseph7]

Lucky for me there is still a "Bedford Camera" shop in my neighborhood, but they ship the stuff out like everybody else. It usually takes about 2 weeks depending on the number of prints.  Also Walgreens, Walmart, CVS drugstore and Adorama, all provide photo printing services. If I really need some prints, I use my Sinfonia Dye-sub printer that usually macthes, or bests the prints that I get back from these photo services.  Unfortunatelly I can only go up to 6X8" with this printer, so if I need a Color 8X10, or 11X14 I go to Adorama, or Bedford Camera. I got to admit that the 8X10" color prints from Adorama are very high quality for the price.  I think they do it in-house ?  I can even get pretty decent looking 5X7" and 8X10" color prints from my Canon iP100 portable printer using Canon photo paper, but some of the colors might be off a bit...

[jc1305us]

I second Bay Photo. My photography teacher recommended them, and I have been using them to ship prints to my customers for a couple of years now with no complaints.