When researching photographers and pricing, you might have noticed that some of their photo packages include digital photo files, or they may give you that option as an add on to your package. This allows you to store the photos on your computer or share them on social media. But if you are planning to rush to the 1-hour photo lab around the corner to have those printed, you may want to give it a second thought.
Yes, you have just hired me as your professional photographer to take your photos and you want to save some money by not getting a professional to print your photos. Well my friend, by doing this you won’t be getting the full effect of the time and effort that went into those images.
PROFESSIONAL PRINTING MAKES A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE
So why should you print your photos through me as your photographer?
There is a reason that I spend hours editing your photos. I aim to perfect the colors and sharpness of the images so that it is a work of art and not just another photo. The monitor that I use to edit your photos is calibrated with the professional printing company that I use. Your local photo lab down the street (Walmart, Target, CVS, Walgreens) is not a professional lab and the person who will print your photos most likely will not have a background in photography or a trained eye. They also most likely have not been trained in color theory, their paper quality/thickness and ink quality is low.
As your professional photographer, I have a strong working relationship with my professional photo lab. They understand the way that I edit my photos . They use printers that have professional grade paper, inks and machines that you will not find at a regular store. This is why your photo’s will cost a little extra. Trained technicians also monitor the printing process to ensure that you receive the very BEST quality of images. By investing the extra cost in printing your photos through me, you can ensure that they last longer because of the better materials that are used.
If you do decide to still print through a non professional photo lab, be sure to click on “do not color correct” so your print gets as close to the photographer’s work as possible. Also…this post is not intended to “bash” these big box photo labs. It’s meant to educate…and show my clients the method to my madness! Also…if you do decide you do want to print the photos yourself, check out www.mpix.com. Although they aren’t going to get their colors EXACTLY like they would if you went through my lab they’ve been the best I have noticed from experience.
XO
Kellyn