Complaints That Prints are Dull & Soft

Against my better judgement, I took some pictures of a building for someone and sent them the files to print themselves as they needed them in a hurry and do not live in my community. Turns out they took my files to a Walmart for printing, along with some similar type pics taken on a P&S and even a cell phone. My files apparently were the only ones that did not print well - reportedly my pictures are not as bright or as crisp (unusable basically) compared to the other pictures. I have not had an answer as yet as to whether the colour looks correct in the prints or not but colour problems were not mentioned initially.

At first I thought maybe I had exported the files incorrectly but after some reading on the forum I suspect my files were developed with auto correcting done to them, after I have already processed them in LR. (from RAW). They should have been printed just as they were I would think and in fairness was not something I even thought to mention.

So my question is, how would the 2nd "auto processing" from any print service affect the pictures - I can see the colours changing, but would that also make the prints dull and less bright? It definitely bothers me that my pictures are being considered as not measuring up to the standard of a cell phone! Time for me to hang up my dslr...

I'd also like to confirm that I created the print files correctly or not.
I exported the files from Lightroom, already cropped to the 5x7 ratio/size requested.
LR export settings were: JPEG format, colour space sRGB, resize to long edge of 7 in. at a resolution of 300, sharpen for matte paper at Standard amount. Are these correct?

- oh yes, these files were subsequently used to make 4x6 prints as well, not the 5x7 they were sized for. The prints were described as also being "kind of blurred & grainy". I'm really confused about this result.

Since I can't see the pictures for myself to figure out what is wrong I'll likely never figure out what happened or even if there is a real problem, and I'll just have to let it go. I've already waived the fee for my considerable time involved & ok with that; how can I charge someone who is not happy with the results, right. I'll resume providing "prints only" but I'd sure like to know for myself what could have gone so wrong.

I'd really be interested in your thoughts, thank you.

Well, one thing you can and should do is have some prints done for yourself for testing. Walmart is not known for its quality, but you could try it and compare. Online companies can be reliable if you use the right ones, like WHCC, Millers, AdoramaPix. I don't know if you have Costcos in Canada, but down here they are pretty reliable.

Like you noted, "auto correction" should be turned off.

I'd try different services, find one or more that produce consistently good results, then tell your customers to use them or there is no guarantee!

Post an image here.

I wouldn't waive your fee, but instead offer a free re-print (which you can check before handing off).

Thanks Tony, testing for printing services for customers to use themselves is a good idea, it would at least give them another option. I did that to find my own online printer, usually not taking the job unless I provided the prints. I've let the customer know about the auto correction so we'll see if the pics reprint properly.

Rene, the pics are of a recognizable place so I can't post one, at least not yet. It will be too late for the intended usage for me to have them printed and send, but if he's still not happy with his reprint today I will do that for my own satisfaction and just give them to him, thanks. The prints I did on my home machine seemed fine, certainly usable! You are right tho, I shouldn't have waived my fee so easily but I was caught off-guard having never gone this route before and certainly not expecting bad prints.

I don't accept a lot of photo work, not really wanting to be in business too deeply, and will likely do even less after this.

Thanks!

You fell victim to the reason why film photographers traditionally NEVER gave negatives to customers to be able print their own set of final prints, after initially seeing the previews...Quality control! (later providing negatives, a couple years later, was not the same issue, as the client already had a chance to see prints at the level of quality which should be expected)

I can understand, in this circumstance, why you provided the digital files. You paid the price, in the waived fee. It would have been better to get the prints and express ship them to your client (ordinarily client pays shipping...you could have absorbed the shipping this time, rather than let your reputation take a beating with inferior prints!) so you retain control!

Well stated Wilt, and I totally agree with every wise word.

The bottom line is that I went against my own strict policy of never giving out my files and have tarnished my own reputation... and I'm feeling it. Hopefully someone else will learn from it.

Thank you...

Digital makes the issue so much more difficult than in the film days. "I cannot give you my negatives" is so much easier to state than "I will not give you a CD with the images"! And these days so many photographers give away the files on CD that the dangerously common precedent was established so very long ago, that anyone who resists is commercially in jeapordy. The best that we can do now is to insist upon delivering original set of final prints, with digital copies of the files -- and try to hang onto the rights for commercial usage of the files provided.

1 - Post a picture.

2 - Tell them if they go to the cheapest place to get prints, expect the cheapest results.