Had my first print done

And im not even happy with it. On the computer it looked great, it could've been shot better maybe but it to me looked like something i wanted printed. Well i went to a local camera shop that does prints. Told them the size 12x6 i believe (panoramic pic), matted and i wanted a tree removed. Well after nearly 5 weeks of waiting I get it back, and boy was i disappointed. For starters the backing wasn't glued on, found out later its not supposed to be, second the matt was frayed all over the edges. Very unprofessional looking. Then after paying for it, i look it over and it just seems way out of focus now where as on the comp it didn't.

Ok now, they say you learn from your mistakes but what can i do next time i want a print done? what do i need to do besides make sure its what i want printed?

Anytime I going make large prints, I print a letter size photo of it. I will proof it for color, exposure and other defects that I can not see on the monitor.

This extra step has saved me money and headaches.

Bill

I would suggest that you should deliver your image ready to print, cropped to the size you want and with the image processing (for example, removing the tree) as well as the rest of the touch-ups you might want done. Then you at least know that you are starting with the image you want. The rest depends on the quality of the printers ability to use the equipment they have. I use www.whcc.com routinely with great results and have used my local Ritz photo with mixed (mostly color balance issues) results but they are fast. If you search the forums there are other good sources of prints. The better houses will also let you choose various types of mountings if this is desired.

I have no experience with asking others to process my images to change the content -- westcoastimaging will do it but it is not cheap. Others may have more experience here.

Dennis

It hurts, but keep going to places untill you are satisfied.

But there have been some good pointers posted already.

The comment about providing print-ready files is a good one. Remember it is your print, your photo, your vision. The less you give the guys in the print-shop to screw up the better.(Remember, I'm one of those guys in the print shop)

Also, ask for a proof. They may charge you but it is money well spent. Gives you a gander before print so you can do the last minute tweaks. We charge for proofs but let it ride for some of our better customers.

im going to do that from now on. It looks so bad compared to what was on the comp.

What about changing the resolution?

You need to be sure that when you do the preperations for the image, you work in a color space that the printer uses, or at the very least soft proof in that space. For example, I know MPix and most other online digital photo printers use sRGB calibrated printers so it takes a lot of the mystery out if you just work in that color space. But in order to properly use soft proofing, you need to be absolutly certain that your monitor is calibrated. Another tip is to properly size your image before sending it. For example... if you're going to print a 4x6 and use a bit depth of 240dpi make sure the resolution of your final image is 960x1440. For print in your size, I'd recommend 300dpi though.

What were the specs of the image, res. physical size, color space, etc...?

i'll have to check it out and i'll post it up.