Looking to print on metal

I have no experience printing on metal but I thought this be a great photo to print on metal. Any recommendations on the photo? Or something to get it ready to print on metal? And who you use to print of metal?

IMAGE LINK: https://photos.smugmug​.com …no-PsEdit-X2.jpg&lb=1&s=A

I have no experience printing on metal, but am working on getting a nice shot of the milky way and plan to print it on metal. I do think that would look great printed. Well done, the foreground adds so much to the image!

Do a small test print to get your tones dialed in before committing to a big print. Review your test print in various types of lighting.

Generally, you can print it on metal that has a clear base coat or a white base coat.

The clear base coat lets the shine (or dullness) of the aluminum show through. This means that you're starting with reflective gray instead of bright white.
This means that the midtones and bright tones will be very heavily affected by the light in which the print is displayed. Without putting the print in good dedicated light, the midtones will lose a LOT of brightness. Therefore, if you expect to display it in a way that will be lit by ambient, and not have its own dedicated display lighting, then you may need to boost the midtones somewhat.

The white base coat is similar to a very bright wet-glossy-look paper.

I do my printing through WHCC (White House Custom Color) and I've been really happy with them. As someone else suggested, get a smaller test print done first to verify your settings are as you want them. When submitting images to any printer, make sure you deselect any auto-correct options in the submit/ordering flow, as many auto-select that option.

Image looks like it should be gtg, though; I think you're right in it looking good on metal.

Thanks all...

FWIW...Cosco is now doing metal prints.

Thanks. Any idea how they are?

swbkrun wrote in post #18033673
Thanks. Any idea how they are?

In my experience, they're fairly inconsistent; but affordable. I was always fairly happy with their service and print quality until I tried to get multiple copies at different times. Using the same source file I would wind up with differing results from print to print. This also seems to vary from location to location.

They should certainly be good enough to try out an experiment or two to see how they do for you.

If you visit the same Cosco and insist on the same printer, they are quite consistent, but, metal are not done in-house.

Thanks guys. I may also try a local photo shop and see if they could take a look at the photo before sending it out for metal print. I might pay a little bit more but I don't think it would be too significant.

Just make sure that it's a metallic print.

chauncey wrote in post #18034005
Just make sure that it's a metallic print.

Make sure it's a METAL print; "metallic" prints are usually done on a metallic paper which is a very different result.

Snydremark wrote in post #18034011
Make sure it's a METAL print; "metallic" prints are usually done on a metallic paper which is a very different result.

Uh oh... 2 different opinions? I was think METAL? Am I missing something on Metallic vs. Metal?

swbkrun wrote in post #18034025
Uh oh... 2 different opinions? I was think METAL? Am I missing something on Metallic vs. Metal?

Metal is actually printed on a sheet of aluminum, whereas metallic is printed on a special, metallic paper. If you've ever seen foil printed collectible cards or anything like that, those are metallic prints. Metal is what you want here.

Snydremark wrote in post #18034059
Metal is actually printed on a sheet of aluminum, whereas metallic is printed on a special, metallic paper. If you've ever seen foil printed collectible cards or anything like that, those are metallic prints. Metal is what you want here.

That is what I was thinking. Thanks again.