&*^&&%^$^ Sellotape! Aargh!!

Is it only British professional printers that put each print in a delicate individual sleeve, then plaster it in sellotape, then put that in a sleeve box, and plaster that in the stuff too?? Every time I unwrap the parcels it's really really carefully with a sharp knife, or gently unpeeling the tape, to avoid having hundreds of booby traps lying around ready to ruin my new print! Sick of the stuff!!! They don't even need to use it, just fold the sleeve, the packaging holds it in place!

have you tried talking to them? If they're pros, they should consider it as part of your order.

Who are you using for prints? I usually use DSCL, but I haven't had anything printed in a while. My normal print size with them is 16×12, and they would put all of them in the one sleeve. I normally have eight or nine prints done to make the postage cost effective, since the prints, on Fuji Crystal Archive paper, in glossy or luster, are only £1.25 inc VAT.

Alan

Just started using DSCL using the Hahnemuhle ( ?? ) 308 photo rag, and I have to say, the blacks are like looking into the heart of a black hole, they're gorgeous, better packaging too, but some of the prints have come out a bit, erm, different in places. I was using Metrolab, and I love the quality of their prints, but their Glycee printer is on the blink ( but is now fixed ) so was forced elsewhere, and apart from their packaging which I feel to be over the top, their prints were top notch. I won't say who the really bad packagers were.....

I guess I'm a bit traditionalist, as I like the results of printing on photosensitive papers, just like I did when I had my own darkroom. large format inkjet does open up a lot of options though, I have seen samples of both Hahnemuhle and PermaJet papers, and they do seem to have some great options . I do do a fair bit of B&W work, and the prints on the fuji papers are very very close to using old RC coated B&W papers. I have though found a lab that does the ultimate in B&W printing, since they print digitally onto Ilford MGIV papers, both RC, and also on a Fiber Based Baryta paper. The FB paper is absolutely stunning, like you say, blacks like the pit. The only slight issue being that a 16×12 is almost £30, plus £10 P&P. I get those from Whitewall.com

Alan