Who prints their own?

Just wondering how many people actually print thier images out and how many print their own pics, and whether it's for profit (actually making sales) for pleasure (for granny or stick on the wall)

Please vote on what you do most commonly: i.e. if you print for pleasure at A4 90% with the hope of occasionally making a rare sale then vote 'for pleasure'

Sizes etc are rough, not exact

Just to get an idea of how many of us actually regularily do our own printing or do we even print our stuff at all ?
Do we kinda always hope to print but never get round to it...kinda hope to sell but never get round to it, ar we flat out pros selling and printing for all were worth..which?

Printing's a pain in the butt, I have a lab do all of it. The only reason I have a printer is to print documents and DVD labels.

Lab all the time

FTP into the lab, they guarantee colour match for 1 year.

I bought an R2400 with the intention of printing all my own for ultimate control yadda yadda yadda. I had a relatively large order from a bride shortly after receiving the printer and haven't done one since. Anymore it's only one-offs or small personal prints where shipping prices cannot be justified. I've only put maybe $200 worth of OEM ink through it in about 2 years. Oh well. I needed the tax write-off that year.

Labs have all the tools to do it right with less hassle.

Youre missing an item on your poll. Proofs and minor stuff self printed, and commercial prints in a pro lab, which is what I do

I get a lab to print about 99% of everything. If a customer really needs something in a few hours (of which they pay dearly for) then I will print my own.

I use a lab that utilizes the ROES system and is about 130 miles from me. If I upload at night I have them by the morning two days later, ie. if I upload Monday night I have them Wednesday morning. I have put in some rather large orders (several hundred 8x10's) and they always meet this time line. I do print some of my own personal work just for fun and to stay current on printing trends. My time is worth way more than the few pennies that I might save by printing my own. I say "might" because once you have to redo one or two all your savings are gone.

Commmmmon guys and gales. When do you want to realize it is the digital era. Even on older days every one knew slide show is nicer than page format pictures (Simple physics, light of transmission better and more vivid than light of reflection) so with all these options today to show your work, why one ever wants to have a paper (Very heavy if you have the habit for a while and then need to move once in a while), image when you can have the better option; display on monitor, big scree, projection for much much cheaper, unless you feel pity for dieing Kodak and likewise companies and have that excess cash... Additionally by not using paper, you may actually feel better inside, not to contribute in killing of Green Forest and actually show your love and part of sharing in preservation of mother nature, after all wasn't it Earth Day only a few days back?
Sorry a bit radical idea but please give it a moment of insight and you will see how well it digests...

ssim wrote in post #5452050
I get a lab to print about 99% of everything. If a customer really needs something in a few hours (of which they pay dearly for) then I will print my own.

I use a lab that utilizes the ROES system and is about 130 miles from me. If I upload at night I have them by the morning two days later, ie. if I upload Monday night I have them Wednesday morning. I have put in some rather large orders (several hundred 8x10's) and they always meet this time line. I do print some of my own personal work just for fun and to stay current on printing trends. My time is worth way more than the few pennies that I might save by printing my own. I say "might" because once you have to redo one or two all your savings are gone.

WHCC uses ROES as well and it's fantastically convenient and quick. With online ordering being so fast & easy, it's a no-brainer in my opinion.

samsen wrote in post #5452070
Commmmmon guys and gales. When do you want to realize it is the digital era. Even on older days every one knew slide show is nicer than page format pictures (Simple physics, light of transmission better and more vivid than light of reflection) so with all these options today to show your work, why one ever wants to have a paper (Very heavy if you have the habit for a while and then need to move once in a while), image when you can have the better option; display on monitor, big scree, projection for much much cheaper, unless you feel pity for dieing Kodak and likewise companies and have that excess cash... Additionally by not using paper, you may actually feel better inside, not to contribute in killing of Green Forest and actually show your love and part of sharing in preservation of mother nature, after all wasn't it Earth Day only a few days back?
Sorry a bit radical idea but please give it a moment of insight and you will see how well it digests...

Some people still want prints and I'm not as set up as you are with a big studio for viewing.

Proofing online lets people view and order in their undies if they so desire. No schedules to juggle. No no-shows. No inconveniences. They select, I order via ROES, everyone's happy.

samsen wrote in post #5452070
Commmmmon guys and gales. When do you want to realize it is the digital era. Even on older days every one knew slide show is nicer than page format pictures (Simple physics, light of transmission better and more vivid than light of reflection) so with all these options today to show your work, why one ever wants to have a paper (Very heavy if you have the habit for a while and then need to move once in a while), image when you can have the better option; display on monitor, big scree, projection for much much cheaper, unless you feel pity for dieing Kodak and likewise companies and have that excess cash... Additionally by not using paper, you may actually feel better inside, not to contribute in killing of Green Forest and actually show your love and part of sharing in preservation of mother nature, after all wasn't it Earth Day only a few days back?
Sorry a bit radical idea but please give it a moment of insight and you will see how well it digests...

Will forward this to all the customers asking for prints

samsen wrote in post #5452070
Commmmmon guys and gales. When do you want to realize it is the digital era. Even on older days every one knew slide show is nicer than page format pictures (Simple physics, light of transmission better and more vivid than light of reflection) so with all these options today to show your work, why one ever wants to have a paper (Very heavy if you have the habit for a while and then need to move once in a while), image when you can have the better option; display on monitor, big scree, projection for much much cheaper, unless you feel pity for dieing Kodak and likewise companies and have that excess cash... Additionally by not using paper, you may actually feel better inside, not to contribute in killing of Green Forest and actually show your love and part of sharing in preservation of mother nature, after all wasn't it Earth Day only a few days back?
Sorry a bit radical idea but please give it a moment of insight and you will see how well it digests...

Well thats your opinion, but i personally disagree.

Yes, i DO have a HDMI projector and a nice big screen.
Yes, i DO make PC slideshows for those that wants that

and...

Yes, i DO just love the quality and feel of a nice, professional print.

Its just a matter of personal taste. And of business as well.

The lab I use is very resonable price-wise so I cannot justify getting all the gear for the job as yet. I'm happy with my current arrangement.

Great poll

samsen wrote in post #5452070
Commmmmon guys and gales. When do you want to realize it is the digital era. Even on older days every one knew slide show is nicer than page format pictures (Simple physics, light of transmission better and more vivid than light of reflection) so with all these options today to show your work, why one ever wants to have a paper (Very heavy if you have the habit for a while and then need to move once in a while), image when you can have the better option; display on monitor, big scree, projection for much much cheaper, unless you feel pity for dieing Kodak and likewise companies and have that excess cash... Additionally by not using paper, you may actually feel better inside, not to contribute in killing of Green Forest and actually show your love and part of sharing in preservation of mother nature, after all wasn't it Earth Day only a few days back?
Sorry a bit radical idea but please give it a moment of insight and you will see how well it digests...

Don't let go of that tree you are hugging.

You are right in one thing, it is a radical view. I offer an option of buying a digital frame with preloaded images but it is really up to them now isn't it. I have never had a customer not buy prints, even if they took one of the digital frames. I quite like the prints that I have hanging in the house and have no plans to stop changing them out.

Personally, I enjoy printing as much as I enjoy taking the photograph. Yes it's expensive (so are cameras and lenses) and there is another learning curve for print color management, but when you see a great canvas print coming out of the printer and know everything about it is your own creation, it's very satisfying.

Az2Africa wrote in post #5452289
Personally, I enjoy printing as much as I enjoy taking the photograph. Yes it's expensive (so are cameras and lenses) and there is another learning curve for print color management, but when you see a great canvas print coming out of the printer and know everything about it is your own creation, it's very satisfying.

I'm with Az here. I enjoy printing my own, and since I'm an amateur and plan to stay that way that's what I'll continue to do. However, I'm frequently asked to shoot pictures at local cultural and social events, and when I need to distribute shots to people I load the finished files into a Zip file, load it onto my web site and give them the URL with a recommendation that they use our local Ritz Photo. They're reasonably convenient and seem to do a better job than the drug stores.

By the way, Az, after coming within a fraction of an inch of buying an Eizo I finally decided to go for this LaCie instead:
http://****/26xz0

I also considered the new Lenovo L220x, but this review finally pushed me over the line:
http://****/26y08

I was shocked to see, when I went back to the B & H site for the link, that the price had been lowered to $789.95 from the $879.95 I paid when I ordered it just three days ago! Not the first time that has happened to me.