Until last year I had never enjoyed the thrill of making my own photographic prints. When I needed a print, I’d send off a file (or slide) to whatever lab I was using at the time and they’d ship the print directly to me or my client. With only a few exceptions my image viewing experience consisted of staring at a photo on a computer monitor.
Then, I bought an Epson Stylus Photo R2880 printer and everything changed. If that sounds like a dramatic statement – it is. It’s also quite true. I started making my own prints. Whenever I wanted. On whatever paper I wanted. It didn’t take long and I was addicted to the smell of fresh ink on photographic paper as a new print rolled off the printer, landing ever so gently in the catch tray. Is there a difference between viewing an image on a computer monitor and holding an actual print, that you made, in your hands? You’d better believe it.
As an artist I like to have complete control over my work from start to finish. While it is true that you maintain a degree of control when you do all the post-processing on your photos before sending them off to a lab, you’re really not closing the loop. The ultimate control comes when you conclude the image making process by crafting your own print. Today’s inkjet printers are capable of producing professional quality archival prints that rival and, in my opinion, exceed those made using more traditional methods like Cibachromes. They’re sharper, more detailed, just as colorful and can be made using a diversity of papers.
While difficult to quantify, there is a certain pleasure and satisfaction in handling an honest to God hand-crafted print. It is a tactile experience. You feel the weight of the paper, the texture. Unseen details emerge. Perhaps you feel pride in the knowledge that the print you are holding was born of your own creativity, and that without your vision and skills it would cease to exist. I get none of this from viewing an image on a computer monitor.
I’ve also noticed that people react differently when viewing my photographs in print. On the computer (or iPad), they quickly flick through the images. When I hand over my portfolio book I’ve noticed that they linger on each image. They don’t madly flip from one page to the next. Do people, even non-photographers, appreciate a fine art print more than they do an image on a screen? It would seem so.
What is your experience with pixels vs. prints?
14 Responses to “Pixels Vs. Prints”
Mac Danzig says:
Great article as always, Brett…
Making my own prints with my Epson 3880 is one of my favorite things to do after processing. To me, that’s the true test of an image: does it hold up on print?…
That’s when I finally feel like the “process” is complete…
I think the major thing that held me back from getting my own printer earlier, was the notion that printing, and learning the workflow (profiles, etc) was too complicated… Once I learned how easy it was, i wish I’d have started printing sooner…
Robin Black says:
Good food for thought, Bret. I’ve been trying to decide whether to get a printer in that range myself; the advantages certainly sound worthwhile.
Jacob Venard says:
Bret. I agree with you that one gets more out of viewing a print than on screen. It is rare that I will take the time to absorb an image on screen, rather having a quick view acknowledging that it is a good image, then moving on. The nuances, depth, texture, or whatever the photographer is trying to communicate come out much stronger in print and it is easier to take the time to examine a print than on screen. That said, my continual purchasing of printer ink feels a bit like a bad habit.
Greg Vaughn says:
Great article Bret. I’m assuming your desires for a printer were either started or increased after the Andy Biggs/Scott Martin workshop last year in Moab. I felt the same after talking with them, but it took me longer to break down and go buy a printer.
I ended up recently purchasing the Epson R3000 (very similar to 2880) and have found that for many of the same reasons you mention above I really enjoy the printed picture.
Holding your own print of your own shot is a great feeling, and I have seen the same reaction you describe from others that have seen the prints. I even enjoy the sense of anticipation as I wait on the picture to drop onto the printer tray!
I think you nailed the whole experience in your article.
Bret Edge says:
Thank you for the comments, all.
Robin: I really don’t think you’ll regret it if you do pick up a printer. It’s so immensely satisfying to make your own prints and really, it isn’t as difficult as it may appear.
Jacob: Yeah, I can totally identify with your “bad habit”. Ink and paper, which is quite an expense too, especially when you’re first getting started and haven’t developed an affinity for any specific papers.
Greg: I actually didn’t buy mine because of the workshop w/ Andy and Scott, though I did learn a lot from them. I bought mine so I could have more control over my prints and more easily keep up with print orders.
Mac: You’re absolutely right – making your own prints isn’t as hard as it may seem. It did seem quite daunting with all the talk of calibration, soft proofing, profiling, paper selection, etc. but a little bit of research, a little bit of reading and some experience with the printer and paper I quickly gained confidence. I also agree that the true test of an image is whether it will hold up as a print. Sadly, I’ve discovered that a few of mine (mostly older photos) do not make good prints.
Olivier Du Tré says:
I can only imagine how much fun that has to be, printing your own stuff.
My local lab does a good job printing my colour files. Let them do a couple this week and I was really happy.
Black and whites are another story. They sucked! And I was not a happy camper. I let them print 2 of my light bw winter photos and they came out too light. I asked them how that was possible. Mainly because I am in the printing industry so I understand printing profiles and what not. The manager ‘guessed’ and ‘adjusted’ the image to where he felt was what I meant with the image. I told him NOT OK. Keep your hands of my files!
They did them on a regular colour printer. Wich ment ofcourse that they had a colour cast. What is your experience printing black and whites on the epson?
Only for the bw prints I wished I had a dedicated K7 printer.
QT Luong says:
This perfectly echoes my own experience. in 2006, I moved my production back to the studio, after acquiring an Epson 9800 wide format printer. Although there is a couple of technical advantages for the inkjets, the main advantage of using the Epson is that I am able to bring the printing process back to the studio, where it belongs, rather than outsourcing it to a lab. It is often said that a true artist should handle as many stages of the production of his work as possible. When I was outsourcing Lightjets to labs, I would often re-do prints, but this was time-consuming and somewhat expensive. Controlling the printing process myself again with the Epson allows me to make prints that best match my vision, since it is easy to experiment, refine and redo a print immediatly until I am entirely satisfied with the results.
Edie Howe says:
I would love to be able to print my own images; However, while money is a factor, my real limitation is a lack of space. So, seriously; I live in a room about the size of a walk-in closet. Every spare inch is used up.
Bret Edge says:
I feel your pain, Edie. While my office isn’t as small as your space, it is by no means huge. I still can’t find a space in it that will fit the 24″ printer I’d like to be running. One day…
Olivier: Doesn’t that infuriate you? When I send off a file to be printed, which I have to do for larger prints, I expect it to be printed as-is, not as the technician feels it should be printed. Ugh! The 2280, and most of the Canon and Epson printers, are capable of producing stunning b&w prints. I’m very happy w/ mine in this regard. The printer has an “Advanced B&W” mode that does a very nice job w/ monchrome images but you don’t have to use it to achieve spectacular results. I see no color cast in my b&w images, either.
QT: Really appreciate your thoughts on this topic. I’m certainly not an expert printer and I haven’t been doing it long, so it’s great to hear from someone w/ much more experience who feels the same way about pixels vs. prints.
Greg Russell says:
First of all, Bret, I agree that seeing your photography in print is very gratifying…much more than seeing it on a computer screen. Every time I have something printed, whether for myself or for a client, I have a hard time taking my eyes off of it.
I can imagine it would be much more gratifying to be able to make my own prints. I’ve largely neglected buying a printer to this point because I’m not sure where I’d put it. But, in the end, I know that’s a lame excuse, because there’s always room for one more thing.
Great post and thoughts, Bret!
Cesar says:
I enjoy your blogs, you have a very down to earth points of view.
I am looking into buying a printer. I always thought labs will have this great advantage in technology. But for what I read, the gap is closer. What would it be the advantage to send the file to a lab instead of using a printer like yours?
Is it cheaper to print yourself, or having more control over the artistic process has a price?
Bret Edge says:
Cesar: The advantage to making your own prints is that you retain the ultimate in creative control. Your final print is the result of your efforts, without any outside interpretation. You will most likely be able to print your photos cheaper at a lab, though not by a significant amount. Also, unless you have a sizable budget and plenty of room in your home office, you won’t be able to make large prints at home. My printer is only capable of 13″ x 19″ prints, so I still have to send out my image files to a lab for larger prints.