Quote:
Originally Posted by jfrancho
I doubt that your R1800 does all the finishing that I get from WHCC. Does it do gallery wraps? does it print 4x6 proofs on 5x7 texture paper and spiral bind it? What about mounting on mat or foam? What about press stuff? Christmas Cards? Books? Home printing is fine for a lot of things, but it is still at the hobbyist stage when it comes to printing above 13".
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As I said I WAS a WHCC customer so I am aware of their services as well as Mpix. Gallery wraps? If a customer wants it I get it done locally to MY satisfaction to MY specs.
4X6's, 5X7's PfffT I don't even bother. Everyone has a printer at home and if the customer wants to dink around fine. The jobs are big enough I just give them the watered down files that will print a somewhat reasonable 5X7 and they can fart around with it as much as they want.
Paper? I'm not at all limited by the Kodak stuff that's offered which I don't find that good to begin with. There is a plethora of the very highest quality papers I have on hand and at my disposal to choose from to be limited to a mediocre RC paper.
Mounting? I do that if they want. Just takes minutes on quality foam core I pick myself.
Matting/Framing? Very subjective and depends on not only what the image is but where it will hang. For me that's best left to the customer. Pictures of the horse culture could be hanged anywhere from a barn tack room to a dining room. Off road GP scrambles could be hanged in the grandparents living room or an RV. I have a local I work with or point them in the direction of B, Franklin or some other framer of their choice.
Books/calenders, I have that covered locally too. My printer just won a competition in NYC with over 3500 entrants in vertical no less and his prices to me are very reasonable and I know when I go through town and pick them up I have no worries of their quality.
I went to a quality CIS that's been tested and between my calibrated monitor and calibrated (lowly)R1800 in blind testing with customers that have received from me both WHCC and MPix prints prefer the prints I have control over and not a college kid back East.
Calibration time is minimal at most. My work flow is such that when I print I can set it and go on to other productive activities like not having to consider if my prints will make it back to me on time or if USPS, UPS or FedEX trashed my prints. (Has happened and put me in a jam.)
Above A3 I go back to my local printer where again, I have control and one day service. I like to work locally with the professionals. I like to keep my and my customer's money at home. The people I work with appreciate that because they know what the online competition is and they also know they have to look me in the eye when the project is complete.
So Mr. Francho when someone like you calls someone like me a hobbyist I'd say you better stand your ass back because you may have absolved yourself of accepting responsibility for your finished product but I as most haven't. I tried your way but my customers who the vast majority are repeats and pay the freight prefer my way and for me that's all that matters.
Your hot air and bravado are not facts based in evidence.
Dn