Digital images to prints - any advice?

Going from the web to print

[timchuma]

I know most people want to know how to scan images for use on their websites, but what about taking digital images and turning them into prints?

I do have an Epson inkjet printer at home (forget the model) which I use for printing out individual A4 sized photos and printing "highlight" sheets (4 to 6 photos) on the one sheet to show to people.

While the prints are good enough for one-off copies, I find that they prints have to be stored in a plastic sleeve or the ink will start coming off from people handling the prints.

Recently there has been a push by photo processing centres and department stores to get people to print their images. It was on my way to one of these stores that I found the store that I use now (30c per 6*4 print.)

What I like about it is that is a touch screen kiosk and you can do everything yourself and just ask the sales assistant to approve the order for you. There are cropping/image adjustment tools available, but I find they are fiddly and I can get better results at home.

Getting back to my question, I have been printing the images I have already edited for the web (1600*1200, JPEG, high quality), but I have found some shots turn out differently to what they look like on screen.

Is there anything I should be doing differently if I want print out the images at a photolab, rather than for web display?

Thanks.

[lZakl]

timchuma,

If your monitor is calibrated correcly, (If you don't know... Open Adobe Gamma and calibrate it right now!) Then when you take your prints in, you need to tell the lab tech that the contrast and hue is the way you want it and not to correct your photos for you. I have never used the automated machines, however I assume that they try to correct them for you. I'd suggest using a lab where you can talk to the tech, and ask them to makes the prints as-is. And be sure to be polite to the techs, they do have the power to give you crappy prints and tell you "that's what they look like without my adjustmensts". They key is to have a monitor with the correct color profiles, and is calibrated to "real life" images.

Personally, if I were t tell you the best way to do this, it would be "buy a Lacie Electron Blue II monitor with the calibration spider."

But Adobe Gamma should do you :0)

-- Zak

[limbo]

I find that they prints have to be stored in a plastic sleeve or the ink will start coming off from people handling the prints.

That is bad paper, pure and simple - get yourself some higherqulity photo paper and you should not see that happening.

[timchuma]

The paper I used came in a pack of 25 and was just under $20 (from the newsagent.) There is a printing supplies shop around the corner from my house, but they are the most expensive place to buy things from.

Thanks.