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Photography sites for prints (Read 7767 times)

fried

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Photography sites for prints
November 07, 2013, 10:59:46 am
I've been trying to find a photographic print for my front room for ages. I'm looking for something in landscape format about 2mx1m, obviously i'd like it framed but I can organise this.

I'd like something in forest although I could be persuaded otherwise. i'd like b/w but it would probably be too much. I was looking at some stuff in an exhibition where someone had taken giant phots with a pinhole camera, sadly noone at the gallery is still there and we can't find out who it was.

The amount of sites is overwhelming, I don't want anything chocolate box, and I don't want anything that looks like the hobbits live there.

Any recommendations for sites, or any photographers out there care to show me your wares.

dave

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#1 Re: Photography sites for prints
November 07, 2013, 11:15:18 am
2 meters x 1 meter (6ft x 3ft) is a pretty big print, especially for a domesitc room, and that should slim down your choice a bit because most photographers won't be able to produce a print of that size that doesn't look dogshit at the kind of distances you're likely to view in your front room. Even a D800 file printed 2m across will only print to less than 100dpi, which won't look great but you might get away with it on a canvas.

Really you want someone shooting that format from stitched digital files or on medium/large format film scanned to high res, and 2x1m makes it a panoramic format.

Also, be ready for it to be expensive!

This is proably the closest I can muster for forest stuff, some pano in there:
http://www.daveparryphotography.co.uk/search.html?search=tree


Johnny Brown

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#2 Re: Photography sites for prints
November 07, 2013, 11:45:25 am
Quote
I'd like something in forest

As in 'the forest' i.e. Font, or just woodland generally?

What's your budget? At that size it could get pricey... I would be wary of buying such a big print without checking how it will look first. How big is the room? A print that size will really dominate the space.

3 choices I'd say, in cost order:

1. Poster print. ~£25 for a good one. Usually has the photographer's name printed across the bottom. I've got a Charles Cramer one I picked up in the valley. Framing will cost ~£50-150. Should be decent quality but you might struggle to get one that size.

2. Canvas inkjet print. This is the choice of most when printing big, because the texture of the canvas breaks up the fine details of the image, so you don't need such a high res original (i.e. expensive camera). Having said that I would be wary buying one bigger than ~45" without seeing it first. The frame is built-in which makes it cheaper, but not everyone likes the block look. You can send any old digital file to an online printer, meaning colour and detail can be extremely variable - i.e shit. I've sold quite a few for folk's houses, usually 30" or 45" long edge.

3. 'Traditional' framed photographic print. This will be the most expensive but potentially the nicest. If you buy savvy it might even be considered art and therefore have the potential to appreciate. I say 'traditional' as most are actually inkjet prints nowadays, aka giclee. Again, I'd be very wary of buying a print bigger than ~24" online as most photographers simply don't have the gear to produce that level of quality (prosumer digis have only got there in the last two years). To my eye film looks much better at big enlargements due to the random grain structure. Pixels are less attractive. You should be able to pick up a nice  20" x 30" or 30" x 40" print for £150-500. With a nice frame and wide mount that should end up being ~10-12" bigger all round.

There are some other options too, e.g I did a big panoramic print of Stanage for a dutch font guide author, it was a bit bigger than I was comfortable with but we did it on slightly textured watercolour-style paper and it looked great. I think he mounted it borderless behind a sheet of acrylic, to match his modern home and minimalist design ethic.

If you can point us at some stuff you like I might be able to point you at a reputable photographer who does that kind of stuff. Alternatively myself (or Dave) have some experience selling big prints. I don't do much B+W but I do have some nice pics of woodland, inc Font. If I have time tonight I'll dig a few out, or look here.

r-man

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#3 Re: Photography sites for prints
November 07, 2013, 11:47:30 am
Plugging a mate's site here. I like this one, looks B/W but I think those are probably the actual colours.

http://www.danarkle.com/peakwinter/content/IMG_8550_large.html

And there are some nice tree shots on this page

http://www.danarkle.com/treesetc/

Johnny Brown

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#4 Re: Photography sites for prints
November 07, 2013, 11:52:39 am
No offence to Dan, I like his stuff, but knowing what he shoots with that's exactly the kind of stuff that (imho) doesn't stand up to huge enlargements. However I am pretty picky. Part of the joy of a big print is being able to walk right up to it and see pictures within pictures. Not pixels.

fried

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#5 Re: Photography sites for prints
November 07, 2013, 12:26:10 pm
Part of the joy of a big print is being able to walk right up to it and see pictures within pictures. Not pixels.

This is the essence of the problem. Going back to the original pinhole camera photos that inspired me; the photos were even bigger 3mx2m and were shot through the forest, they had an incredible depth of field, you had the texture of the different woods, and sounds like a cliché but you really felt you could walk into it. At this scale it was difficult to focus on the whole print, just bits at a time. The exhibition was really about the technical difficulty of producing prints this large.

It doesn't have to be Fontainebleau forest, but a forest I have a connection with would be an added bonus. I took some camera photos in that stunted forest at the end of Gardom's which would work well for example.

I'll have look through the links and try to find something which'll give you all a better idea. Thanks everyone.

fried

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#6 Re: Photography sites for prints
November 07, 2013, 07:40:04 pm


This is as close as I can get. I don't want the blurry motion effect but just an idea for the depth I'm looking for. Probably would be better in colour.

I remeasured and it's more like 125cm by 60cm. I don't really want to go over 250 quid, does that sound like a tall order.

I have to run the photo passed the missus, and I'm currently waiting for some builders to fix a leak, then the place needs to have the parquet redone. I'll probably be looking at actually parting with cash around early spring, just so you don't think I'm a schnorrer.

Johnny Brown

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#7 Re: Photography sites for prints
November 07, 2013, 10:21:13 pm
Quote
I remeasured and it's more like 125cm by 60cm. I don't really want to go over 250 quid, does that sound like a tall order.

No. A canvas that size should cost ~£100 to print, a frame and print ~£150. Leaves a reasonable markup for your artist.

dave

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#8 Re: Photography sites for prints
November 07, 2013, 10:34:19 pm


This is as close as I can get. I don't want the blurry motion effect

That'll be from the pinhole, so anything shot with a proper lens should be fine.

fried

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#9 Re: Photography sites for prints
November 09, 2013, 05:29:12 pm


This was taken by me on a phone, just to give you another idea.

Paul B

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#10 Re: Photography sites for prints
November 09, 2013, 10:53:27 pm
Commission Dave or Adam to take their large format to Froggatt...

SA Chris

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#11 Re: Photography sites for prints
November 15, 2013, 06:23:44 pm
+1 to that idea.

get an idea of what you want and then get them on the case.

Have you got a better idea of what you are after yet? Ansel Adams liked taking photos in the woods btw. If you go into google images  and put in his name and birch trees or aspen trees (are they the same thing?) there are loads of choices. I'm sure if you put in any well known landscape photographer and "trees" you will get an idea of what you are after.

dave

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#12 Re: Photography sites for prints
November 15, 2013, 08:19:46 pm
Commission Dave or Adam to take their large format to Froggatt...

In all seriousness, now is one of the rare time I would actually have enough time to do this. Get it while its hot.

Saw some very good big prints today at the Ilford lab in Cheshire, printed via Lightjet but onto their own proper b&w paper, rather than printing b&w onto colour paper (as Peak etc do) - impressive results and I think they would print up to 50" wide.

fried

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#13 Re: Photography sites for prints
November 16, 2013, 04:53:08 pm
Thanks everyone.

I now have a better idea about the price range for size I'm after. As I mentioned before, I don't want to part with any cash before the early spring and at the moment I'm just weighing up options. Choosing a piece of art for my front room isn't something I want to rush into.

Commisioning artists sounds like something the landed gentry would do.

ian h

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Paul B

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#15 Re: Photography sites for prints
December 28, 2013, 01:07:52 pm
Johnny has always recommended InFrame to me in the past:
http://www.inframegallery.co.uk/

I used it again for Christmas and once again, I was very pleased with the outcome. More to do in January too (this time for me).

SamT

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#16 Re: Photography sites for prints
December 28, 2013, 01:27:19 pm

Try Marc Elliots stuff. Deffo some woodland stuff in his works.

http://marcelliottphotography.co.uk

Paul B

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#17 Re: Photography sites for prints
January 25, 2014, 08:00:05 pm
I was sent from InFrame Woodseats to InFrame Handsworth today as they've just spent a small fortune on a new printer (capable of about 48" wide I believe).

Supposedly they've now shifted all of their printing stuff to this workshop and Woodseats is now acting only as a point of sale (i.e. if you want something specific or to check your work on his monitor etc. go to Handsworth). I thought this was worth noting.

(3 prints ordered  :dance1:)

Johnny Brown

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#18 Re: Photography sites for prints
January 25, 2014, 09:08:15 pm
Good knowledge. Which shop does Darren frequent then?

Paul B

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#19 Re: Photography sites for prints
January 25, 2014, 09:13:59 pm
Handsworth.

He ran me off a cotton rag and satin print to compare and spent ages showing me the different glass types (his depth of knowledge is impressive).

Everything matt is coming off the new printer (supposedly superior) and the other is being kept for satin finish.

Paul B

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#20 Re: Photography sites for prints
February 02, 2014, 01:19:51 pm
Got the prints back yesterday. To say I'm pleased would be an understatement. Wow etc.

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#21 Re: Photography sites for prints
March 03, 2014, 12:48:14 pm


Thats a crazy looking forest. Looks like something out of Pans labyrinth

 

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