Photo printing sevice?

[JohnR]

Is anyone doing this? While I have decided not to pursue a framing business in the near future (door is always open, though). I was thinking of providing a large format printing service if I ever opened a storefront. The idea is this:

Digital cameras are wildly popular and over the past couple years, the image quality improved to a point that I’d say the quality is very good.

It would seem like good service to offer. I would not compete for the 8x10 or smaller business. There are good 24 inch wide printers available for not much over $1,000. Going beyond 36” wide gets costly though. A customer could bring their “prized” image file and have it printed and framed.

Just a thought. It seems like a good way to bring in extra revenue and bring the digital photo age together with framing.

John

[Patrick Leeland]

Yeah I know a few peeps doing this. I think this is an ok idea. Got to remember copyright issues. And you really need to market this, if it is in your back room and no body knows it is there accept you, well then you no its there doing nothing.

I also have to say, if you know how to do the photoshop deal that is great. If not there is a learning curve. It can take a while to get something good if you are new to it.

PL

[John Dixon]

jdixon@hotmail.com

[John Dixon]

Your idea is workable. Our shop has been trying this out and there is in fact a learning curve like no other. On the positive side, it has given us sales for the custom framing end plus it makes us different then our competition. Good Luck

[AWG]

I read today where Staples is installing large-format printers in 1200 of their stores.

Large-format is probably the fastest-growing segment of the photo printing business - I'd say go for it if you've got the skills/time/space/marketing abilities needed to make it work.

Tony

[JohnR]

I was thinking about this after taking 16 digital photo files to the printers and having 24x18 prints made for a trade show. These were from a 4 megapixel camera and we were suprised at how well they came out. They were printed on an HP wide format 6 ink printer using UV resistant inks at a local print shop for $30 a pop.
John

[Elaine]

I have a photographer that I send people to all the time for this. I haven't had time to really investigate, but I think if you are going to do it, it will take time, money, marketing and space. A good complement to framing if you have the excess capacity. Right now, for me, the referrals work the best without having to hire someone.

my 2 cents!

[framah]

I have an Epson 9600 and I do printing for artists who want limited edition prints of their originals, as well as people coming in with slides, negatives, and digital files on CD and make prints for them. One guy last year... when I was done with all of the 28x42 inch prints he wanted... he paid for my machine!

I set the system up so I would have my (virtual) darkroom back and could print my own photos. Of course, I advertise in my radio ads about the large format service as well as word of mouth from the people I have done work for.

It takes about a year to get really comfortable working the system, including Photoshop, and then it takes some time for it to grow, but if you have the room and the time, definitely, go for it.

Learning the different inks, papers, printers and the profiles for each of the combinations and how to make it all work aswell as Photoshop is steep and it might help to find a good printing school to go learn it from the pros.