Printing tips for photos to hang on wall?

[kodiak]

hi,

im getting a Epson R2400 for printing photos at 19x13 to hang on the wall at home. (pictures taken with a canon 20d in raw)

ive not done printing of digital photos before, and im sure printing has its own gotchas etc

does anyone have any tips - general or specific (to r2400)?

some specific questions.
- do i have to spray prints with a fixative? (photos will be behind glass)
- B&W , should i do anything different in process than when i do for the screen?
- as they are hanging on wall, so probably viewed from a 'distance' - any recommended post-processing? e.g. make them more 'punchy' - perhaps increase contrast. (this is general, im sure much depends on the image)
- are there any good web resouces on this topic?
- color profile - imac, camera and i assume r2400 have color profiles - can i rely upon these ... or do i need to somehow calibrate to get wysiwyg?


cant wait to experiment

thanks for any help
mark

 

[hqsbud]

I can address the last question as I have had the same printer for the past three or four months. I use the Epson-supplied profiles and am very happy with them. I calibrated my screen with a Spyder2, and the results are very faithful, to my eyes.

The method I use (and this is recommended by most people who should know) is to configure Photoshop or Aperture or Lightroom to handle color management when printing, and make sure you have the printer driver's color management turned off in the Print dialog, and of course have the proper color profile selected for the ink and paper you're using.

The best results I've gotten are when using the MK ink on the Epson Velvet Find Art paper. The blacks are charcoal black.

 

[kodiak]

gr8 thanks, i heard similar - about using photoshop color management,

though i did read one post saying, that whilst this was good for color, if you are printing black and white then use the printers color management.


for others who might come across this thread... i also found quite useful alot of info at:
photo.net

 

[ChrisA]

hi,

im getting a Epson R2400 for printing photos at 19x13 to hang on the wall at home. (pictures taken with a canon 20d in raw)

ive not done printing of digital photos before, and im sure printing has its own gotchas etc

does anyone have any tips - general or specific (to r2400)?

some specific questions.
- do i have to spray prints with a fixative? (photos will be behind glass)
- B&W , should i do anything different in process than when i do for the screen?
- as they are hanging on wall, so probably viewed from a 'distance' - any recommended post-processing? e.g. make them more 'punchy' - perhaps increase contrast. (this is general, im sure much depends on the image)
- are there any good web resouces on this topic?
- color profile - imac, camera and i assume r2400 have color profiles - can i rely upon these ... or do i need to somehow calibrate to get wysiwyg?


cant wait to experiment

thanks for any help
mark

You will need to calibrate your monitor unless you want to waste a lot of ink and paper. Leave the monitor on for at least 30 minutes before use, disable screen blanker

Why worry about long term color fading? In 5 or 10 years you can make another print and by then you will own an even better printer. If this were a fine art print that you were selling then it's value is greater if it is archival quality but if the print is for your own use, take then down and put a new print in the frame.

A remember hearing a story about someone being shocked that Ansel Adams ripped one of his prints in half and destroyed it at a time when such prints sold for $10,000 each. To him they where just the cost of the paper and so it is the same with you. Why bother with glass cover? Prints do NOT look nearly as good under glass. So skip it. If it gets grungy in a few years rip it in half, destroy it and print another.