Posted by gary phillips on June 18, 2014 at 10:30 PM
I have yet to order metallic prints. Anyone with experience with Whitewall or Bay Photo. Also undecided about going with gloss or matte. Contemporary setting color shot.
Gary - This is in reference to a good local friend, and part owner of Picture This Gallery in Hermitage, TN., which is right down the street from me, and...with whom I do a lot of business -
He does very colorful, contemporary fine art images, and has recently gotten into the metal prints. His choice of labs is White House Custom Colour. I can say personally that I have seen these aluminum prints in real life, and they are nothing short of spectacular. He uses the super hi gloss, which, if I ever did any, which I may...I would also do only the hi gloss.
I've seen the lustre or satin as well as the matte finish. They lose a whole lot of impact. Here's a link to White House's metal print information.
There's a difference between "metallic" paper and aluminum prints. I assume you're referring to the latter, actually printed on metal sheets?
I've done some limited edition series on metallic paper through two different printers: AdoramaPix and WHCC. I preferred the slightly richer colors from Adorama. However, their handling of the prints was pretty poor. Lots of fingerprints and scratches... a higher percentage of re-orders through them than WHCC. I ended up going with WHCC for the second round and processed a high number of orders through them, and have been very happy overall.
I went with WHCC for the aluminum prints as well and think the quality is good. It's interesting to see that they now offer hanging brackets for extra large prints. Don't assume that everyone does this. Last year, the metal posts were the only option for 30+ inch prints, so I had to suggest to customers that they either purchase mirror brackets at a hardware store or get the prints framed (if they didn't want the posts).
Also important to note: fingerprints are not a problem on the metal finish (unlike the metallic paper), but they CAN scratch easily.
Max
Posted by gary phillips on June 18, 2014 at 11:47 PM
Michael and Max, thanks for the info, very much appreciated. Nice chunk of change for an experiment, so this really helps.
Gary,
I have used Bay Photo and found the quality of their metal prints good. I would also recommend gloss. With a matte finish, you might as well do paper... Also, as Max noted, in spite of the fact that the aluminum is "durable", you can't bang them around. I had one chip on a corner, and dropped another one and it got seriously scratched. I'm intrigued by WHCC super-hi-gloss. Might have to check it out.
Linnet
Posted by Lance Warley on June 19, 2014 at 6:49 AM
I use Image Wizards in Atlanta. I like their quality, but I don't like that they charge $75 if you want to send them an updated file after they've sent you the proofs. So far, they've waived the $75, but only after I've bitched. Is this common practice?
Based upon Michael's comment, I'm going to take a look at Picture This Gallery.
Another site to look at is Image Wizards. I am getting a print for a show from them...I'll see the final product on July 5th. Their proof was not only better than Bay Photos, but it was free and 8x10 (was 1 finish only). I had to pay Bay Photo about 60 plus bucks to get four 4x6 proofs (1 in each finish).
Image Wizards, also, charge a $75 fee for an updated file after the proof has been sent. So, that must be the standard.
Bay Photo said nothing about me printing my photo at 30x24, when I sent them a JPEG at 150dpi. But,Image Wizards DID tell me to send them a file at 300dpi or higher to get my 30x24 print, if I wanted it to look good. That tells me, immediately, that they are going to be more vigilant about getting a better print.
Definitely go with the ultra gloss if you want it to look like Hi Def TV, which I do. The matte just does not have the same impact.
Only advantage with Bay Photo, is that they have templates for interesting cutout shapes for you print. But, since that does not interest me, I went with Image Wizards.
I'll update after I get back from San Francisco.....after the 10th of July.
Discussion
6 repliesAny opinions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
He does very colorful, contemporary fine art images, and has recently gotten into the metal prints. His choice of labs is White House Custom Colour. I can say personally that I have seen these aluminum prints in real life, and they are nothing short of spectacular. He uses the super hi gloss, which, if I ever did any, which I may...I would also do only the hi gloss.
I've seen the lustre or satin as well as the matte finish. They lose a whole lot of impact. Here's a link to White House's metal print information.
http://www.whcc.com/products/wall-displays/metal-prints
I've done some limited edition series on metallic paper through two different printers: AdoramaPix and WHCC. I preferred the slightly richer colors from Adorama. However, their handling of the prints was pretty poor. Lots of fingerprints and scratches... a higher percentage of re-orders through them than WHCC. I ended up going with WHCC for the second round and processed a high number of orders through them, and have been very happy overall.
I went with WHCC for the aluminum prints as well and think the quality is good. It's interesting to see that they now offer hanging brackets for extra large prints. Don't assume that everyone does this. Last year, the metal posts were the only option for 30+ inch prints, so I had to suggest to customers that they either purchase mirror brackets at a hardware store or get the prints framed (if they didn't want the posts).
Also important to note: fingerprints are not a problem on the metal finish (unlike the metallic paper), but they CAN scratch easily.
Max
I have used Bay Photo and found the quality of their metal prints good. I would also recommend gloss. With a matte finish, you might as well do paper... Also, as Max noted, in spite of the fact that the aluminum is "durable", you can't bang them around. I had one chip on a corner, and dropped another one and it got seriously scratched. I'm intrigued by WHCC super-hi-gloss. Might have to check it out.
Linnet
Based upon Michael's comment, I'm going to take a look at Picture This Gallery.
Image Wizards, also, charge a $75 fee for an updated file after the proof has been sent. So, that must be the standard.
Bay Photo said nothing about me printing my photo at 30x24, when I sent them a JPEG at 150dpi. But,Image Wizards DID tell me to send them a file at 300dpi or higher to get my 30x24 print, if I wanted it to look good. That tells me, immediately, that they are going to be more vigilant about getting a better print.
Definitely go with the ultra gloss if you want it to look like Hi Def TV, which I do. The matte just does not have the same impact.
Only advantage with Bay Photo, is that they have templates for interesting cutout shapes for you print. But, since that does not interest me, I went with Image Wizards.
I'll update after I get back from San Francisco.....after the 10th of July.