A guide to printing your photos

As a photographer of course I would love everyone to get their professional photos printed by me too, but I realise the attraction and convenience of cheaper kiosk printing. The reason we love getting to print our work for you is that we know what our images are meant to look like and photo labs don't. We know how bright our brights should be, how dark the darks are and that skin tones are meant to look like...well skin - not oompa loompa orange or cold & grey! We want photo papers that will stand the test of time, we want quality inks that will stay true forever and obviously we want our work to be presented in the way we intended, looking it's very best. But I do understand that kiosk printing is generally cheaper, it's quick and convenient, so instead of harping on about professional prints, I've written some simple tips on getting your photos printed.

TURN OFF AUTO-ENHANCERS - If you only remember one tip, remember this! Auto-enhance, or auto-correct features on kiosk printers should never be used on professional images because they have already been enhanced and edited by your photographer. A really quick explanation of the auto-enhance feature is that it quickly "photoshops" the image, which usually is fine with any photos straight from your cameras that haven't been worked in a professional editing software already, but with professional images from a photographer it usually results in over-contrasty images that look nothing like the true intended photo. Some labs will automatically run "auto-enhance" on all prints without asking you, so if I ever get prints in a photo lab I ask them to switch off auto-enhance when I take my order to the counter.

SIZING & CROP RATIOS - What size to print your photos can be a great area of confusion. Where will you display the photo? What size print or canvas does your wall space call for? And then there's cropping ratios to consider. Bear with me and I'll try to explain cropping ratios as simply as I can...Not all print sizes have the same 2:3 ratio that photos from a camera do (and some consumer cameras are actually 3:4 to make it even more confusing!). For example if you have a photo frame that requires an 8x10 inch print, this ratio does not fit into 2:3, so you will be cropping off some of the ends of the image. Here's a quick visual summary of common print sizes and their ratios:

3:2 ratio
6x4 inch print
8x12 inch print
12x18 inch print
​16x24 inch print

4:5 ratio
8x10 inch print
​16x20 inch print
​24x30 inch print

5x7 inch prints​
10x14 inch prints
​(or more commonly printed 11x14 inch)
​

Square ratio
10x10 inch prints
​and so on...

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And if you are still unsure of sizes, check out the comparison chart below which gives you an idea of how the size of photo may look on your wall. One thing to keep in mind is this comparison chart works ideally if you're visualising canvases. If you are getting a framed print, it will actually display bigger because the frame and matting will be at least a few inches bigger than the size of the print. Therefore an 11x14 inch framed print may look just as big as a 16x24 inch canvas on the wall!

As your photographer I am more than happy to help you work out what size photo will suit best and give you ideas for how to display your images! It's all part of my service :)

DISPLAY TIPS 

• For canvases my motto is bigger is better! I think of canvases as statement pieces, more like artwork for your walls. 
• For framed prints - choose simple clean frame and matting options that compliment the photo rather than draw attention away from it.
• If you have some wall space you'd love to put a few photos on, consider doing a collage of canvases or framed prints! They look super effective.

CARE TIPS​ 

• Try to avoid touching loose prints and canvases with your hands as much as possible as the oil from our fingertips can affect the inks.
• When buying frames and mats ensure the mounting materials and mats are acid-free, otherwise they could end up effecting your prints in years to come.
• Avoid hanging your photos in direct sunlight, or storing them anywhere they could get damp, as this will shorten the lifetime of the print and could damage them.

The most important thing as that you get your photos printed, so they can be enjoyed and treasured for years to come! Printing is the best form of back up and you didn't spend good money for professional portraits, not to enjoy them in print ;)

If you have any questions at all about printing your photos, always get in touch with me! I'd love to help.x