Cost of Printing

[jtk]

yup
the problem with photography is that
no one values it, and photographic prints / reproductions
are purchased at such a low cost
that regular people can't compete with corporate printers.
i know a regular person puts time and effort
and makes things look perfect, and if it is their own
photography well its art and worth at least 100x what
a pharmacy would charge for the same large print ..
but many people don't really care LOL they couldn't care less
about how competant the photographer/printer was what fancy
process was used to make the print, what kind of pedigree
photographer/printer has and workshop the photographer's
vision and style was refined through ... they just want
a poster sized print of the frowny cat with some sort of dumb phrase
under it or a generic print cause it's "good enough"
sure the other side of the coin is that people realize other people
( artists? crafts people ? )
spent time and effort to get great at
what they do, and they admire the work
they produce
but at $500/5x7 print
they will just have to look at the jpg on their computer screen
they pirated off the website...

I don't think any of that, even if valid, is a "problem" in the negative sense.

Reality isn't a "problem".

To my knowledge there are only three serious photo labs in my little town. This being 2020 (nearly), "photo lab" has to primarily mean "inkjet."

The best of the lot is busy, has two employees, and keeps the business under control by charging appropriately. http://carrimage.net/pricing-services-and-printing They do incidentally use the term "giclee" (to my distress) for those of their clients who know it and for that purpose do have a small (maybe 600 sq ft) , immaculate, camera studio, with fine lighting.

How good are they? The most prominent regional architectural photographer (cited in the past by jnanian) uses them when he needs ( when his clients need) mural sized prints. I am about to pay Carr $400 for a pair of B&W 30X40 prints, mounted on stretcher bars, gifts for my daughter in law's new home because I can't print over 13X19 and can't mount on stretcher bars (she requested the two images). I am certain there's nobody better in the US and that the price is competitive at that high level. They rely on two giant Canon printers and one giant Epson (for stunning aluminum prints).

Carr probably spent his first decade building his business...just as most of the professional photographers in most cities took to build theirs (just as I did).

Carr's giant Epsons and Canons cost a lot less than the 40-50" Ektacolor and Ciba machines that Colenta and Kreonite sold decades ago. Don't confuse professional printing with with printing by operations that can't afford mural-capable equipment.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

You can check the ink usage per print on the 3880.

About .8ml of ink which is roughly $0.55 and paper which is around $1 for good stuff like canson platine, or $0.12 for Kirkland Glossy RC (which is also very good for the price - at least for a proofing paper).

how do you figure $0.55/8ml of ink when an 80 ml cartridge cost$55?

 

[jtk]

.

IMO photography isn't print-making. That ship has sailed.

Photography is image formation: In 2020 that means the image that's formed on a monitor is the photograph.

A school that teaches photography should teach digital, which means Photoshop. Digital printmaking is too expensive for schools. It's crazy.

A friend has become a fine photographer via University of New Mexico and done all her prints via Costco. I don't like the look of Costco prints but that's not nearly as important as her eye for portraits.

To teach photo students about photo print-making, which is probably a distraction, I'd recommend B&W wet darkroom only...recognizing that is a only an alternative to video.

 

[removed account4]

I don't think any of that, even if valid, is a "problem" in the negative sense.

Reality isn't a "problem".

LOL !
yes, image theft is a problem and you are right it is reality...
+++
and so is this >>> https://www.ebay.com/itm/Black-Whit...110826?hash=item4b57f3506a:g:Ge4AAOSwH1pcEqfH
+++
sure a working pro with a reputation and a following will sell to commercial businesses
who will pay a premium for status-work purchased above board by a someone with a name ...
can you imagine scandal of a local well known/respected business being sued for image theft?
but that is a different kettle of fish jane q public and her step-brother john doe who don't care
about copyright laws they won't get caught when they click right and capture images they like on the web onto their cellphone
and then send them to that company who advertises on TV that will make an 8x10 print
or chrismas cards &c of anything on your phone no questions asked/ or to costco for $2 an 8x10 and 47¢ a 4x6
and almost forgot about the people who think they are gonna get paid for
uploading their imagery to some stock site and the image used ( like the working pro's image ! ) and the
gleeful photographer finds his work published by the millions at wally's and he gets a whopping $1.98 ( which he can't get because his account hasn't reached its $50 threshold for a check to be cut ).
yup reality alright LOL

 

[RalphLambrecht]

You can check the ink usage per print on the 3880.

About .8ml of ink which is roughly $0.55 and paper which is around $1 for good stuff like canson platine, or $0.12 for Kirkland Glossy RC (which is also very good for the price - at least for a proofing paper).

how?

 

[jtk]

Plenty of people value good photography. That has nothing to do with snapshots, sunsets, cats or vacations.

Show your photos to people you respect. That's not difficult.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

Plenty of people value good photography. That has nothing to do with snapshots, sunsets, cats or vacations.

Show your photos to people you respect. That's not difficult.

I don't understand your comment.

 

[awty]

Plenty of people value good photography. That has nothing to do with snapshots, sunsets, cats or vacations.
.

So a good photo is about cats, sunsets and vacations, wish I new that earlier.

 

[jtk]

Hope you have found that helpful.

 

[jtk]

I don't understand your comment.

It's just a suggestion.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

It's just a suggestion.

OK; whatever you say.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

I use Jon Cone's refillable cartridges and inks with my 3880, and it has cut my ink costs significantly.

I haven't been coned yet.

 

[Arklatexian]

Plenty of people value good photography. That has nothing to do with snapshots, sunsets, cats or vacations.

Show your photos to people you respect. That's not difficult.

Could it be that you are suggesting that the photographer actually make sales-calls to show his/her work to a possible client? Like what us salesman/saleswoman types used to do every day to sell our company's products or services. In other words, take your work to the customer, not wait for the customer to come to you. Have any of you ever noticed how many offices use "pictures" as part of their decor and every office is a possible customer. I guess this is called "selling"......Gosh, what a terrible word!..........Regards!

 

[Adrian Bacon]

I was trying to estimate the material cost for printing, let's say a letter-size print.I realize it depends on many factors, but, for me,using Canson paper off a 100-feet roll and an Epson 3880 with original K3 inks, I got to about $2/sheet,half of which s for the paper and the other half for the ink.What do you estimate,ignoring several test prints;just for one print with average ink coverage?

My Canon large format printer has an accounting app, once you enter in the cost of each ink tank (there are 12), it tells you how much each print cost you in ink for the ink tanks that are installed, along with how much of each tank was used for each print. Very handy. For 8.5x11, I almost never see ink costs above $0.50 per page, and have never seen more than $1.00 in ink per page. For a 16x20 print, it's typically less than $3.00 in ink. From there, it's just a matter of figuring paper costs.

 

[jtk]

Could it be that you are suggesting that the photographer actually make sales-calls to show his/her work to a possible client? Like what us salesman/saleswoman types used to do every day to sell our company's products or services. In other words, take your work to the customer, not wait for the customer to come to you. Have any of you ever noticed how many offices use "pictures" as part of their decor and every office is a possible customer. I guess this is called "selling"......Gosh, what a terrible word!..........Regards!

I almost always (nearly 100%) got assignments when I took portfolio directly to advertising agency art directors and graphic designers. Without appointments. Some people have a hard time getting in front of art directors because they present themselves badly at the front desk.

 

[removed account4]

Could it be that you are suggesting that the photographer actually make sales-calls to show his/her work to a possible client? Like what us salesman/saleswoman types used to do every day to sell our company's products or services. In other words, take your work to the customer, not wait for the customer to come to you. Have any of you ever noticed how many offices use "pictures" as part of their decor and every office is a possible customer. I guess this is called "selling"......Gosh, what a terrible word!..........Regards!

Yes, some of us still do that. Call and make an appointment set up a audience, leave behind images and business cards and put the viewer on the monthly post card list. Unfortunately its not 1939 and we aren't in Kansas .. and ad agencies, architecture firms, interior designers &c get really ticked off if you just drop in off the street without an appointment no matter how well you smooth talk the receptionist. A month or 2 ago there was an article written in something like PDN about how some of the larger corporate clients require the photographer to have at least 100,000 Instagram followers to get the gig.

===

I haven't been coned yet.