I have been watching this thread for awhile and since my sole income for the last 20 years and currently is making fibre prints for others, and before that working in labs I will add my thoughts to Matts post.
Printing for others can make you better or it can make you worse:munch:
Absolute first rule to be a competent printer for others- You must love photography.
1. You also should understand the history of photography, and the different styles
2. You must have a basic grasp on sensitommetry, chemistry , and also have mentors like Ian G , Ralph L who will guide you through the complexities of your weaknesses.
3. Very important is to have a excellent understanding of lighting ratios and understand how the film exposure development mix is done.
4. In my personal lab , we do not *** some exceptions*** print negatives that other labs have processed.
Absolute second rule to be a competent printer for others- put your tastes to the side and find out how your client wants the print to look like.(this is easy if you apply 1. which is looking at historical prints.
Be a CHAMELION and bend to the wishes of the client, its their work and trying to impose your wishes on them is pointless.
Fire your client if you do not get along or cannot come to a print that you both can live with. Life is too short.
5. In my case work every day at imaging, it is the practice you need to be sharp. If you want to print for others this is important if your family wants to eat.
6. Read as many work books on phototography, printing... people make fun of Fred Picker but he had a lot of gems in his notes.
7. When you print a show for another, make sure you attend the opening.. If you have done a crap job you deserve to be there and take the heat. reverse is true, when you do a good job you deserve credit as well as the photographer.
8. Always start a job with a easy image, make sure both you and the photographer like the style, contrast, density, dodge & burn plan, and tone. Then follow with like images and do not jump around. Photographers usually are more concerned with the image and will jump from lighting ratio, to lighting ratio, I try to force them to do like minded negatives in groups, makes the day go better.
Remember it is your darkroom and they are coming to you , so make sure you stand up for your beliefs .
9. You must be consistent with your work and methods and make sure you deliver the goods.
If you follow most of the above , then yes you will obviously get better as each style has its different idiosyncrasies but there is a basic common process that you can use as a base to work from.
Communication only works if you are actually communicating with the other person. see comment about abandoning client.
I do not like to print for clients who do not pick up their work in person, just did a job for a photographer in Ottawa, made the prints sent them off , no reply, It cannot get any worse, I do not know if he liked them or not.
Seeing the face as you show the prints is very important, best to get the photographer seeing a test print very early , rather than printing a show as you may be way off base.
Absolute third rule to be a competent printer for others- work on a body of your own negatives, so that you can make prints the absolute way you want.
I have known many professional printers who cannot make a consistantley decent print and there are many , many on this site much better than some of the pros.
Also on a financial note, I have a standard day rate and I make the photographer pay for paper and chemicals on top of this rate. Therefore there is no issue of getting to the right print , we make good use of the round filing system here and it can mean a lot of paper.
Last note , I generally consider current day photographers as Kevin Costiner(Bull Durham} thought of his pitcher when he addressed him.:munch:
Printing for others can make you better or it can make you worse:munch:
Absolute first rule to be a competent printer for others- You must love photography.
1. You also should understand the history of photography, and the different styles
2. You must have a basic grasp on sensitommetry, chemistry , and also have mentors like Ian G , Ralph L who will guide you through the complexities of your weaknesses.
3. Very important is to have a excellent understanding of lighting ratios and understand how the film exposure development mix is done.
4. In my personal lab , we do not *** some exceptions*** print negatives that other labs have processed.
Absolute second rule to be a competent printer for others- put your tastes to the side and find out how your client wants the print to look like.(this is easy if you apply 1. which is looking at historical prints.
Be a CHAMELION and bend to the wishes of the client, its their work and trying to impose your wishes on them is pointless.
Fire your client if you do not get along or cannot come to a print that you both can live with. Life is too short.
5. In my case work every day at imaging, it is the practice you need to be sharp. If you want to print for others this is important if your family wants to eat.
6. Read as many work books on phototography, printing... people make fun of Fred Picker but he had a lot of gems in his notes.
7. When you print a show for another, make sure you attend the opening.. If you have done a crap job you deserve to be there and take the heat. reverse is true, when you do a good job you deserve credit as well as the photographer.
8. Always start a job with a easy image, make sure both you and the photographer like the style, contrast, density, dodge & burn plan, and tone. Then follow with like images and do not jump around. Photographers usually are more concerned with the image and will jump from lighting ratio, to lighting ratio, I try to force them to do like minded negatives in groups, makes the day go better.
Remember it is your darkroom and they are coming to you , so make sure you stand up for your beliefs .
9. You must be consistent with your work and methods and make sure you deliver the goods.
If you follow most of the above , then yes you will obviously get better as each style has its different idiosyncrasies but there is a basic common process that you can use as a base to work from.
Communication only works if you are actually communicating with the other person. see comment about abandoning client.
I do not like to print for clients who do not pick up their work in person, just did a job for a photographer in Ottawa, made the prints sent them off , no reply, It cannot get any worse, I do not know if he liked them or not.
Seeing the face as you show the prints is very important, best to get the photographer seeing a test print very early , rather than printing a show as you may be way off base.
Absolute third rule to be a competent printer for others- work on a body of your own negatives, so that you can make prints the absolute way you want.
I have known many professional printers who cannot make a consistantley decent print and there are many , many on this site much better than some of the pros.
Also on a financial note, I have a standard day rate and I make the photographer pay for paper and chemicals on top of this rate. Therefore there is no issue of getting to the right print , we make good use of the round filing system here and it can mean a lot of paper.
Last note , I generally consider current day photographers as Kevin Costiner(Bull Durham} thought of his pitcher when he addressed him.:munch:
