Help With Printing !!!

[JMELLERTON]

Afternoon all

I am having a nightmare with all the online compaines springing up offering canvas, poster and lustre prints at very cheap prices.

Does anyone know of a good trade only printing company that I can get my portrait work printed and still compete with the internet firms.

I know I have the ace card of I am taking the photograph, editing it etc. but its difficult in my area to ask tidy money for a nice A3 print on quality paper when you have the likes of DS Colour labs etc offering a print for £1.11 !!! I know the customer would not have the portrait image to go out and get something quality printed on their own, but still at just over a £1 is mad !

I get the same trouble when trying to sell my landscape photographs !

 

[admirable]

Your customers are buying the image not the paper. The cost to print shouldn't come into it!

 

[JMELLERTON]

Yeah totally agree with you there ! Its just I been asked I dont know how many times of late !

Yes it is the image they are buying and they could not replicate a pro portrait image ! Its just frustrating when any tom, dick and harry are offering printing services these days ! And people dont understand the time and skill they are paying for !

Any advice on a good quality trade printers ?

 

[POAH]

so the problem is people see how much an actual print costs compared to what you sell them at. if you go to a trade only place they will charge more and you'll have to charge more.

 

[Phil V]

so the problem is people see how much an actual print costs compared to what you sell them at. if you go to a trade only place they will charge more and you'll have to charge more.

This^

I think you're looking at this from completely the wrong angle. DSCL provide great prints for a good price, lots of the cheaper companies are really poor and nowhere near a pro standard.

What it costs you to print is a small part of your operation, and getting cheap prints can only benefit your business.

Are you hoping that all amateur print houses will suddenly become expensive, whilst you have access to high end low price labs?

Because that's not about to happen, pro labs have always charged premium prices, and I'm actually pleasantly surprised at the great VFM printing I can get nowadays. (I was paying close to £20 a roll in the mid 80s).

If you're having problems justifying the price of your photographs, it has nothing to do with print prices. It's either your sales skills or your photography, but definitely not the print houses.