Articles
Remote File Preparation and Printing
Pete Muller and Stirling Elmendorf are two photographers we have worked with for years. The most complicated component of our relationship with these two photographers is that they reside in different countries on the other side of the world. Pete Muller, a photojournalist, was in Sudan on long term assignment with current location unknown. Stirling, an architectural photographer, resides in Osaka, Japan. With their locations being so far from our printing studio, we are trusted to create the very best prints from their images without showing them proofs or even the final prints before delivery to their clients. These two photographers are confident with our extensive file review and preparation that we provide for all images submitted to Old Town Editions. During the file prep each file is proofed, color corrected, cleaned up, retouched, archived for future printing, custom edited, and even digitally restored if necessary. These are just two examples of our many clients printing remotely.
Stirling’s paper prints, framing arranged by Old Town Editions. Given Stirling’s specific instructions, we communicated to the framer what he wanted.
Image file preparation ensures that an image looks its very best as a print, especially when printing large. Image technicians such as the ones on staff with Old Town Editions are familiar with printing many different types of images whether it be photography or art and artifact reproduction. These technicians have the ability to tweak an image to create the most pleasing print presentation possible.
Pete’s final 40″x60″ prints ready for delivery. Image reflected on sides, stretched on 2″ bars
Stirling’s 40″x60″ print on canvas, stretched and ready for delivery. Image reflected on sides, stretched on 2″ bars.
Of course photographers are skeptical about the investment in the image file preparation. Each photographer has different levels of image editing experience. Different levels of tonal adjustments, sharpening, and color adjustment must be applied to an image in varying levels to optimize for a print surface. No image is optimized from just a monitor preview. All it usually takes is one file prep to convince each photographer that their images can be improved upon to create the best print. Even in a perfect color managed workflow like our own you still need to make decisions based on review of a printed proof.
File prep is even more important when getting a file ready for enlargement and/or printing on canvas. Just because you like your image on your screen does not mean that you have the image ready to create the best print possible. Knowing exactly what moves to make for an image to look its best as a print only comes with years of training and experience. Preserving subtleties in the highlights and darks while adjusting an image’s tonal range maximizes its final appearance. Minimizing chromatic aberrations and image artifacts that may be present in an image are important steps in maximizing an image’s potential for enlargement.
We are excited to be working with Pete, Stirling and many others in such a way. This obviously shows their confidence in our ability to make the very best prints from their images without having them provide feedback, view proofs, or even view the final product before its delivery to their clients. Once an artist or photographer works with us for a while they know they do not even need to view a proof before going ahead with their final prints. Our clients are confident in our ability to create the very best print.
All of our clients are welcome to be involved during the entire digital fine art printing process, although this is not necessary when working with Old Town Editions.