A question about ordering prints for commercial use

[Joel Eade]

I found out today that the hospital where I work wants 20 or so of my images to use as interior decoration in the new $17 million surgey building that will be completed this fall!

I was floored and feel very honored but immediately began to wonder about the specifics of paper and other variables when ordering prints for such a project. I have ordered a few gallery wraps from Mpix before but just for personal use.

I was hoping those of you with print experience would have some suggestions. I do not know the sizes yet.

Thanks!

[andnowimbroke]

Are they gonna have them printed or are they gonna pay you for the prints? Some hospitals want the files and permission to do whatever they wanted to do inside the hospital when doing a remodel.

[ChadS]

Joel,

The end-all-be all of printing for long-life use is pigment printing. However, it may take an iteration or three with a service that provides such a service before you get tonal balance you're happy with. My recommendation would be to make a 3 x 3 grid of the same shot and print that grid at 8x10 or 11x17 or some such. Then in PS modify the color and intensity balance slightly on each sector and use the grid to suggest what the final print should be.

The printer will dictate the paper. Generally low-acid rag is a good starting point.

Myself? I'd use this as an excuse to buy myself a pigment printer... but that's just me...

[Joel Eade]

Are they gonna have them printed or are they gonna pay you for the prints? Some hospitals want the files and permission to do whatever they wanted to do inside the hospital when doing a remodel.

Yes they will purchase the prints.

[andnowimbroke]

I only brought that up cuz some places already have a designer and/or idea of what material they are looking for or can use. Hold out for the little bronze plate they put on the bottom with all your creds And congrats. Your nature shots bring a lot of peace with them and would be welcomed in most any Hospital.

[Sean Setters]

I use AdoramaPix as my print retailer. I'd take a good look at them. I especially like the Kodak Metallic paper--but it may not be the optimal paper depending on the subject matter.

[jrw]

One way of shortening the cycle of iterations with a new printing shop is to get a profiling unit for printers, if you don't already have one. Send a prospective supplier the test patch file for printing and create the profile from what they send you as prints. Photo Shop allows using any profile loaded on your computer for soft-proofing which will give a very good idea of what the prints will be like. Have done this my local printers and it works very well for prints larger than my printer can handle. As a bonus, the test patches were printed for free. They appreciate it when their customers want to create profiles for printing with them.

[thekingb]

I like Bay Photo, in particular their metal prints. As Sean said, metallic paper is also great and provides a subtle sheen or iridescence that could be really nice for bird shots.

How large a print do they want?

[Joel Eade]

I like Bay Photo, in particular their metal prints. As Sean said, metallic paper is also great and provides a subtle sheen or iridescence that could be really nice for bird shots.

How large a print do they want?

Thanks for the tips on Bay Photo and AdoramaPix.

Not sure on the size yet but I was told at least 16 X 20.

[Joel Eade]

One way of shortening the cycle of iterations with a new printing shop is to get a profiling unit for printers, if you don't already have one. Send a prospective supplier the test patch file for printing and create the profile from what they send you as prints. Photo Shop allows using any profile loaded on your computer for soft-proofing which will give a very good idea of what the prints will be like. Have done this my local printers and it works very well for prints larger than my printer can handle. As a bonus, the test patches were printed for free. They appreciate it when their customers want to create profiles for printing with them.

Thanks for the tip. I have been doing some reading about printing profiles and soft proofing and I think you are correct but I have no experience with the process (yet)