Printing selected images from the last couple of years

[OzEclipse (Joe Cali)]

I've just decided to submit a selection of images from the past couple of years to refresh the wall art around the house.

Harvey Norman have an online printing service. If you get small prints done, they go to your local store and it's pot luck who twiddles the dials on the machine in store.

If you order poster prints, 16x20 inch, 16 x 24 nch, and 20 x 30 inch, they go to a national printing centre. I've had quite a few printed like this and I'm happy with the results. To get a good result, naturally you do need to have a calibrated monitor and send them primary image files with well adjusted shadows and highlights. Whoever runs the large format print line in Sydney seems to really know what they are doing and providing i send them a good original, they do a good job with colour, contrast, highlights and shadow even on astronomical images. After printing, I have them delivered free of charge to my local HN store at Young and I collect from there.

The paper stock is Fuji Crystal Archive and they are printed on a FUJI Frontier digital printer which has an archival stability rating of 100 years. I have some of my landscape images printed on this material that have been hanging for 20 years under normal conditions (not in direct sunlight) without any fading, degradation or colour change and have had some of my astro images printed in recent years with good results.

I have a large number of hardwood 16x20" frames and a smaller number of 500x700mm frames. A 20x30 inch print is 508 x 760mm so those images have trim lines embedded on the printed image and the image positioned for a 50x70cm frame size.

I have attached some of the astro images to this post. I'm also print some non-astro landscapes, not posted here as they don't meet guidelines for this sub-forum.

Harvey Norman currently have the large sizes on sale, 16x20 inch are $14 and 20x30 inch are $25. Give them a go, you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Joe

[Leo.G (Leo)]

That's handy to know Joe, thank you!
Some time ago I contacted a local printer to ask about getting some large prints done. One print was going to cost me $150. I mentioned I wanted 6 done and it dropped to $55 each. I started wondering how many I'd have to order for them to be paying me.
In all seriousness, they told me I had to take them in in some portable document format (PDF) to get the quality from their printers. PDF IS NOT a print quality format.
I've often wanted poster size prints of a few of my non astronomy images.



I have a Kodak photo kiosk with the Kodak 8810 large format (12x8, 10x8) dye sublimation printer and the 6850 small format (6x8, 6x4 and 7x5 but that requires trimming) dye sublimation printer. It's great for what I do. It came with 2 non functioning printers (the local pharmacist gave it all to me including computer, touch screen, software and cabinet), he also gave me around $5K of paper and ribbons for both printers. We stripped them right down, repaired the faults and rebuilt them.

I'd love the later Kodak (8850 maybe, I can't remember) unit which still does 12x8 but it could have the firmware updated to do panorama, the 8810 can't despite it being a continuous ribbon and paper roll.

[gregbradley]

A great selection of images there Joe.

Greg.

[Leo.G (Leo)]

I just had a full moon done on a 20x16" canvas. The image is a compilation of 10,749 separate images over 69 groups and the print came out AMAZING.
It looks even better when I back light it, now I need a laser cutter to make my own back-lighting solution (or another A3 light-board).
The canvas print adds to the quality of the moon with the texture of the canvas I think and, until March 19 they are discounted at $39 per print with free delivery to the nearest HN store, reduced from the standard $89 per print.
The print comes accurately stretched over an internal pine frame.
The HN print team did an AMAZING job of stretching the finished canvas accurately.


Well worth a look while below half price for a few more days. Now I have to pick out my favourite coffee tin fire image and get it done while discounted, I think they would look amazing with back lighting too.

[glend (Glen)]

I use, and recommend a Melbourne company; Print 2 Metal. They are not cheap but they are high quality, and can provide nice box frames for wall mounting. It's an easy service, they accept high quality image files via upload to their site. These folks are professional. I have given my astro prints as Christmas gifts, and I have three hanging on my walls at home right now.

https://print2metal.com/