[xthestreams (Paul)]

Two and a bit years into the hobby (and a move from Bortle 9 to Bortle 1 later) I am finally summoning the courage to print what will probably be the most expensive photo I've ever taken - my first! (I keep telling myself the good news is that each image becomes exponentially less as I print more)

Following Andy's suggestion I took a look at print2metal.com, but I have to admit I am terrified of looking like a total idiot (maybe revealing is a better word) and that I don't know what I am doing.

So my question to the forum is simply, what are the tips and tricks for getting an image ready to print?
- how black should the blacks be?
- do I REALLY need a colour calibrated monitor? (can this hobby get any more expensive?)
- what's the "optimal" size vs. DPI combination when aiming for larger format prints?
- Officeworks vs. specialists vs. DIY with a decent home printer?
- substrates - pros and cons

Any pointers greatly appreciated, I've read some of the older threads so have some sense of direction - but given it's been 7 years since the topic has been discussed at any length, I thought it might also be worth getting a more up-to-date take.

Thanks in advance!