I am unaccomplished amateur landscape photographer. I use an ancient Minolta X-570 with Velvia ISO 50 and scan the slides on an Epson 4490.
After 5 years of trying, I finally have a landscape stitch that I want to blow up to about 3' X 5' and put over my fireplace. It has taken this long because I do only the most minimal photoshoping - just stitching, croping, maybe a little color adjustment. I want the image to stand on its own.
I plan to take it to a proffessional imaging place recommended by pro- level landscape photographers I have talked to in the Denver area. I am told that, while they may charge more than other places, they will work with you a lot more to make sure the final image is what you wanted. Since this is my first time going beyond my home-printed 8X10s, I think I need the extra hand-holding.
Another issue is printing process - chromira vs giclee. Giclee costs about double Chromira. It seems to me it is just a fancy word for ink jet. I have read about each process, but can't quite grasp the relative benefits.
My questions:
1) Does anybody have any suggestion or recommendations for dealing with the printer? I am a virgin at this and even though it is a single image, to me it is a major project
2) Which process should I use? In other words, what would be the difference if you compare the same image using chromira and giclee, side by side? I am thinking that Chromira will produce a better, more long-lasting final product for half the cost. Am I missing something here?
> After 5 years of trying, I finally have a landscape stitch that I want > to blow up to about 3' X 5' and put over my fireplace. It has taken > this long because I do only the most minimal photoshoping - just > stitching, croping, maybe a little color adjustment. I want the image > to stand on its own.
pbromaghin wrote: > pbromag...@aol.com wrote: >> After 5 years of trying, I finally have a landscape stitch that I want >> to blow up to about 3' X 5' and put over my fireplace. It has taken >> this long because I do only the most minimal photoshoping - just >> stitching, croping, maybe a little color adjustment. I want the image >> to stand on its own.
Going back to your OP, I'd suggest finding a printer who has both types of machines, and going with their recommendation. Or getting a couple of 12 x 20 prints done in each process.
And, yes, Giclee is a French slang term for spurt, which is what most ink jet printers do. It should not be used in polite company, at least the French speaking ones.
On Oct 29, 7:21 pm, Annika1980 <annika1...@aol.com> wrote:
> I think if you clean up the color casts you'll have a photo worthy of > the mantle.
Thak you for the kind comment, but could you explain that a bit further? So far in photography, I have concentrated on composition and capture. I don't really speak the language of post-processing yet.
Do you mean the pinkish color, most notable in the beach and the scree across the lake, even in the lake itself? The whole Maroon Bells region is made of Colorado red sandstone, which has a lot of iron oxide and pink feldspar. What you are seeing is what it looked like in those lighting conditions. In reality, the water is a dark red, the 2 peaks often glow a bright pink in sunrise photos but only show only a very little here due to the overcast. I suspect a lot of color reflects back off the clouds, too.
For arts sake, I am open to just waiting until next year to get some better light. It shouldn't be too hard to do better than this. But this picture falls more into the category of capturing a moment in ones life. While my wife had been there a few times as a child, it really is a picture of her on my first experience of Maroon Bells. Standing by that lake you are in an impossibly gigantic cathedral (before vatican II removed the rail), ridges rising thousands of feet on either side, extending for miles behind you, with the peaks as the alter. Until that moment I never understood the words "grandeur" and "majesty". I hope this pictures captures how small one feels in this place, like the way a Chinese landscape painting juxtaposes tiny people and gigantic nature.
I found this view from the other end of the camera:
On Oct 29, 10:53 am, John McWilliams <jp...@comcast.net> wrote:
> Nice shot.
Thank you.
> Going back to your OP, I'd suggest finding a printer who has both types > of machines, and going with their recommendation. Or getting a couple of > 12 x 20 prints done in each process.
Good point. This printer has both. As I understand it, they will print small sample slices of the image for your approval. I'll try to get these done in both processes.
> And, yes, Giclee is a French slang term for spurt, which is what most > ink jet printers do. It should not be used in polite company, at least > the French speaking ones.
pbromaghin wrote: > On Oct 29, 10:53 am, John McWilliams <jp...@comcast.net> wrote:
>> Nice shot.
> Thank you.
>> Going back to your OP, I'd suggest finding a printer who has both types >> of machines, and going with their recommendation. Or getting a couple of >> 12 x 20 prints done in each process.
> Good point. This printer has both. As I understand it, they will > print small sample slices of the image for your approval. I'll try to > get these done in both processes.
Thanks, but my approval will be a logistical nightmare.
>> And, yes, Giclee is a French slang term for spurt, which is what most >> ink jet printers do. It should not be used in polite company, at least >> the French speaking ones.
> Spurt, as in vital bodily fluids?
Er, quite possibly, but one type of fluid, "precious bodily fluid" per Dr. Stangelove's Slim Pickens' character.
> pbromaghin wrote: >> On Oct 29, 10:53 am, John McWilliams <jp...@comcast.net> wrote:
>>> Nice shot.
>> Thank you.
>>> Going back to your OP, I'd suggest finding a printer who has both types >>> of machines, and going with their recommendation. Or getting a couple of >>> 12 x 20 prints done in each process.
>> Good point. This printer has both. As I understand it, they will >> print small sample slices of the image for your approval. I'll try to >> get these done in both processes.
> Thanks, but my approval will be a logistical nightmare.
>>> And, yes, Giclee is a French slang term for spurt, which is what most >>> ink jet printers do. It should not be used in polite company, at least >>> the French speaking ones.
>> Spurt, as in vital bodily fluids?
> Er, quite possibly, but one type of fluid, "precious bodily fluid" per > Dr. Stangelove's Slim Pickens' character.
Actually it was the Sterling Hayden character, General Jack Ripper who had the issue with bodily fluids.
Slim Pickens was Major King Kong, who took the bomb for a ride.
Savageduck wrote: > On 2009-10-30 16:23:24 -0700, John McWilliams <jp...@comcast.net> said:
>> pbromaghin wrote: >>> On Oct 29, 10:53 am, John McWilliams <jp...@comcast.net> wrote:
>>>> Nice shot.
>>> Thank you.
>>>> Going back to your OP, I'd suggest finding a printer who has both types >>>> of machines, and going with their recommendation. Or getting a >>>> couple of >>>> 12 x 20 prints done in each process.
>>> Good point. This printer has both. As I understand it, they will >>> print small sample slices of the image for your approval. I'll try to >>> get these done in both processes.
>> Thanks, but my approval will be a logistical nightmare.
>>>> And, yes, Giclee is a French slang term for spurt, which is what most >>>> ink jet printers do. It should not be used in polite company, at least >>>> the French speaking ones.
>>> Spurt, as in vital bodily fluids?
>> Er, quite possibly, but one type of fluid, "precious bodily fluid" per >> Dr. Stangelove's Slim Pickens' character.
> Actually it was the Sterling Hayden character, General Jack Ripper who > had the issue with bodily fluids.
pbromaghin wrote: > On Oct 29, 7:21 pm, Annika1980 <annika1...@aol.com> wrote: >> I think if you clean up the color casts you'll have a photo worthy of >> the mantle.
> Thak you for the kind comment, but could you explain that a bit > further? So far in photography, I have concentrated on composition > and capture. I don't really speak the language of post-processing > yet.
> Do you mean the pinkish color, most notable in the beach and the scree > across the lake, even in the lake itself? The whole Maroon Bells > region is made of Colorado red sandstone, which has a lot of iron > oxide and pink feldspar. What you are seeing is what it looked like > in those lighting conditions. In reality, the water is a dark red, > the 2 peaks often glow a bright pink in sunrise photos but only show > only a very little here due to the overcast. I suspect a lot of color > reflects back off the clouds, too.
While difficult to make great judgements on color in a small rendition of a landscape, I am thinking you might want to bump up the saturation of blues and decrease exposure of the sky. Whether there's too much red overall, maybe. Very nice composition, and it should look fine printed as is.
Alan Browne wrote: > Savageduck wrote: >> On 2009-10-30 16:23:24 -0700, John McWilliams <jp...@comcast.net> said:
>>> pbromaghin wrote: >>>> On Oct 29, 10:53 am, John McWilliams <jp...@comcast.net> wrote:
>>>>> Nice shot.
>>>> Thank you.
>>>>> Going back to your OP, I'd suggest finding a printer who has both >>>>> types >>>>> of machines, and going with their recommendation. Or getting a >>>>> couple of >>>>> 12 x 20 prints done in each process.
>>>> Good point. This printer has both. As I understand it, they will >>>> print small sample slices of the image for your approval. I'll try to >>>> get these done in both processes.
>>> Thanks, but my approval will be a logistical nightmare.
>>>>> And, yes, Giclee is a French slang term for spurt, which is what most >>>>> ink jet printers do. It should not be used in polite company, at least >>>>> the French speaking ones.
>>>> Spurt, as in vital bodily fluids?
>>> Er, quite possibly, but one type of fluid, "precious bodily fluid" >>> per Dr. Stangelove's Slim Pickens' character.
>> Actually it was the Sterling Hayden character, General Jack Ripper who >> had the issue with bodily fluids.
> That's Gen. Jack D. Ripper.
Indeed. Thank you all for the corrections. Shoulda quit after "Strangelove's". It was the line Pickens delivered when he was going through the survivor kit on the airplane that made me think of those fluids.
> Alan Browne wrote: >> Savageduck wrote: >>> On 2009-10-30 16:23:24 -0700, John McWilliams <jp...@comcast.net> said:
>>>> pbromaghin wrote: >>>>> On Oct 29, 10:53 am, John McWilliams <jp...@comcast.net> wrote:
>>>>>> Nice shot.
>>>>> Thank you.
>>>>>> Going back to your OP, I'd suggest finding a printer who has both types >>>>>> of machines, and going with their recommendation. Or getting a couple of >>>>>> 12 x 20 prints done in each process.
>>>>> Good point. This printer has both. As I understand it, they will >>>>> print small sample slices of the image for your approval. I'll try to >>>>> get these done in both processes.
>>>> Thanks, but my approval will be a logistical nightmare.
>>>>>> And, yes, Giclee is a French slang term for spurt, which is what most >>>>>> ink jet printers do. It should not be used in polite company, at least >>>>>> the French speaking ones.
>>>>> Spurt, as in vital bodily fluids?
>>>> Er, quite possibly, but one type of fluid, "precious bodily fluid" per >>>> Dr. Stangelove's Slim Pickens' character.
>>> Actually it was the Sterling Hayden character, General Jack Ripper who >>> had the issue with bodily fluids.
>> That's Gen. Jack D. Ripper.
> Indeed. Thank you all for the corrections. Shoulda quit after > "Strangelove's". It was the line Pickens delivered when he was going > through the survivor kit on the airplane that made me think of those > fluids.
> On 2009-10-31 13:27:17 -0700, John McWilliams <jp...@comcast.net> said:
>> Alan Browne wrote: >>> Savageduck wrote: >>>> On 2009-10-30 16:23:24 -0700, John McWilliams <jp...@comcast.net> said:
>>>>> pbromaghin wrote: >>>>>> On Oct 29, 10:53 am, John McWilliams <jp...@comcast.net> wrote:
>>>>>>> Nice shot.
>>>>>> Thank you.
>>>>>>> Going back to your OP, I'd suggest finding a printer who has both >>>>>>> types >>>>>>> of machines, and going with their recommendation. Or getting a >>>>>>> couple of >>>>>>> 12 x 20 prints done in each process.
>>>>>> Good point. This printer has both. As I understand it, they will >>>>>> print small sample slices of the image for your approval. I'll try >>>>>> to >>>>>> get these done in both processes.
>>>>> Thanks, but my approval will be a logistical nightmare.
>>>>>>> And, yes, Giclee is a French slang term for spurt, which is what >>>>>>> most >>>>>>> ink jet printers do. It should not be used in polite company, at >>>>>>> least >>>>>>> the French speaking ones.
>>>>>> Spurt, as in vital bodily fluids?
>>>>> Er, quite possibly, but one type of fluid, "precious bodily fluid" per >>>>> Dr. Stangelove's Slim Pickens' character.
>>>> Actually it was the Sterling Hayden character, General Jack Ripper who >>>> had the issue with bodily fluids.
>>> That's Gen. Jack D. Ripper.
>> Indeed. Thank you all for the corrections. Shoulda quit after >> "Strangelove's". It was the line Pickens delivered when he was going >> through the survivor kit on the airplane that made me think of those >> fluids.
> Ah! THAT essential survival kit item.
========================= Maj. T.J. "King" Kong: "... Survival kit contents check. In them you'll find: one .45 caliber automatic; two boxes of ammunition; four days concentrated emergency raisons; one drug issue containing: antibiotics, morphine, vitamin pills, pep pills, sleeping pills, tranquilizer pills; one miniature combination Russian phrase book and bible; one hundred dollars in rubles; one hundred dollars in gold; nine packs of chewing gum; one issue of prophylactics; three lipsticks; three pair a nylon stockings.
Shoot, a fellah could have a pretty good weekend in Vegas with all that stuff. ..." =========================
Note: "Vegas" dubbed over the original "Dallas", due to dead Kennedy sensitivity. Easy to see in the print.
Jeff R. wrote: > "Savageduck" <savageduck1@{REMOVESPAM}me.com> wrote in message > news:2009103113502529560-savageduck1@REMOVESPAMmecom... >> On 2009-10-31 13:27:17 -0700, John McWilliams <jp...@comcast.net> >> said: >>> Alan Browne wrote: >>>> Savageduck wrote: >>>>> On 2009-10-30 16:23:24 -0700, John McWilliams >>>>> <jp...@comcast.net> said: >>>>>> pbromaghin wrote: >>>>>>> On Oct 29, 10:53 am, John McWilliams <jp...@comcast.net> >>>>>>> wrote: >>>>>>>> Nice shot.
>>>>>>> Thank you.
>>>>>>>> Going back to your OP, I'd suggest finding a printer who has >>>>>>>> both types >>>>>>>> of machines, and going with their recommendation. Or getting >>>>>>>> a couple of >>>>>>>> 12 x 20 prints done in each process.
>>>>>>> Good point. This printer has both. As I understand it, they >>>>>>> will print small sample slices of the image for your >>>>>>> approval. I'll try to >>>>>>> get these done in both processes.
>>>>>> Thanks, but my approval will be a logistical nightmare.
>>>>>>>> And, yes, Giclee is a French slang term for spurt, which is >>>>>>>> what most >>>>>>>> ink jet printers do. It should not be used in polite >>>>>>>> company, at least >>>>>>>> the French speaking ones.
>>>>>>> Spurt, as in vital bodily fluids?
>>>>>> Er, quite possibly, but one type of fluid, "precious bodily >>>>>> fluid" per Dr. Stangelove's Slim Pickens' character.
>>>>> Actually it was the Sterling Hayden character, General Jack >>>>> Ripper who had the issue with bodily fluids.
>>>> That's Gen. Jack D. Ripper.
>>> Indeed. Thank you all for the corrections. Shoulda quit after >>> "Strangelove's". It was the line Pickens delivered when he was >>> going through the survivor kit on the airplane that made me think >>> of those fluids.
>> Ah! THAT essential survival kit item.
> ========================= > Maj. T.J. "King" Kong: > "... Survival kit contents check. In them you'll find: > one .45 caliber automatic; two boxes of ammunition; > four days concentrated emergency raisons; one drug > issue containing: antibiotics, morphine, vitamin > pills, pep pills, sleeping pills, tranquilizer > pills; one miniature combination Russian phrase book > and bible; one hundred dollars in rubles; one > hundred dollars in gold; nine packs of chewing gum; > one issue of prophylactics; three lipsticks; three > pair a nylon stockings. > Shoot, a fellah could have a pretty good weekend in > Vegas with all that stuff. ..." > =========================
> Note: "Vegas" dubbed over the original "Dallas", due to dead Kennedy > sensitivity. > Easy to see in the print.
> Jeff R. wrote: >> "Savageduck" <savageduck1@{REMOVESPAM}me.com> wrote in message >> news:2009103113502529560-savageduck1@REMOVESPAMmecom... >>> On 2009-10-31 13:27:17 -0700, John McWilliams <jp...@comcast.net> >>> said: >>>> Alan Browne wrote: >>>>> Savageduck wrote: >>>>>> On 2009-10-30 16:23:24 -0700, John McWilliams >>>>>> <jp...@comcast.net> said: >>>>>>> pbromaghin wrote: >>>>>>>> On Oct 29, 10:53 am, John McWilliams <jp...@comcast.net> >>>>>>>> wrote: >>>>>>>>> Nice shot.
>>>>>>>> Thank you.
>>>>>>>>> Going back to your OP, I'd suggest finding a printer who has >>>>>>>>> both types >>>>>>>>> of machines, and going with their recommendation. Or getting >>>>>>>>> a couple of >>>>>>>>> 12 x 20 prints done in each process.
>>>>>>>> Good point. This printer has both. As I understand it, they >>>>>>>> will print small sample slices of the image for your >>>>>>>> approval. I'll try to >>>>>>>> get these done in both processes.
>>>>>>> Thanks, but my approval will be a logistical nightmare.
>>>>>>>>> And, yes, Giclee is a French slang term for spurt, which is >>>>>>>>> what most >>>>>>>>> ink jet printers do. It should not be used in polite >>>>>>>>> company, at least >>>>>>>>> the French speaking ones.
>>>>>>>> Spurt, as in vital bodily fluids?
>>>>>>> Er, quite possibly, but one type of fluid, "precious bodily >>>>>>> fluid" per Dr. Stangelove's Slim Pickens' character.
>>>>>> Actually it was the Sterling Hayden character, General Jack >>>>>> Ripper who had the issue with bodily fluids.
>>>>> That's Gen. Jack D. Ripper.
>>>> Indeed. Thank you all for the corrections. Shoulda quit after >>>> "Strangelove's". It was the line Pickens delivered when he was >>>> going through the survivor kit on the airplane that made me think >>>> of those fluids.
>>> Ah! THAT essential survival kit item.
>> ========================= >> Maj. T.J. "King" Kong: >> "... Survival kit contents check. In them you'll find: >> one .45 caliber automatic; two boxes of ammunition; >> four days concentrated emergency raisons; one drug >> issue containing: antibiotics, morphine, vitamin >> pills, pep pills, sleeping pills, tranquilizer >> pills; one miniature combination Russian phrase book >> and bible; one hundred dollars in rubles; one >> hundred dollars in gold; nine packs of chewing gum; >> one issue of prophylactics; three lipsticks; three >> pair a nylon stockings. >> Shoot, a fellah could have a pretty good weekend in >> Vegas with all that stuff. ..." >> =========================
>> Note: "Vegas" dubbed over the original "Dallas", due to dead Kennedy >> sensitivity. >> Easy to see in the print.
John McWilliams wrote: > While difficult to make great judgements on color in a small rendition > of a landscape,
Did you click on "all sizes" above the picture? It brings up a bigger version.
>I am thinking you might want to bump up the saturation > of blues and decrease exposure of the sky. > Whether there's too much red > overall, maybe.
Thanks for the tips. On a test version, I just added a little green and blue along with higher saturation and brightness. This whited the sky out a bit and put more emphasis on the foliage. It looks a lot better, now.
> Very nice composition, and it should look fine printed as is.
Wow. I've been lurking here for a while. That's high praise coming from this audience.
> I am thinking you might want to bump up the saturation > of blues and decrease exposure of the sky. Whether there's too much red > overall, maybe. > Very nice composition, and it should look fine printed as is.
Here is the latest test version with your suggestions included. Increased green and blue, saturation, brightness, and darkened her hoody.
pbromaghin wrote: > John McWilliams wrote: >> I am thinking you might want to bump up the saturation >> of blues and decrease exposure of the sky. Whether there's too much red >> overall, maybe. >> Very nice composition, and it should look fine printed as is.
> Here is the latest test version with your suggestions included. > Increased green and blue, saturation, brightness, and darkened her > hoody.
Indeed it is! You still have detail and color in the sky that doesnt' show well, at least on my screen. You could try some duplicate layers, with a masking in of the sky (ie, masking out the forground), and then lowering exposure, or try different blending modes.
> Indeed it is! You still have detail and color in the sky that doesnt' > show well, at least on my screen. You could try some duplicate layers, > with a masking in of the sky (ie, masking out the forground), and then > lowering exposure, or try different blending modes.
You've gone so far beyond my current capabilities it's comical.
I am an absolute beginner with PS Elements and only have it because it came free with my scanner. Does it have all the functionality you are talking about? The help text walked me through photomerge and the resulting file is about 300 meg. The version on flickr is a greatly shrunken resize with all the mods done using a copy of MGI Photosuite I got free after rebate 12 years ago. Yes, 12 years ago, and it pukes all over itself just opening that 300 meg file.
So, to do this work will require some serious education. I got a book about PS Elements from the library this weekend. With the learning curve and my time budget, the final full sized version should be ready for the printer by spring. What you have done is help me create the prototype, the example for the production model.
John McWilliams wrote: > > Much improved. Thank you!
> Indeed it is! You still have detail and color in the sky that doesnt' > show well, at least on my screen. You could try some duplicate layers, > with a masking in of the sky (ie, masking out the forground), and then > lowering exposure, or try different blending modes.
The problems in the sky are definitely caused by shrinkage and compression. It sucks on my monitor, too, but the original looks perfectly natural.
The library book on Photoshop Elements was a waste of time. I just gave up and took a look at the help text and some tutorials on youtube. After about an hour (with judicious use of the undo button) the full-sized version started taking shape with the mods you suggested. Call it prototype 2.0 I'll do some more poking around and then start over with the original to make better use of the knowledge gained.
The sophisitication of Photoshop has been very intimidating for quite some time, but this is not nearly so difficult as I thought. Just getting started was the hardest part.
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