Photo Processing

[TigerLily]

I use costco. They come out great and I only have to wait an hour for them.

I don't take the virgin prints in from the disc though. I always edit/clean up...the ones I want prints of. I love the quality of costco. .

[Moonliner]

Partial Results...

My test prints from photoworks were the first to arrive. The quality rocks compared to my local photo shop. I'm still waiting for the prints/poster from snapfish. I also received an email from photoworks offering 30 more free prints. Given that I’m sitting on almost 2,000 shots from Alaska I snapped up that offer. Stay tuned for more updates as events warrant....

[MouseWife]

I went to the site you posted {photoworks} and their prices are great.

I take both 35mm and digital with an SD card. I also make cd's of my film to manipulate the photos better after.

I have used a lot of different places. Currently, I use Sav-On's 30 minute Kodak processing. I love it because, as was stated, when someone does it by hand it is much better. Well, the ladies there are great and do a fantastic job.

The digital. Well, I don't use theirs as it is .29 a print and Wal-mart is .19.

I had used Costco {East Chula Vista branch} and they did cut the photos, they didn't always come out so great. AND other times with the 35mm prints they would f up and say they hadn't. I remember making a set of 3 prints and two came out crappy and one came out clear. They told me it was my camera??? I had to go down and argue the point, it was about 4 rolls of film. Also, an enlargment I had done looked nothing {color wise} as the original. Does anyone know if this is from being enlarged {35mm} or because of their processing? It was only an 8X10 and it totally turned me off from making more large prints.

But, yesterday we did make an 8X10 enlargment of a print of the Yosemite Falls in winter, at Wal-Mart and it came out crisp and clear.

Thanks for the links on here, this is great information. I have more prints to make up and I think I will try this as the price is the same. If the quality is better, then I need to.

AND a question, since this is a picture thread~ how do you guys print up your Buzz Lightyear photos? I copied them on to a Bitmap and then my SD card and printed them up. Not too clear. Help!!

[Name]

Originally Posted by MouseWife

AND other times with the 35mm prints they would f up and say they hadn't. I remember making a set of 3 prints and two came out crappy and one came out clear. They told me it was my camera??? I had to go down and argue the point, it was about 4 rolls of film. Also, an enlargment I had done looked nothing {color wise} as the original. Does anyone know if this is from being enlarged {35mm} or because of their processing? It was only an 8X10 and it totally turned me off from making more large prints.

its them being lazy, if they took the time and made sure the color was adjusted correctly when they made the enlargement, it would have come out fine. On reason I go to stores that specialize in photography, they generally know what they are doing and take the time to do it right and are generally consistent with their output.

But, yesterday we did make an 8X10 enlargment of a print of the Yosemite Falls in winter, at Wal-Mart and it came out crisp and clear.

Walmart sucks, (just had to say it)

But don't be surprised if the next time you use them, you end up with poor results, its the nature of going somewhere where they may or may not know what they are doing.

[MouseWife]

Ah! So see, that is one reason why I quit Costco. Personally, I felt like they had too much business to care about mine. My pictures are extensions of myself. Yeah, they aren't that great looking either.

Okay, I think I will find that darn negative and make another enlargement. It is of Lake Tahoe and if you know Tahoe you know their sunsets are awesome and this one was especially so.

Yeah, Wal-Mart sucks. I agree. But, then again, as you said, specialty stores can be expensive.

Okay. Another photo question to you wonderful people:

I do take a lot of pictures. It sounds like you do as well. Is it beneficial, to the end product, to lug around a tripod? Not for every single shot but it seems I have some that I think, Darn it, that really could have been more clear. Just something that went through my head today....

[Moonliner]

Originally Posted by MouseWife

I do take a lot of pictures. It sounds like you do as well. Is it beneficial, to the end product, to lug around a tripod? Not for every single shot but it seems I have some that I think, Darn it, that really could have been more clear. Just something that went through my head today....

Funny you should ask. I've just started carrying a mini-tripod with me on important outings. It's handy for both my digital camera and my spiffy new camcorder. Very light and easy to carry I used it for a number of shots on my last trip.

[MouseWife]

Thanks for your responses about the tripod, peoples.

I do have one of those tiny tripods that you attach to the bottom of the camera. I have only used it so far for taking pictures where I also want to be in them. I never thought of setting it up and taking a picture just for the steadiness.

Are you all talking about a different type of tripod?

Ah, that I had a more elaborate camera. Mine is basic, the nicest thing is that the zoom is pretty good.

Ah, alas alack, I am my own customer Name. {And, I have no other job besides snapping photos and being someone people around here can count on...hopefully...} I have no clients only friends/family whom I love to give prints to and that adds to my costs. This time, though, with the digital prints, I only made doubles of ones that I am giving my son for him personal album

That photoworks, wow. I looked more at what they have to offer. I see they can make canvas pictures. So ironic because on our trip through Big Sur we came across an artists collection of photos of Big Sur and such that they had put on canvas. They were awesome. I said to the Hubster that I had photos that I'd love to see on canvas. Oh man, this can be addicting!!!

[Name]

Originally Posted by MouseWife

Okay. Another photo question to you wonderful people:

I do take a lot of pictures. It sounds like you do as well. Is it beneficial, to the end product, to lug around a tripod? Not for every single shot but it seems I have some that I think, Darn it, that really could have been more clear. Just something that went through my head today....

In the work that I do with photography, I find a tripod unnecessary. But my work always uses a flash and relatively fast shutter speeds. A tripod would be usefull for low light/slow shutter speed situations(i.e. shooting the castle at DL at night) or extremely close up where minut detail is important(floral photography, extremely close up). 99% of the time, I work hard to make sure that my shutter speed is fast enough to minimize any camera shake.

Oh, and in my opinion, the added expense of the "specialty" shops is generally worth it, especially if you shop around, and find a shop that looks like they know what they are doing, and has decent prices. Most the time these days, for me at least, when I need a job printed outside of my own abilities, the expense of the specialty shop is effectively being paid by someone else anyway(read: my client).

[TigerLily]

Originally Posted by Name

Oh, and in my opinion, the added expense of the "specialty" shops is generally worth it, especially if you shop around, and find a shop that looks like they know what they are doing, and has decent prices. Most the time these days, for me at least, when I need a job printed outside of my own abilities, the expense of the specialty shop is effectively being paid by someone else anyway(read: my client).

I wish we had a specialty shop that did it's own film processing. My local shop implied that they did, but when I requested my slide fil to be processed in c-41 chemistry as if it were regular film and make prints out of it they gave me back slides...processed as slides. i was so mad, because it was a location shoot that I couldn't do again. then they tol me, "oh, we send it out, but we had instructions on it."...yeah...great...