There are a few options for printing services: 1) Go with a specific lab, 2) Go with an online fulfillment company, 3) Release your photos to your client to print on their own. I feel my business is so new that I don’t need to jump in to the online fulfillment business yet so I have decided on number 3. I am giving my first client full resolution pictures on DVD and a print release form. This sounds simple, right?, but it was a learning process for me. I had to figure out dpi (dots per inch) versus ppi (pixels per inch) for resolution purposes and by the way I still haven’t totally figured it out. I also learned a lot about color profiles like the difference between RGB, sRGB, and Adobe RGB. From what I’ve read the best color profile (or most common) for most printing companies is sRGB.
Another decision I had to make was to put my brand/logo on all the files and I did. I believe it will be good advertising for me especially since they will be placing some pictures on display at the wedding and reception. This decision comes with a price though. My client may have the problem of the logo being cut off depending on the print sizes she orders. For this particular client, she is mainly printing 4×6 and 5x7s which shouldn’t cut off the logo but in the future I am considering leaving my brand off of the pictures. Including my brand also required me to give my client a print release form. Of course I didn’t have this made up yet so I leaned on Google again and found this release form and this forum very helpful.
So, see what I mean, this was a great but big learning experience for me. Below I listed the photo labs and online fulfillment/proofing companies I’ve found through other photographers’ blogs and Google. I hope this helps someone!
For Professional Photographers:White House Custom Colour (WHCC), Miller’s Professional Imaging
Professional and Consumer Photographers:Mpix, Bay Photo Lab, BWC Imaging, and Full Color, Inc.
Online Fulfillment/Proofing: SmugMug, Pictage, and PickPic