03 Oct 2006 12:39 AM

Photography - PRINTING Photographs

 There are a million ways to print photographs in this large city.  Here are a few ways that photographer1 suggests you try:

1. Go online and find a photo software and processing offer at a major store, like Walmart, Walgreen, Target or whichever store that is giving the offer this month.  Almost always you can find free printing offers online from major companies.

For example, for years a company like "SNAPFISH" has offered your first ten or twelve prints for free (you just pay postage) and along with that you get your online photo album that holds your photographs, sometimes for years, while you have those storage capacities for free also.

Some companies to check out for free offers are "SNAPFISH.com",  Walgreens online, and do a search for the rest of them.  Other such companies that have free online software and special offers sometimes are  "PHOTOBUCKET.COM ",  FLICKR.COM, and SEATLE FILMWORKS.COM, SNAPFISH.COM , WALGREENS.COM

(CHECK online for the URLS'and websites that offer these photo specials)

2.  Take your film negatives to a regular store and have them print a couple of prints and ask them to put your pictures on a cd for you.  You can then take that cd and have your photos on your computer for storage purposes, but then you can also print out your own photos at your own home on your own printer EVEN if you have no digital camera.  All you need to do is have your photos put on a disk at any regular photo store or department store.

3. Once you have your smaller prints in your hand, go to a store that has a color copier.  You can make 8 by 10's and all sizes by using the color copier at Staples, or Office Max.  Most times these color copies cost less than one dollar and most times Staples has an offer where they reduce the price to 39 cents per copy.  On one eight by ten sheet of paper you can copy a number of photographs , all for under a dollar and sometimes for under thirty-nine cents.

4. Visit your local camera club on it's open house meeting or on it's first meeting for the year.  Most times , camera club members can be most helpful with suggestions about where to obtain the best prints from the best companies in the least amount of time.   While there you'll gain valuable knowledge about photographs, photography and printing photographs.

5. Go to a high school or college and put an advertisement on the bulletin boards or in their newspaper stating that you are seeking a photographer who will print your photographs and crop your photographs for you. You might come up with some interesting prospects as lots  of times, budding photographers , people who really love photography are at these places.  Just keep searching for what you need in photography and you are bound to come up with a solution to your photgraphic problems.

6. Go to your local photography school or college that offers continuing educatoin photography classes.  For example, usually Kingsborough Commuity College and Brooklyn College in New York City offer continuing education classes in photography.  The good part of these classes is usually , along with the class there is darkroom time.  This means you can print out all your own pictures during the class or on the free-darkroom time. For more specific information, contact the college itself.  Ask for their brochures about continueing education and get on their mailing list. You will have good printing here and also you will have the expert advice of the photography teacher also.

7.  Go to places that advertise use of the darkroom or go to 'ART" schools in your local areas.  One such place is "ART LAB" in Staten Island, New York.  The art lab has a great photography class and during the class  you do get to use the darkroom and process your own film and pictures.  This is local and the price is reasonable. Call information for the address and phone of "ART LAB" .

8. Go to Pearl Pant Stores -they are online and they are a real in-person business. This store has a huge photography section, along with all the supplies you need to print your own pictures. ANd, most of their personnel has a specialty. SO ask to speak to the person in charge of the photography department.  He or she will answer all of your questions regarding photogaprhy and printing your own photographs.

9. Check your local commity papers for special offers for phototaphy.  This month coming up there is a Specail PHOTO EXPO, (I believe it is in October or November) at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City.  CHeck them out online and find out the specic dates for the expo.  You will be amazed at the connections you can make at an expo like this in such a large city.

10.  Ask y our local high school or college teacher if they know anyone who specializes in photo printing. These people are in the business and wil or might be able to connect you with an expert printer.

11. Check the advertisements in magazines like FAMILY CIRCLE, WOMAN's DAY, or many of the women's magazines .  Lots of these magazines offer special offers in photo printing because these magazines cater to women who have chidlren. And most times, people with children always want pictures of their children.  So, there's a great market for printers and photographers in magazines like these. Go to the library and browse through the current issues to get the best photo printing offers.

12. Browse through magazines like SHUTTERBUG, PHOTOGRAPHY TODAY, OUTDOOR PHOTOGRAPHER, and others to get special offers on printing. These magazines will offer the addresses and web addresses of speciial printing places that professional photographers use.  Many times you will see ads that offer companies that will send "free photo mailers" to  your home or business.

13.  MOST importantly, pay attention to the resources that are right in front of you.  Ask all of your neighbors and co-workers and friends if they know of any photo printers, and or photo expos coming up in your area.  Ask where the local Staples or Office Max store is. Your neighbors and friends are your best resourcs for local information .

14. Check the local yellow pages or white pages for photo printers, camera clubs and photo expos.

15. When you see photojournalists working (do not interfere with their work), in their 'down' time, ask their advice about where to have photos printed reasonbly , and conveniently.  They will have inside information about which places are good to process at .  They might share their experience with you by telling you, "such and such' store is having a special offer in February" and things like that.

16.  Your best way to find the best, most convenient, reasonably priced printing services is by talking with people.  Talk with as many people as you can talk with regarding photo-printing services.

17.  Around colleges and university towns, usually you can find many special offers at local printing places and local photo-printing places.  So go to your college/university neighborhood, and scout around for the services that you are looking for.

18.  Find the location of your nearest public library and ask where their exhibit case is.  Find the case and check this case out when your library has photo exhibits. Usually this will put you in touch with local artists and photographers.  This is another beginning to finding what you are looking for.  Lots of times these photographers will have their business card in their display or if not, the librarian will usually be happy to connect you with that artist by giving you their phone number or giving your phone number to the photographer.

These are just some of the ways that you can find good printing and good printing offers for your photographs.  Use your imagination and I'm sure that you will think of ten more ways to do this.

END of article by photographer1

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Megan Bayliss (3586) 03 Oct 2006 12:48 AM

No 5 spoke to me. I teach at Uni and have completely overlooked the Visual Arts school as a source of people to do my art work (I am HOPELESS!!!!). Thanks for the tip. Mxx