Where to get large prints of my photos from?

[puffff]

I put together a collage of some pictures I have and want to get it printed. The Walgreens I went to couldn't do prints larger than 8x10, the Staples Print and Copy center I took it to couldn't get the colors right when they tried printing a poster of it.

Has anyone used an online print service and can recommend a place to get large (12x18, 20x30) prints from? I'm a little wary of just picking any old website, since apparently had I ordered from Snapfish, the job would have been done by Staples where I've already seen they can't make good photo prints at. Recommendations for a local shop would also be welcome (I live in NYC).

The original jpeg i have is 5400x3600, so I'm pretty confident I can at least make a 12x18 out of it.

 

[archiloco]

www.adorama.com

they are the best!

by the way wait till they have like a 4 bucks for 16x20 sale....they have them often

edit::::they are NYC......you can pickup from them for free shipping

 

[sciencewhiz]

http://forums.anandtech.com/me...=2146343&enterthread=y

 

[aphex]

I have nothing but the best to say about http://www.mpix.com

 

[Mr. Lennon]

www.updone.com

best in town

 

[newb111]

12x18 are ~$2.99 at costco near me

 

[puffff]

Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[Gooberlx2]

If Staples and others couldn't get the colors right, you might want to make sure that your files are using sRGB colorspace; which is what most printers will expect.

...or were they way off, like everything was purple or something like that?

 

[puffff]

Originally posted by: Gooberlx2
If Staples and others couldn't get the colors right, you might want to make sure that your files are using sRGB colorspace; which is what most printers will expect.

...or were they way off, like everything was purple or something like that?

When they printed it out on regular paper, the color looked better, though not as vivid and bright as one of those 4x6 photos you get when you develop a roll of film. But when they did it on thicker glossier paper, all the colors looked much too dark. The skin color looked like I had downed a bottle of wine in 5 minutes.

I've never tried to get digital photos printed, does this sound like a file problem? The guy said something about the inkjet using too much ink to get the picture to stick on glossy paper.

 

[oynaz]

Well, if the place are pros, they would be able to edit the file, right? For a fee, of course.

 

[Gooberlx2]

Originally posted by: puffff

Originally posted by: Gooberlx2
If Staples and others couldn't get the colors right, you might want to make sure that your files are using sRGB colorspace; which is what most printers will expect.

...or were they way off, like everything was purple or something like that?

When they printed it out on regular paper, the color looked better, though not as vivid and bright as one of those 4x6 photos you get when you develop a roll of film. But when they did it on thicker glossier paper, all the colors looked much too dark. The skin color looked like I had downed a bottle of wine in 5 minutes.

I've never tried to get digital photos printed, does this sound like a file problem? The guy said something about the inkjet using too much ink to get the picture to stick on glossy paper.

I'm going to guess they don't have their stuff calibrated right. Staples isn't really going to be attuned to color accuracy anyway.

However, if you open your file in a program like Internet Explorer, and it looks "duller" than it does in your editing program (photoshop, PSP, something else color aware) then you probably have the files set to the wrong colorspace. It's an easy fix. The windows default colorspace is to use sRGB (as opposed to AdobeRGB or others), so that's usually what the printers are expecting and have their equipment calibrated to (since most people don't color manage).

However, some digital cameras might default to AdobeRGB, or it could be accidentally set that way.

In your editing program there should be something like edit->information or view->file info or something similar. Usually this will tell you exactly what colorspace your file is using.

If you do need to convert it then here's a handy program.

 

[xchangx]

Another vote for mpix.com

They can put it on a cardboard backing for you as well.

I buy all my large prints from them.

 

[gwrober]

Gooberlx2, that's great info and advice! :thumbsup:

 

[hellokeith]

FedEx Kinko's - online or in store

 

[wedi42]

i've been happy with sam's club for large pics