The first 12 people to register will also have a print prepped and printed by me on a fine art paper of your choice. Below are two testimonials from recent attendees of the same workshop at Calumet Photo:

“Andrew gave a clear and detailed overview of printers, inks and most importantly settings that control the final quality of the prints.  I love knowing that there is such a vast range of papers to choose from and how to get the best results from them. I stayed up quite late last night experimenting with the settings discussed in the class and I ended up with a print that I am pleased with! This is great, thanks so much for unlocking this mystery! The workshop more than exceeded my expectations.” - Polly W.

“I am a platinum printer with the need to make enlarged digital negatives and have been contracting this work out because even though I have followed the various blogs, I didn’t understand the requirements of what it means to be a digital printer.  Andrew’s class gave me the framework to understand the process.  He discussed the various options for hardware (equipment AND papers) and software from an unbiased, user viewpoint. This is VERY important.  The week before I took Andrew’s class I went to the NY PhotoPlus Expo hoping to get a handle on my digital printing questions by talking to the various company reps and came away even more confused!

Andrew clarified all the sales hype and in a very straight forward manner showed what is needed to make great digital prints.  Using participant’s digital files, he printed the images on various papers demonstrating the strengths of each and he also demonstrated the power of using Photoshop in such a clear manner that it is no longer a scary, black box, but a tool to be used. I highly recommend this class for anyone wishing to make digital photographs, and for experienced digital printers who wish to make better digital photographs.” -Lyle Allan

For more information or to register, visit this page.

I hope to see you there!

If you have any questions or if you’d like to inquire about one-on-one in-person, phone or online consulting, please send an e-mail through this page.

If I were to summarize what the app does, it helps to expand one’s ideas for what to photograph by suggesting a variety of specific criteria, such as a place, as well as other content, such as one or more feelings (energetic is one feeling that you’ll see in the screen shots below). Paul Pierson explains the app in more detail: “By incorporating just the right amount of randomness, CSA’s goal was to help photographers evolve and expand their ideas. If you’re stuck, the app can generate billions of unique image concepts from scratch in just two taps. We think this tool will help today’s photographers, who are now expected to conceive ideas, not just execute. It’s a serious tool in a fun and distinctive package.”

During a hands-on demo, I was impressed by the way in which the app guides you through the criteria, resulting in a beautiful graphic using black and red text, as well as some graphics. Now that I look more closely at the screen shots and other materials, I realize that the inspiration for the graphics came from Canon’s L-series lenses, which is very cool (almost as inventive as those Canon L-series lens mugs!).

I’m not sure when the app will be available for download, but I’ll announce it on my Facebook page and my Twitter feed when I find out.

Related Links:
PDF Press Release for the Canon Idea Mine App
Article on Pixiq.com with some great ideas and insights from Damien Franco

The first 12 people to register will also have a print prepped and printed by me on a fine art paper of your choice. One of the printers I’ll be using for the workshop is the Epson Stylus Pro 3880. For more information or to register, visit this page.

If you are not planning to attend the workshop, you may still want to stop by on Saturday 11/5 or Sunday 11/6. Ron Wyatt will be answering questions and doing free 30 minute tours of the current show on exhibit at 11am, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm (no registration is necessary). There are 31 prints total in the show, including 11 framed prints from the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

I hope to see you there!

Last year I wrote an article entitled: 10 Tips for Navigating the PhotoPlus Expo in New York City, which you can find here. With the exception of some specific events that I mentioned from last year’s show (and booth numbers from last year), the information still applies.

I’m also very happy to be speaking again at the PhotoPlus Expo 2011. My seminar, entitled Lightroom Power Printing: Tips for Getting the Most from Lightroom’s Printing Capabilities, is on Thursday, October 27 from 3:30-5:30PM. During the seminar, I’ll be sharing a lot of the techniques I use to prepare, proof and make final prints using Lightroom, whether outputting to inkjet printers or photo labs. A two-and-a-half minute video promo of my seminar can be seen here, and to go directly to the registration page and a full description of the seminar, visit this page.

I hope to see some ImagingBuffet readers there! If you see me on the show floor, drooling over the latest lighting gear, lenses, etc., please say hi!

Andrew Darlow: Your upcoming City Project focuses on New York Diners. What are a few things people can do to prepare themselves (mentally, physically and equipment-wise) for the City Project workshop, a similar workshop, or even a “Photo Walk”?

Jez Coulson: Well I think anyone attending a photography workshop…….  but especially one led by me, should be ready to have fun………  but also be ready to work really hard……… it’s a chance to try to do something really “lifted” and come away exhilarated by having made fantastic pictures. Consequently it’s good to be in a place where you are feeling energized and ready to roll. It’s also good to be feeling ready to interact with others…….  as reportage photography often needs a little rapport with the general public.

You will need a reasonable digital camera. I myself always use two SLR’s when I am shooting……….  one with a long zoom one with a shorter zoom…………. this in my view is the best way to work……. but it’s by no means essential…….. one camera ideally with a couple of lenses or just one reasonable zoom would be fine…… someone was asking if they could do it with their iPhone camera…….. it could be done…… you would still learn and have fun  ……….  but I feel you will probably get more out of it …….  if you have a slightly better rig…….  ideally something you can control a little……  like a classic SLR.

It is also good to have a good number of digital camera cards……. so that you can really shoot and not be constrained by the amount of digital information you can write to your cards.  If I am shooting all day, it is not unusual for me to shoot 3 or 4 thousand pictures…….. or more. I often emphasize the importance of good clothing when out shooting ……. for me reasonable rain protection is part of my essential equipment………  If it rains I want to carry on shooting…….. I know I have often shot fantastic pictures in the rain when I know most people would have  gone home :-))

But equally, you do not want to be bulked down with things to carry………  so it’s essential to remain mobile without stuff to carry in hand bags……….  as your hands must be free…… and you must be able to move about freely. I have, as part of my shooting kit, small umbrellas and rain jackets that I wear in a belt bag/ fanny-pack/bum-bag arrangement………  so if it does not rain you don’t need to hold coats or wear them if it’s too hot………. I have rain covers for my cameras too……. for me they are essential………..  in torrential rain I always want to shoot………  these covers are great things……..  but entirely optional on this workshop (certainly not a requirement).

Screenshot from Jez Coulson's Inspiration Gallery on worldphoto.org. Photo © Jez Coulson, All Rights Reserved

AD: I was especially drawn to the photos in which you’ve employed the use of shallow depth of field and motion techniques (located in the inspiration gallery for the workshop, as well as your photos on insight-visual.com). Is there a specific way in which you like to teach either of these concepts?

JC: I do a lot of things that a classic photography text book will tell you not to do. I will make sure everyone understands what are more normally accepted parameters as a starter. But as I shoot totally wide open (aperture at widest setting, often f/2.8), I also often shoot hand held at very slow shutter speeds (Shutter speeds of say 1/8th sec., for example) . I will talk to people in the workshop about the risks of this and the potential pit falls…….. but also the sometimes amazing images that can be achieved by doing this……. I will be showing them how I do it……… there are useful tricks to some of this……….  and I will encourage attendees to be brave…..  to attempt things that may not work…… but equally might be amazing…… I will get people to aim to be successful at things they may not have attempted before in low light with movement, etc. This will be done through demonstration, and people trying the suggested methods.

In diners, there is often not tons of light as in many other urban situations ……. and I will not be emphasizing the use of photographic lights or strobe……… so we will be exploring how to see and use the ambient light to best effect …….. and combine that with raised ISO, wide aperture and low shutter speeds (all hand held). I will also cover how to steady a camera using supports like tables and chairs, and the stances to adopt, etc. …….. these things are not rocket science………  but need a little instruction with practice and confidence in real situations to master them.

AD: Can you talk a bit about the content of the 3-4 hour Masterclass on the first day?

JC: The Master Class will really look at my philosophy and practice as a photojournalist and reportage artist ……..  and the kind of stories that I am drawn to. This will take the form of looking at examples of my work, running through the stories and my approach. The human aspects of making the images. Both in terms of the concepts I am trying to illustrate and the emotions and physical realities involved for both the subjects and myself during the actual shooting process. I will talk at some length about the human aspects of interacting with others in a public space, plus being accepted with your cameras. I will run through the way I talked with and won the confidence of the subjects in certain pictures.

We will be looking at the resulting images in terms of the reaction of viewers at the end stage, and the how pictures can be displayed and used. I will help the photographers who take the course produce a range of images that would properly constitute a story submission for a magazine or other editorial outlet.

Putting to one side the vitally important human skills and approach required by photojournalists, I will also run through the images in terms of how they are achieved in the camera. The camera techniques…….the settings……. the forethought……  I will analyze images in terms of why they work…… normally emphasizing the primacy of the composition ….. even in images that appear to be working by depicting all action or by demanding an emotional response. I will talk about how composition and ambient light are, for me, normally the primary consideration in approaching most photography (if you put aside human interaction considerations). Action and movement can be essential, but even then you cannot put aside considerations of light and composition, so these need to become almost second nature. We will discuss how to read and understand the composition and light that can be seen to work in existing images………  and how you can apply that knowledge of controlling composition and understanding light in photographs you are about to shoot.

We will also be looking at how photography meets the World Wide Web…… How photographers can be involved with social media and blogging to gain exposure and to be in contact with others for support and learning……….. and for those wishing to take it further, how to reach potential clients through digital projection and networking.

There will be a relatively small section on how one might become a freelance photojournalist and reportage artist in terms of the type of work a professional in these fields might undertake. The kind of clients and the type of jobs one might expect, especially given the demise of some of the classic photojournalism outlets.

AD: If one of your students had 10 minutes of time with a news magazine editor (in person or via e-mail/online), is there a specific way in which you would recommend he or she present a specific body of work for each situation?

JC: If someone is approaching a news magazine editor………… The most important thing is to make sure the work you are showing is specific to what the magazine is actually running………….. Picture Editors will be polite (normally) without waking up about images that are not specific to them. They will say nice things and you will never hear from them again……. they will have forgotten your name by the time you are in the elevator………. you must show them stuff specific to them……… ideally you must show them stuff they actually want right now……… if by the end they are ringing the features editor to say they have a fantastic set in that she must see, and is then introducing you, they have registered your presence………

I know that sounds obvious…….. but I have been asked to look at other photographers’ work by the picture editor of certain magazines…….  because after 30 seconds he knows his time is being wasted…… and the picture editor knows I will say nice positive things about where that folio should be shown……..  or how a change could be introduced. If the magazine is unrelentingly positive and ‘up beat,’ they do not want depressing stories…….. If they only run color, they don’t want B&W…….. If they only run women’s issues, why are they looking at a set of men’s wrestling instead of a set of women’s wresting? ……. Again totally obvious but its amazing how this can be overlooked by some. If you do not have a set of pictures that could be bought by the magazine immediately……. you must at least have an idea for one…….. “Well you know you always run those engineering stories on the back 2 pages”……. “I have access to the new dam project on the Hudson if you are interested in commissioning it I could….blah blah” ………..  If you leave it to the Picture Editor to think of the stories……..  he will give them to other photographers…… people who have already established a relationship with him……. they will only give you a chance because you have already shot it ….. or you have an inside track on a story that is your idea.

AD: Can you share a favorite quote that might apply in some way to the workshop, or photography in general?

JC: My favorite quote is from Nelson Mandela. It’s not directly about photography……. but it is indirectly ……. because it’s about a philosophy for living that suits me and my photography :-))

“For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” -Nelson Mandela

One of my favorite photography related quotes comes from Richard Avedon …….. it applies to this “Diner on the Edge of America” workshop, and to my whole life:

“If a day goes by without my doing something related to photography, it’s as though I’ve neglected something essential to my existence, as though I had forgotten to wake up.” -Richard Avedon

AD: Do you have any additional comments to share about the upcoming City Project workshops in New York ?

JC: I am really excited about leading the WPO “Diners on the Edge of America” workshop. I enjoy so many aspects of New York City………. and the classic Diners are one small, but fascinating aspect……… I like to just be in them to grab breakfast ……… or sometimes lunch…..  or more often, a coffee and a meal in the middle of the night, having been out shooting on an assignment ……. and I never go in one of those places without taking a camera and shooting something …….. either of the Diner and its staff and customers, or the scenes of the streets from inside………. it’s a bit of an obsession……… so I am looking forward to introducing others to the joy of this passion :-))

JC: I am totally delighted with the news that the buzz around this “Diner on the Edge of America” 3-day “City Project” workshop in New York City has been so great that the WPO have asked me to do another one in Chicago ……… of course I am thrilled……… and it’s good news for a few friends of mine from that neck of the woods that follow my blog at www.jezblog.com too ……. they will be able to attend now……. Having said they could not afford the travel costs to NYC from Chicago …….. they had been asking if I was going to be doing one in Chicago……… well now I am :-)) …… Yes, for me it’s fantastic news!! …….. I have shot pictures in the diners of Chicago in the past ……. they are also just perfect for this ……. but I don’t go there everyday myself……….  so it’s great to get more time to hang out and shoot in Chicago……….  and have all the fun and excitement of another WPO Festival, and of leading another workshop.

For me, looking through a viewfinder is like entering another world, my world, and I would love others to come to these workshops and join me in my enthusiasm for a life in photography.

Cheers,

Jez XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

AD: I’d like to sincerely thank Jez Coulson for sharing so much great information with our audience! For a direct link to Jez Coulson’s New York “City Project,” visit this page, and for his Chicago “City Project,” visit this page. And to see more of Jez Coulson’s work, visit jezblog.com and insight-visual.com.

World Photography Events and Opening Reception in New York City

The World Photography Events will be taking place in New York from October 13-November 6, 2011. The events include an exhibition of photographs from the 2011 Sony World Photography Awards, a free Student Focus program, and other events. Opening night for the World Photography Events is Thursday, 10/13/2011 from 6-9 pm at the Chelsea Art Museum, 556 W. 22nd St., NY NY. The event is free, but an RSVP is required for entry. To RSVP, send an e-mail to giulia@worldphoto.org.

“City Project” Workshops

As I mentioned earlier, a series of three-day workshops will be offered in New York City under the title “City Projects.” This text from the WPO offers a good overview of the City Projects.

The City Projects are the most exciting events on our New York programme, for budding and established photographers alike. These workshops will enable you to improve on your photographic skills and connect with other equally passionate photographers. You will also be given the unique opportunity to display and promote your work to a global audience.

The global theme is ‘Portraits of a City’, which over the year will see City Projects taking place in London, Edinburgh, Manchester, Birmingham, San Francisco, Chicago, São Paulo, with plenty others to be announced throughout the year, see our City Projects page to see if your City will be involved.

All the projects will culminate in an exciting exhibition of all participants work, ‘Portraits of a City, a Mirror of the World’, exhibited in London, April-May, 2012.

City Projects Workshop Itinerary

Day 1: Introductory Seminar and Workshop - the technical bit!
In a 3-4 hour masterclass, the workshop leader will deliver the brief to the participants. The workshop leader will then discuss technical and creative approaches, exploring lighting and composition, location scouting and subject matter.

Day 2: Independent Shooting – the creative bit!
The participants will go solo and use the knowledge gained from the masterclass to execute their assignments on the streets. The workshop leader will be at “base camp” for part of the day, should participants wish to return to get further advice and feedback.

Day 3: Editing and Critique – the post-production bit!
Each participant will have a two-on-one, 90 minute editing session with a professional editor on Adobe Lightroom software, teaching you how to get the most out of your photography in post-production.

Additional information re: Day 3: Before arriving at their 90 minute editing session, participants will need to narrow down their work to no more than 30 images. During editing, 10 images will be selected as their “shortlist” of best images, and then one single image will be selected and showcased throughout various WPO platforms, including for display and review during a group discussion led by the workshop leader.

Contest for ImagingBuffet.com Readers

The WPO has generously made available four spaces in the 3-Day “City Project” workshops in New York City for four ImagingBuffet.com readers. Please see the details below to be entered into a drawing to win:

Contest Overview: Win a complimentary 3-day workshop (value up to $300) at the Chelsea Art Museum organized by the World Photography Organization:

Prizes:
- 1 place to attend a “City Project” 3-day workshop with Steve Pyke - November 11th - 13th (visit this page for a full description)
- 1 place to attend a “City Project” 3-day workshop with Cheryl Dunn - November 11th - 13th (visit this page for a full description)
- 1 place to attend a “City Project” 3-day workshop with Nick Turpin - October 21st - 23rd (visit this page for a full description)
- 1 place to attend a “City Project” 3-day workshop with Jez Coulson - October 21st - 23rd (visit this page for a full description)

How to enter:

To enter, simply send an email to info@worldphoto.org
In the subject line enter: ImagingBuffet.com 3-day workshop “City Projects”
In the body of the email, enter your WPO username. If you don’t have an username, please create a free account (standard membership) here:
http://www.worldphoto.org/become-a-member/individual/

Deadline: October 15, 2011 at 8:59pm PST (11:59PM EST - New York City time)

Note from Andrew Darlow: Please only enter if you are reasonably sure that you will be able to attend one of the workshops.

A few rules and information regarding the announcement of winners:

1. Residents of any country are eligible (except where prohibited by law).
2. This contest covers only the cost of a 3-day “City Project” workshop. Winners are responsible for all lodging, travel and other expenses.
3. Winners will be informed which City Project they have won, and are required to confirm via e-mail whether or not they will attend.
4. Prizes are not transferrable to another individual.
5. Winners will be contacted privately via e-mail by October 17, 2011.

For more information about the next City Project in Chicago, IL, visit:

http://www.worldphoto.org/festivals-events/buy-tickets/city-project-chicago/

In 2006 at the Macworld Expo San Francisco (just after his Keynote address, which was quite an experience), I had the opportunity to speak with Steve Jobs for a few moments. To paraphrase, I thanked him and let him know that Apple had a major impact on my career. That was the year Apple moved to Intel chips, which must have been a difficult decision. It seems to have been the right decision based on the products that have come out since that announcement, and if you listen to Steve Jobs and Intel’s CEO’s Paul Otellini onstage at the 2006 Macworld Expo, you can get a sense of how much work went into creating the new product line using Intel processors. Below is a video of that segment:

In case you have not heard seen this video of Steve giving a speech at Stanford University, I think it is worth watching if you are interested in learning more about Steve Jobs:

And below is a photo that I took at the 2006 Macworld Expo Keynote of Steve Jobs onstage, showing him and Steve Wozniak in a photo from 1976, the year the Apple Computer Company was founded. The photo was shown to mark the 30 year anniversary of Apple:

I’d like to extend Steve Jobs’ family and the Apple organization my sincere condolences. Thank you Steve and the people at Apple for the work you’ve done to make a difference and “Think Different.”

A section of the show, GRANDmarks - NYC, photographed during the setup of the show. Photo by Ron Wyatt

Andrew Darlow answering questions about his prints on canvas during the opening exhibition of GRANDmarks NYC at The Calumet Gallery, 7/14/2011. photo by Ron Wyatt

For more information or to reserve a space, please visit this page:

http://grandmarks3.eventbrite.com/

All the best!

Andrew

If you are not able to register online due to the fact that the workshop is this Saturday, you can register in person on Saturday morning starting at 9:30am.

I hope to see you there!

Hello! I’d like to invite all readers of The Imaging Buffet to an opening of an exhibition of my photography at Calumet Gallery in New York City on Thursday, July 14, 2011 from 6-9pm. The exhibition includes large-scale pigment inkjet canvas prints as well as pigment inkjet prints on paper. For more information or to RSVP, please visit this page:

http://grandmarks2.eventbrite.com

All the best, and I hope to see you there!

Andrew

Migrant Mother, photograph by Dorothea Lange

I finished this 560 page book, entitled, Dorothea Lange: A Life Beyond Limits a few months ago, and now seemed like an ideal time to put together all my notes and write a review.  It’s a fantastic book, and one I recommend for anyone who has an interest in the history of photography or 20th Century U.S. history.

As a biography, you might assume the book is about the life of Dorothea Lange–and you’d be correct. But it is much more than that. The book covers her life chronologically, from her birth in Hoboken, NJ in 1895 until her death in 1965.  What separates it from many other biographies is that it discusses and educates the viewer about the world that surrounded Dorothea throughout her life (and in some cases, the years prior to and since her death). The book’s author, Linda Gordon, speaks to the reader in very frank, honest terms, and explains that in many cases, there was no written or oral record of events to chronicle. At times, Ms. Gordon speculates about how Ms. Lange might have felt based on her research and knowledge of history.

To best explain why I found the book to be outstanding, listed below are some of the many topics into which the book delves:

- Life as the child of an immigrant in the USA;

- Life as a student in the lower-east side of New York City in the early 1930’s;

- The experiences of a child growing up without a father in the home;

- The devastating effect that alcoholism can have on families;

- How travel to a new place often completely changes one’s life plans;

- The effects that divorce can have on families;

- The common struggle of families and individuals to make a living;

- The tensions between labor and management throughout history;

- Agribusiness, and the “big growers” (especially in California);

- Class struggles in the United States over the last 100 years;

- The Dust Bowl of the 1930s. Its causes and ramifications for so many (especially those who traveled west for work from Oklahoma and other affected states);

- The story of Japanese Americans uprooted and sent to relocation camps in the 1940s;

- How a single photograph can influence so many;

- Life as a photographer in the FSA in the 30’s and 40’s;

- Life as a woman photographer in the FSA in the 30’s and 40’s;

- “Documentary” vs “art” photography and the culture of museums and other institutions;

- Behind the scenes stories about legendary photographer and friend of Lange, Ansel Adams;

- The difficult decisions related to, and effects of sending young children to boarding schools;

- Common experiences of parenthood vs. grandparenthood;

- The desire for individuals to be recognized for their creative work;

- The business of professional portrait photography;

- Photography as a recognized and respected art form over the years;

- Living through the extreme pain and the debilitating effects of cancer on one’s body;

- The struggle to retain one’s dignity in the face of extreme poverty;

- Life as an African American in the deep south in the mid-20th Century;

- The effect of large format photography (as opposed to 35mm or medium format) on one’s style and approach to one’s subject;

- The issues surrounding the captioning (text descriptions) of photographs throughout history.

As noted in the last line above, one of the most important issues discussed in the book, and central to Dorothea Lange’s experiences as a photographer, was the issue of uncaptioned photographs. As I learned from the book and from my own observations over the years, without a proper description for a photograph (preferably written by an observer at the scene), a still photograph can be deliberately or mistakingly captioned, thus conveying a message quite different from what actually occurred.

In today’s world of digital photography with instant feedback and the ability to backup data quickly and inexpensively, I can only imagine the frustration that Ms. Lange and many other FSA photographers felt who were forced to send their film to Washington, D.C., (often thousands of miles away), not knowing if it would arrive safely, and in many cases, never seeing the final product. The book also mentions that many negative were intentionally destroyed by  Roy Stryker, head of the “Historical Section” of the FSA. You can find out more about that and other information about the FSA on this website.

The references in the back of the book are extensive, and well worth reading. I consider the references a “text-book lesson” in how one should do research for such a project. Because Ms. Gordon was not an expert in photography, I believe it was a very different type of book compared with other biographies written by people with a vast knowledge of the subject’s field.

After reading this book, I had an opportunity to watch Black Blizzard, an outstanding video documentary about The Dust Bowl, and it gave me a much better understanding of the terrible conditions that so many faced in the 1930s, as well as its causes. You can find the video here.

Printed Photographs and Related Photos

On the topic of photographs reproduced in the book, there is a mix of glossy pages and photographs printed on uncoated paper. The images printed on glossy pages are far superior, and it would have been wonderful to have had more of them. To get a better sense of the detail and sharpness in her work, there are thousands of photographs by Dorothea Lange available online for viewing and/or download on this page of the Library of Congress’ website.

The book is available on Amazon.com via this link. Purchasing through our Amazon.com link helps support our publishing efforts.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher to review.

AcrylicPix.com Options: AcrylicPix.com’s acrylic options include direct printing onto 1/8 and 3/16-inch thick acrylic, as well as direct printing on aluminum. They offer a wide range of sizes on their pricing page, and they will do custom sizes as well. Finishing options include a one-inch or two-inch mount that looks a lot like a wood frame, as well as float mount that allows the piece to “float” once inch off the wall. The company also offers direct printing on aluminum, and you can find out more about their metal options on this page.

This page has an excellent overview of their display options.

According to the company, turnaround time is about a week to most locations in the USA and Canada, and shipping cost per piece for most sizes to the continental USA is US $15. You will need to contact the company for information on shipping costs for large packages, or for shipping rates to other countries.

The company has done a good job explaining why most people will want to opt for the “Sintra sandwich” on this page, compared with just having the hanging hardware attached directly to the Acrylic. See below for an example of what a 1/8″ plexi and 1/16″ Sintra sandwich look like  from the side (the print of the dog below looks exactly like this when viewed from the side).

photo courtesy AcrylicPix.com

1. Ordering: In my case, I sent files directly to my contact at AcrylicPix.com in RGB with an AdobeRGB(1998) working space profile. However, most people will order through their online upload system, and there are many options apart from just the finishing options listed above, including converting to black and white or sepia, photo retouching and restoration, or background replacement. The company also suggests ways to make your images pop, such as using a custom border, which ends up looking a lot like a frame.

2. Packing/Print Protection: The two acrylic prints I received were very well packed. Each one had corner foam protectors and each was individually shrink-wrapped. After removing the plastic, there was a small amount “dust” to clean off (mainly from the packing material and small pieces of foam). Also, some static electricity was generated, so I recommend using a smooth static-free wipe to clean the surface of the prints.

My two prints, wrapped and well protected using foam corners and a shrink-wrap film. Photo © Andrew Darlow, All Rights Reserved

3. Output Quality: I would rate AcrylicPix.com’s overall print quality on acrylic as very good. Most people will be able to see very fine dots in their printed images from a close distance, but from any normal viewing distance (even with prints as small as 11×14 inches), the image looks great. I will admit that I’m not a big fan of super-glossy prints, but the super-smooth, glass-like look and feel of these prints is stunning. Sharpness was spot-on, and color accuracy in my test prints was excellent when I examined the overall color and greyscale ramp under a daylight-balanced lamp. I used the popular PhotoDisc target to judge overall image quality, color and contrast, which you can see a part of below (behind the dog print). The prints have a slightly lower black point (Dmax) when I observed them next to my pigment-based reference semi-gloss inkjet prints produced on an Epson Stylus Pro 3880, but the prints still have plenty of contrast. Also worth noting is that the images have a nice even contrast range from the highlights to the shadows, with no banding observed in my test prints.

4. Finishing Quality: The build quality and workmanship of both of my prints is excellent. In the case of the acrylic print with a two-inch mount, the hardware is extremely sturdy and feels a lot like heavy-duty stretcher bars. However, it feels more stable than a canvas wrap, due to the acrylic/Sintra sandwich on the front. Of course, it is also heavier than a stretched canvas (about 3.5 lbs for a 16×20-inch piece with a 2-inch mount, shown above). The firmly attached hanging wire on both wood frames gives me confidence that it will stay on any wall when properly hung. The 11×14-inch one-inch floating print of the dog weighs in at just about 1.5 lbs. To best explain what the black edging looks like on the one-inch and two-inch mounts, it looks and feels like a high-end gaffer’s tape that has been very carefully applied.

One minor complaint I have is that a caulk-like substance is used to adhere the Plexi to the frame, aa well as the wood brace to the back of the floating frames. The caulk is clearly visible from the back, and that detracts from the clean look of the whole piece. If I were to present these to a client, I would simply use a few pieces of acid-free tape such as Lineco’s Self-Adhesive Linen Hinging Tape and carefully cover the caulk-like substance.

5. Permanence: As with any paper and ink combination, I was curious about expected permanence/lightfastness, so I inquired about any permanence testing that has been done on the ink and media combinations. I was directed to aPDF document which you can see at this link, that explains some standard testing that was done. That text is reproduced below:

Accelerated weathering tests have been carried out in a Xenon Arc Weatherometer set to the SAEJ1960 standard. Under these conditions the accelerated weathering of Uvijet KO inks equates to approximately 12 months outdoor exposure in a temperate climate, such as North America. If finished prints will be subjected to outdoor exposure exceeding 12 months, the use of an overprint clear or over-laminate is strongly recommended.

A representative from AcrylicPix.com recommended against outdoor display of their prints, but the testing above gives some idea of what might be expected with regard to fading over time indoors. Other companies have equated 12 months outdoor display life before noticeable fading or color shift with about 30-40 years of indoor display life before noticeable fading or color shift, but there are many variables. I wanted to give you some hard facts, and until testing is done by a company like Wilhelm Imaging Research (www.Wilhelm-Research.com) or Aardenburg Imaging and Archives (www.aardenburg-imaging.com), any expected fade data will probably be based on the outdoor testing noted above, or real-life testing by companies or individual users.

7. Conclusion: Overall, I recommend AcrylicPix.com’s acrylic printing service as a source of affordable, high quality, professional-looking acrylic prints. As with any print sandwiched or printed directly on acrylic, care must be taken when handling the pieces, and when dusting/cleaning them. I recommend using the same acrylic cleaners made for protecting and cleaning acrylic used in the picture frame industry. Print quality does not quite match the results I’ve seen from services who provide high-end face-mounted C-prints or inkjet prints to acrylic. However, the print quality is very good, and definitely worth considering for wall art (portrait, weddings, families, etc.), as well as fine-art and commercial (print-for-pay) projects.

Also, I really liked the look and feel of the direct to metal print I received from the company, but I am going to hold off on my review of their metal prints until I can have a print of my own done by them. It’s the best way I know to properly review this type of product. What I will say is that it is a unique look that allows the brushed metal feel to come through–almost like the look of sandwiching a photo of metal with another photo.

Disclosure: I received two acrylic prints from my supplied files and another sample metal print at no cost from AcrylicPix.com so that I could properly do this review.

For more information about AcrylicPix, visit their site at http://www.acrylicpix.com.

You can find the Kickstarter project here.

…and below you can see a sample of how the final book and audio will look and sound:

Victor Cajiao is someone whom I’ve known for years, and we’ve met on a few occasions at trade shows. His smiling face on the home page of his other Podcast, Typical Mac User (also highly recommended), depicts his very friendly, easy-going manner. I really like how he interviews people from many areas of the photo and video world. The product picks and suggestions from Victor and his guests, from inexpensive accessories to plug-ins and hardware at the end of most shows are particularly interesting. You will also find screencasts and slideshows on the site. A few years ago, I was also a guest on the show, which you listen to here. I also contributed a short photo tip for this show.

On the site, which you can find at www.typicalshutterbug.com, you can explore by either clicking on the play buttons inside each blog post to listen right away on your computer, or you can subscribe via iTunes (see the link in the sidebar) . Enjoy!

and I also contributed to this show.

http://typicalshutterbug.com/wordpress/2009/03/07/tsb02-interview-with-author-michael-freeman-the-photographers-eye/

This link will take you to the home page, where you can explore by either clicking on the play buttons to listen in the browser, or you can subscribe via iTunes from this link. Enjoy!

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=302731874

What I like most about Artexpo is the huge diversity of art throughout the show, including sculpture, painting, photography, mixed media and more. As in the past, original oil paintings as well as reproductions (usually described as “giclée on canvas”) dominate the walls of the show. Artist originals are one-of-a-kind works, so the reproductions offered by many artists and/or galleries make it possible for a larger audience to own art that they like. The multiple print concept is not new (for example, photographers who sell prints almost always sell multiple prints of a specific image), and in booths where both original paintings and reproductions were located, I found it interesting trying to guess which prints were originals and which were reproductions before reading the placards that described the prints. In many cases, it was very difficult to tell.

Below are just a few of the exhibitors whose work caught my eye. In this overview, I focus mainly on photography-related artists and exhibitors, but I also included the work of some painters and mixed media artists. If you are planning to attend Artexpo in the future, I’d give yourself at least six hours to properly take in the whole show (with a few much needed breaks for your eyes and feet in between). The many educational workshops (free with your show admission fee) offered during the show should also be considered by anyone who is in the business of creating or selling art.

Artist: Blaise Arnold
Lili-Ubel Gallery, Paris - Booth 752
Website: www.lili-ubelgallery.com
Comments: This gallery is exhibiting a group large-scale photographs (about four feet tall) featuring exquisite night scenes in Paris. They are super-glossy (I believe they are face mounted to acrylic).  You can view the images online here.

Artist: Kwan-Woo Lee
Able Fine Art, New York - Booth 929
Website: www.ablefineartny.com
Comments: This gallery is exhibiting a number of artists, including an artist whose work stopped me in my tracks – Kwan-Woo Lee. Lee’s works are large-scale assemblies of rubber stamps, arranged in ways that create a larger overall image (similar to photo mosaics). In most cases, the stamps contain Chinese characters, but I’ve also seen some pieces containing stamps of animals and various objects.  You can find more work (including some close-ups that show amazing details) by Kwan-Woo Lee here.

Artist: Sean Flynn
Coral Canyon Publishing, Los Angeles - Booth 911
Website: www.facebook.com/seanmflynnphotography?v=info
Comments: Photographer Sean Flynn is showing about 20 images-most of them framed and about 16×20 inches in size, and some about 30×40 inches in size. Sean Flynn utilizes HDR (High Dynamic Range) photography, and I found many of his images to be quite stunning. You can view the photos from the show, as well as many more of his photos on his Flickr page here.

Artist: Malteste
Malteste Expressionist Photography - Booth 1006
Website: www.malteste.com
Comments: This photographer is exhibiting about twenty large-scale photographs featuring outstanding nature and wildlife imagery. Like the work of Arnold Blaise, they are super-glossy, with no frame (Maltese calls the finishing technique “Plexi-arts”). His website contains over 70 of his images, but as with most artwork, seeing them in person is the best way to experience them.

One of the areas at Artexpo is called the SOLO pavilion. It’s not unlike other areas of the show, but the booths are generally a bit smaller, and reserved for independent artists to show their work. I was very impressed by the work I saw there, including the paintings of Vanessa Sheldon, who showed just a handful of pieces that were both beautiful and quite “calming,” thanks to their muted colors and nautical themes. For more information, or to see more of her work, visit her website below:

Artist: Vanessa Sheldon
Vanessa Sheldon, Nicholville, NY
Website: www.vanessasheldon.com

Below is a link to the Artexpo SOLO photo gallery over the years on Flickr.com. It really gives a sense of what it’s like at the show (you can view it full-screen by clicking on the button in the bottom right corner of the gallery below):

And to see more Flickr galleries from the show, visit this page.

I often announce events like this on my Facebook page, which you can see here. And for more info about this year’s show, or future Artexpos, visit www.artexpos.com.

You can read the articles by visiting the links below:

http://photo.net/learn/printing/guide-to-buying-a-printer/small-printers/

http://photo.net/learn/printing/guide-to-buying-a-printer/large-printers/

Los Angeles, CA – March 8, 2011 — World Class Sports Illustrated Photographer Peter Read Miller has announced he will conduct his annual Sports Photography Workshop in Denver, Colorado on April 4-10, 2011. The workshop, now in its 7th year and limited to only 25 attendees, will provide a personal and hands-on approach to teaching a variety of shooting and lighting techniques that have helped Miller’s photos grace more than 100 Sport Illustrated covers. Workshop participants will have an opportunity to apply their new skills to live sporting events throughout the weeklong workshop. Photographers interested in learning more about the workshop or registering to attend can visit Peter Read Miller Sports Photography Workshop.

In addition to receiving expert tutelage from Miller, attendees will also receive additional instruction from other industry notables including Steve Fine, Director of Photography at Sports Illustrated, Grant Leighton, advertising / portrait photographer and instructor at U. of Colorado (Denver), photographer / videographer Max Morse, and Shawn Cullen, lighting technician at Sports Illustrated.

Learning to take better “action” photographs is only one aspect of the workshop. Attendees will also learn how to properly light subjects using strobes — in the studio and on location — arena lighting and how to set up and use remote cameras.

“It’s very rewarding for me to see the quality of work students are producing toward the end of the workshop and their enthusiasm and passion for photography makes the entire experience both educational and a lot of fun,” explains Peter Read Miller. “Everyone leaves the workshop a better sports photographer and some have gone on to find work with professional sports teams, Getty Images and other newswires.”

Tuition for the workshop is $1,495 and includes all instruction, one-on-one portfolio review with Peter Read Miller, and all model/location fees. Workshop attendees are responsible for their own travel arrangements including air and hotel. Special hotel rates have been made with the Marriott in Denver.

For more information or to register for this workshop, visit this page.

I’ve also been writing for some other sites, including Photo.net and Pixiq.com. But I haven’t forgotten about you. Look for some reviews and other articles soon, right here on The Imaging Buffet. And with Valentine’s Day in the recent past, I thought I’d share one of my photos: an adorable Boston Terrier named Cupid, who graced the pages of Studio Photography Magazine (February issue of course) a few years back.

Below are some highlighted articles from the recent past, as well as some upcoming workshops that I’ll be conducting in the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Recent Articles

I just wrote an article for Photo.net entitled: Factors to Consider when Choosing a Photo-Quality Inkjet Printer. To read the article, visit this page.

A few months back, I had a pet photography article published on Phoozl.com (and if you haven’t played any of the Phoozl photo games, I highly recommend them). To read the article, visit this page.

I recently wrote an article for Pixiq.com entitled: The 13-inch-wide Epson Stylus Photo R3000 Announced: Overview and Comments. To read the article, visit this page.

and to see all my articles on Pixiq.com, including one that describes changes to the Photoshop CS5 Print Dialog Box, visit this page.

I was also quite honored to be one of four photographers and a commercial printer interviewed for a recent (PDN) Photo District News Article by Dan Havlik entitled Living Large: Photographers use the latest large-format inkjet printers and materials to print big for maximum impact. You can find it in the March, 2011 issue of PDN (pages 29-34). For an overview of the March issue, visit this page.

Upcoming Printing Workshops in NJ, NY and PA

I’m happy to announce that I’ll be trekking across the tri-state region in the upcoming months with workshops in New Jersey, New York City and Philadelphia. Below are some quick links to four upcoming workshops (and there are more to come)

1. I’m teaching a full-day color management/fine-art inkjet printing workshop on Saturday March 19, 2011 in Philadelphia, PA at Calumet Photographic. I expect to use an Epson Stylus Pro 3880 (17-inch-wide) and/or a Canon PIXMA Pro 9500 Mark II (13 inch wide) for attendee prints and for explaining a step-by-step Photoshop workflow. For more information, visit this page.

2. I’ll be teaching a very similar workshop with similar printers at Calumet New York City on April 23, 2011. For more information, visit this page.

3. And to round out my tri-state tour for now, I’ll be doing a two-day weekend workshop in Northern New Jersey at Peters Vallery Craft Center May 21-22, 2011. I expect to use an Epson Stylus Pro 3880 for this workshop. For more information, visit this page.

I’m also available for private instruction in your home, studio, via phone, or via remote desktop (with your permission, I can take over your screen and mouse-actually we can both use the mouse). All ImagingBuffet.com readers who mention that they saw the offer here can take 20% off any of my private consulting services if reserved by 3/1/2011. For more information, visit this page.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me directly here:
 http://imagingbuffet.com/contact-us/

All the best!

-Andrew

I took this photo a few weeks ago on a chilly morning in the Pocono Mountains of Northeast Pennsylvania. For over 20 years I’ve looked at that thermometer, and it always brings back good memories. From my family to yours, I’d like to wish everyone all the best for a happy and healthy New Year!

-Andrew, Belinda and Tyler Darlow

“Leading video sharing site Vimeo provides the easiest way for people to host and share their videos in high quality…Launched in 2004 and headquartered in New York, NY, Vimeo offers users a video sharing experience that is both entertaining and easy to use. Vimeo is a 2010 & 2009 Time Magazine Top 50 Website.”

Back in February, I wrote this article about The Story Behind the Still–a user-generated HD video contest sponsored by Canon and hosted by Vimeo. It is truly mind-blowing to see the quality of many of the videos, including the story lines, acting, direction, artistry, sound quality, editing and overall impact of the videos. I highly recommend taking a look at the videos and contest details here.

And for some “backstory” from Vincent Laforet, who worked with Canon and Gray Advertising to create the contest, visit this page-a post about the contest before it began, and this page-Laforet speaks about how he and the seven Chapter winners will work together to create the final chapter of the story.

Below are a few other videos on Vimeo I recommend checking out (I’ve embedded one below as well):
http://www.vimeo.com/13557939
http://www.vimeo.com/17439665

Click here to view the embedded video.
The Vimeo Vibe

When I started browsing Vimeo videos, I read many of the comments by other content creators and viewers, and noticed a vibrant community that was very supportive and overwhelmingly positive. I would liken it to something akin to a university film class discussion, with a lot of sharing of technical information and gear. That’s what generally sets it apart from other sites like YouTube. Though it depends on the quality of the source material, I’m almost always impressed by the video quality, even when the HD option is not checked. However, HD is usually a better choice for large or full screen video viewing.

The Community Forums on the site are also a great resource for content creators.

Hands-on Couch Surfing

Vimeo.com’s Couch Mode menu when the info box is selected.

Recently, Vimeo launched a new feature on its site called Couch Mode. It works with Google TV and the GTV remote, and an iPad app is in the works. The interface can also be activated from a browser. Couch Mode just requires a browser that supports HTML5 (the latest version of Apple Safari and Google Chrome both support HTML5). Couch Mode creates an environment similar to most people’s TV experience because the videos run full screen, and continuously, one after another, without user intervention. To experience couch mode on a computer, visit: http://www.vimeo.com/couchmode

The Couch Mode experience is fantastic. I especially like the info box view shown in the screen shot above because you can browse other media while a video is playing. The volume of content, however, is pretty limited (featured and  unless you create your own collection of “Liked” videos, which requires a free “Basic” account or paid Vimeo Plus account. Once you have an account, you can navigate Vimeo.com, tag something as a video you like or as a video to watch later. Then when you enter Couch Mode, all of the videos are waiting for you. It’s a bit like navigating the iTunes directory for podcasts and content, without the need to download anything. A few additions to the user interface in Couch Mode, such as a search bar, selectable list of topics, etc. could largely eliminate the need to go into Vimeo.com’s general interface. I guess there is a balance though in making it easy to navigate from the couch with a bowl of popcorn on your lap :).

Vimeo Basic vs. Vimeo Plus

Without going into too much detail, there are two subscription options: Vimeo Basic and Vimeo Plus. Vimeo  Basic is free and Vimeo Plus is fee-based (about US $60/yr). You can compare the plans here: http://vimeo.com/plus

And the Awards Go To…

Also, on October 9, 2010, Vimeo announced the winners of its 2010 Vimeo Awards in New York City. Below are the winners of the contest’s nine categories. Just enter any of the titles below on Vimeo.com to view the videos:

1. Narrative: “Thrush” by Gabriel Bisset-Smith
2. Documentary: “Last Minutes with ODEN” by Phos Pictures
3. Music Video: “Liars ‘Scissor’” by Andy Bruntel
4. Animation: “Between Bears” by Eran Hilleli
5. Original Series: “Break-ups The Series” by Ted Tremper
6. Experimental: “oops” by Chris Beckman
7. Motion Graphics: “TRIANGLE” by Onur Senturk
8. Captured: “Fluid Sculpture” by Charlie Bucket
9. Remix: “BREAKDOWN the video” by Kasumi

The Vimeo Award for Best Video went to “Last Minutes with ODEN” by Eliot Rausch, which chronicles the last minutes of a dog, Oden, who loses his struggle with cancer. The film was shot using a Canon 7D by Directors of Photography Luke Korver and Matt Taylor. Vimeo awarded them with a grant of $25,000 and the Best Video Award, with for the purpose of making a new, original work.

For more information about Vimeo, visit Vimeo.com.

If you are at the show today, or if you are planning to attend this week or in upcoming years, I hope you find it useful. You can find the article here.

The book starts with Fong’s early childhood–much of it spent in a haze of hairspray due to his mother’s wig business. When he wasn’t in school or helping his parents with their work (including prepping and delivering newspapers from about 3:30-6:30AM every day of the week during high school), it seems as though young Gary was always contemplating how he could do things a bit better (or just survive). For example, he worked out in his mind how he would survive if his family became homeless, and he tested the theory by spending a whole night until dawn outside his home without his parents’ knowledge…at age 12! He also worked out elaborate ways in his mind and on paper which he could protect his family from potential burglars during the time when they ran a retail store in Los Angeles. When Fong talks about many of the experiences he has had, he gives the reader a good sense of what it was like to be in his shoes at specific times in his life. He also reminds us that there are many who do very difficult jobs every day for very low wages.

Once I started reading the book, I found myself always looking forward to getting back to it, and I was frequently amused and/or stunned by the situations in which Fong found himself–including a shocking story of how one of his mentors helped a bride deal with wedding jitters. And that brings me to the many female heroines in the book. I must admit, I sometimes felt like I was getting a little TMI (too much information), but that didn’t stop me from reading all that Fong had to say about his dealings with girlfriends, assistants and online women with whom he found himself involved in one way or another. Let me sum it up by saying that “As the World of Gary Fong Turns” might be a good title for the 8-part TV mini series!

The book has a small number of black and white photos to help illustrate the events and information Fong covers in the book. One of the photos is of a tiny room in his parents’ home where he started and built his wedding photography business. Another shows a photo layout from 1986 illustrating his Storyboard approach to wedding photography and album layout.

I don’t know Gary Fong very well, but we’ve met on a few occasions over the years, and one event that sticks in my head was a photography trade show in San Diego, CA in 2004 or 2005. He was doing a photo lecture and the room was filled. People appeared to be listening intently at his every word. At the end, he took orders for some of his products, and people could not hand over their cash and credit cards fast enough! I think that Fong has a great sense of knowing what people want and need based on his struggles and experiences throughout his life.

I’m a bit of a garage inventor/product developer (GalleryPouch™ is one example), and I’m also a longtime portrait and still-life photographer, so I found Fong’s advice regarding how his ideas for software, photo albums and camera gadgets like his popular LightSphere products came to be. While reading the book, I felt almost as though we were having a few drinks and chatting about stories from his life. You don’t need to be a professional photographer or play one on TV to be entertained and learn a lot from the content in this book. I believe that anyone who is building a business or who wants one person’s perspective about how to be successful should seriously consider reading it.

For more information about the book, visit the publisher’s site: benbellabooks.com.

The book is also available here on Amazon.com. Purchasing through our Amazon.com link helps support our publishing efforts.

The exhibition catalog is available for preview and purchase on this page at Magcloud.com.

For additional information, including an overview of each student’s work, and to view a gallery of images from the show, visit this page. Also, an article about the show on the VISUAL ARTS Briefs site can be found here. I won’t be able to attend the opening, but I really look forward to seeing the show while it is on exhibit.

Exhibition information for “optic nerve”
October 20-November 13, 2010
Opening Reception: Wednesday, October 27, 2010, 6-8pm
SVA Gallery
209 East 23rd Street
New York City

The first thing to understand is that the only difference between the Graphic Arts/Professional version and the standard printer is the software. The printers that ship are identical, regardless of which option you choose. The Epson Graphic Arts Edition adds a software application often referred to as the ColorBurst Edition bundle (because it is bundled with the printer as opposed to being sold separately). Most people who do not purchase the ColorBurst Edition bundle use the Standard Epson Driver, which comes on a CD with the printer. However, I recommend downloading the newest driver (and any updates) from Epson.com. It’s also important to note that even if you purchase the Professional/Graphic Arts Edition, you can always use the Epson software (even from print to print). You just have to know how to configure your system so it know whether you are printing from the RIP or the driver.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Some of the advantages of the Epson Professional/Graphic Arts Edition vs. the Standard Epson driver:

1. Ability to extend the maximum print size past the Epson Driver’s 37.4 inch maximum (refers to the Epson Stylus Pro 3880). Prints of 100 inches long (about 3 meters) or more are possible when output from most applications. For the other printers in the Stylus Pro line, the maximum print length with the driver is between about 44 and 90 inches.

2. Ability to get better overall color from PDFs exported from InDesign, Quark XPress, Adobe Illustrator and other applications. Dropping PDFs into the X-Rite Print Queue allows the software to use a lot of behind-the-scenes color intelligence compared with just printing from those applications directly through the Epson driver. This is particularly important for Pantone color matching. The printer you use will also determine what percent of Pantone spot colors you can match since many spot Pantone colors fall outside the printable gamut of many printers.

3. The ColorBurst print queue can hold many completed print projects, making it easier and faster to reprint something compared with the Epson driver and Mac or Windows Operating System queue.

4. You still have the ability to use the standard Epson driver at any time. This is useful for printing at speeds higher than the 720dpi options available in the Professional/Graphic Arts Edition.

5. A hardware linearization can be performed using X-Rite spectrophotometers such as the i1 Pro, as well as the X-Rite ColorMunki.

6. There are quite a few 720dpi environments available for printing with Epson Glossy and Semi-gloss papers. In the Epson driver (at least with the Epson 3880), only the Plain Paper option supports printing lower than 1440 (180dpi and 360dpi). Otherwise, 1440 is the lowest resolution that can be selected with any of the glossy/semi-gloss papers. Although I recommend that most people use 1440 or 2880 for high quality printing, there are times when 720dpi is great to have because it allows for considerably faster print speeds.

Some of the advantages of the Standard Epson driver vs. the Epson Professional/Graphic Arts Edition:

1. Custom profiles can be added and used with the Standard Epson driver (whether you create them, purchase them or download them from a paper manufacturer’s site), but custom profiles cannot be created and installed by the user when using the Professional/Graphic Arts Edition. Only a limited number of papers (generally the Epson branded papers) have custom profiles available in the form of “environments.” Upgrading to one of the other RIP options at ColorBurstRip.com allows you to create custom profiles for any paper.

2. 180dpi and 360dpi printing are available in the Epson Driver under the Plain Paper Media Type setting, allowing for very fast printing, but 720dpi is the minimum resolution available when using the Professional/Graphic Arts Edition (depending on the “environment” you choose, which contains the paper profile and print resolution). 180/360dpi are useful in many cases when you want to do a quick test for alignment or if you are printing something that does not have to print at a very high quality level.

Additional Resources:

Below is a set of specific suggestions for how to prepare PDF files created in Adobe InDesign, Quark XPress, Adobe Illustrator, etc. (thank you to ColorBurst support for these tips)

1. Export PDFs as high quality pdfs using version 1.6 compatibility.
2. Set PDF standard to NONE.
3. Drag and drop the PDF file into the ColorBurst RIP queue.
4. Turn on “Use embedded profiles” in the  ”input profiles” section.
5. As with any printing that you might do, all image files that are inside the PDF should have an embedded profile.
6. Print

Pricing and Availability

As of 10/22/2010, the street price for the Stylus Pro 3880 was about $800 for the Standard Edition and $1,100 for the Graphic Arts Edition after a $300 rebate. This is a considerable savings over the original street price just a year ago. The new 17-inch-wide Epson Stylus Pro 4880 was recently introduced, but it does not replace the Stylus Pro 3880, and the street price is yet to be determined (retail price starts at $1,995). If you’d like to check current pricing on the Epson 3880 and help support our site, please consider using one of the links below. We have an affiliate relationship with all of the companies below, and all are Epson Authorized Professional Imaging Resellers. A $300 mail-in rebate applies to purchases of the Stylus Pro 3880 from 8/1/2010-10/31/2010 (download the rebate form here for details).

Check pricing and availability on Adorama.com
Check pricing and availability at B&H

The Epson Stylus Pro 3880 with its output tray and high-capacity paper feed open. Photo courtesy Epson America, Inc.

The Epson Stylus Pro 3880 is a 17-inch-wide inkjet printer that was first announced in late 2009. It is a prime example of a printer that embodies all the advancements listed above–and many more. I could start by listing all the specs for the printer, but instead, I prefer to provide specs as they arise during my review. Also look for a few tips within the Pros and Cons (they are indicated by the word Tip). The magic of the internet allows me to provide a link to an excellent overview with full printer specs on Epson.com’s Website, which you can find here. The printer shares many of the features of its predecessor, the Epson Stylus Pro 3800, which I’ve owned and used for about the last two years. The primary differences between the 3800 and 3880 are as follows:

• The Stylus Pro 3880 has two new Magenta pigment inks (Vivid Magenta and Vivid Light Magenta), which help provide an extended color gamut (more printable colors).

• Unlike the 3800, the Stylus Pro 3880 uses a new AccuPhoto™ HD2 Screening Technology, designed to produce smoother color gradations, better shadow and highlight detail and better color constancy (prints should not change as much when viewed under different types of light). HD2 Screening Technology also allows for a single ICC profile to be used per media type regardless of resolution (1440, 2880, etc.).

• Unlike the 3800, the Stylus Pro 3880 has an ink-repelling coating on its print heads, which is designed to decrease maintenance, reduce clogging and increase overall reliability.

Over the years, I’ve written a lot of product reviews, and I’ve read many more than I’ve written. I generally get the best information from reviews that contain well-researched “Pros and Cons” sections. Thus, I’ve decided to write this article primarily highlighting the Pros and Cons of the Epson Stylus Pro 3880 based on about three months of testing, and after printing and looking at hundreds of prints on glossy, semi-gloss and matte papers. I tested the printer using the standard Epson Mac OSX driver on OS 10.6 on an Intel Mac, as well as the standard Epson Windows driver on Windows Vista.

The Epson Stylus Pro 3880 with its output tray and high-capacity paper feed closed. Photo courtesy Epson America, Inc.

The Pros:

• Printer arrived well-packed and protected, with very clear and easy-to-follow setup documentation. I was making my first print in about 30 minutes from the time I placed it on a table and plugged it in. And it did not need any special trucking service, thanks to its compact form factor and the fact that it weighs just 43.2 pounds.
• Very well-priced for the feature set. See the information at the end of this review for more about pricing and possible rebates.
• Outstanding image quality and color gamut when used with just about any pigment ink-compatible media.
A few interesting gamut plots can be found on this page of Luminous-landscape.com that show the differences in color gamut between the 3800 and 3880 (as well as a comparison between the Epson 3880 and the Epson Stylus Pro 7900). The paper used to measure the gamut (or the paper profile used) is not listed, but I would guess it is a glossy or semi-gloss paper.

• Excellent water and humidity resistance on most compatible media. This is important for long-term display and general handling.
• Very good expected permanence for color and black and white (approx. 100-300 years). See this page on Wilhelm-Research.com for much more information on this topic.
• Fast printing speeds, even at some of the higher quality settings. The HS (high speed modes) can cut print times in half with little effect on the overall print quality. However, images with very fine details or fine lines can often benefit if HS is left off (unchecked). High Speed essentially means the print head travels and lays down ink in both directions as a page travels through the printer (instead of just one direction).

On that note, the following chart and information that follows is from Epson’s website, and my tests resulted in similar speed findings. Very large files will sometimes take a few minutes to process and spool before printing, and the numbers below do not account for file processing. What I found quite amazing is that you can print a very high quality 16×20 print on 17×22-inch paper on the 3880 in just over 5 minutes. That being said, I could detect a slight improvement in overall detail, smoothness and density when using 2880 dpi HS compared with 1440 dpi on most papers, (especially semi-gloss and glossy papers). Also note that the Windows driver (at least the one I am testing with a Windows Vista machine, uses a 1-5 scale, with 1=180 dpi 2=360 dpi, 3=720 dpi, 4=1440 dpi, and 5=2880 dpi. Checking microweave (Windows) or Finest Detail (Mac) will slow the printing process even more, and I have not seen much difference between having it on or off compared with the printing quality without the HS checked.

• 17-inch-wide maximum media printing width in a great form factor. The ability to print on 17-inch-wide media really helps set the 3880 apart, since most printers in the $1000 range and below can only output on paper or other substrates up to 13 inches wide. In addition, the printer’s weight, at just 43 pounds, makes it very manageable for many individuals to move it from room to room in a home or studio, or from a home to the back seat of a car, as I’ve been doing with minimal effort over the last three months. This is a big deal.
• Uses individual 80ml ink cartridges that are easy to install and remove. 80ml ink cartridges were a major reason for the success of the Stylus Pro 3800 (most desktop printers use ink cartridges containing just a fraction of that amount), and like the 3800, the 3880 ships with 9 full ink cartridges. Though difficult to estimate exactly because of many variables, most users who print a range of images that use a wide range of colors should be able to print 500-1000 8×10-inch prints before the first set of inks are depleted. Some inks colors may last far past the 1000 print mark before needing to be replaced.
• Contains a very well-designed high capacity paper feeder for making multiple prints unattended. Many pro-level printers cannot accept multiple sheets. high-capacity paper feeder handles up to 120 sheets of plain, letter-sized paper or up to 20 sheets of photographic media
• Excellent-quality free output (printer) profiles come installed with the Mac and Windows driver. The printer profiles supplied by Epson keep getting better, and even though I commonly make custom profiles for specific printer and paper combinations, most people should have no complaints using the built-in paper profiles.
• There is minimal head clogging compared with some previous models. For those who have used Epson printers in the past (especially models introduced more than five years ago), clogging of print heads from time to time was common, especially in dry environments, or in situations in which the printer was rarely used. Over three months in a range of temperatures and humidity levels, I experienced little-to-no clogging with the Stylus Pro 3880. I do occasionally hear the printer internally doing maintenance, but it does not appear to waste a lot of ink.
• 3 black inks for outstanding black and white and color printing on matte and glossy papers (see below for a related Pro).
• Easy-to-use Advanced Black-and-White Mode (built into the driver). The Advanced Black and White mode in conjunction with Epson’s three black inks makes black and white printing very straightforward. One of the major benefits is that you can choose a specific toning color from the Advanced section of the driver. You can then print multiple images with the same overall tonality, even if they are still in color.
• USB 2 and Ethernet connectivity.
• 9 ink cartridges instead of 10-12. Many people need to keep a full set of replacement cartridges nearby, and using fewer ink colors compared with other printers on the market can reduce the overall inventory cost of storing extra cartridges.
• Optional RIPs are available that extend the maximum print length of 37.4 inches. Many of these products can be found at the end of this article.
• Internal switch occurs between Matte and Photo Black instead of the manual switch needed with the Epson Stylus Pro 4800/ 4880. This is a major advance when compared with the 17-inch-wide Epson Stylus Pro 4800 and Stylus Pro 4880 printers. Also note the first Con below, because this topic deserves both a Pro and a Con.

The Cons:

• Matte Black and Photo Black heads are not always “active,” like on some other printer models. Even though the Matte Black and Photo Black cartridges are always loaded in the printer, an internal ink changeover takes 2.5 to 3.5 minutes and wastes a small amount of ink (approximately 4.6 ml from Matte to Photo Black and approximately 1.6 ml from Photo to Matte Black, according to Epson).
• Maximum print length is 37.4 inches unless a third party RIP (or Epson’s $300 Graphic Arts option) is used. See links at the bottom of this article for RIPs that allow you to exceed the 37.4-inch limit. My source of the information regarding the 37.4-inch limit is the “Epson 3800 FAQs”-see the links section below for a link to that very helpful and informative site. Much of the information there still applies to the 3880.
• No roll feed. I personally don’t miss this very much, but for some (especially those who print on canvas), this is an important feature.
• It is relatively easily to switch inks by mistake from Photo to Matte Black or vice-versa because no confirmation by the user is necessary to switch inks. The way a switch is made from one Black ink to another (unless the Plain Paper Media Type setting is used-see below for more about that) is by selecting a matte or gloss paper from the Media Type list in the Epson driver. If you use a RIP (see the list at the end of the article), this may be different.

Items that have both Pros and Cons:

In addition to the high capacity paper feeder, there is a well-designed rear single-sheet feeder and a very sturdy straight-through front paper feed for very thick materials, such as illustration boards. However, the rear single-sheet feeder can be finicky when paper is loaded, and the front feed can accept only 16-inch-wide media. Though it generally works well, it is difficult to achieve 100% feed success with heavier papers using the rear single-sheet feeder. TIP: In my tests, the vast majority of papers up to about 300gsm (sometimes even 320gsm) feed fine through the main bulk paper feed. The key to avoiding using the rear feeder is to choose a Media Type that does not require the rear feed, such as Ultra Premium Presentation Paper Matte, then adjust the Platen width manually under Advanced Media Control in the driver (circled in red, below). I usually enter 6, 7 or 8 in the Paper Thickness box for 280gsm, 300gsm and 320 gsm papers, but this will vary a bit depending on paper thickness. Then save your settings next to the Presets section (circled in blue, below) so that you can recall the setting for your printer and paper any time without having to re-enter the media type, quality settings, etc.

The printer is solidly built, but the front door of the printer is a bit on the light side, so care should be taken when opening or closing the front output tray. Tip: After dropping down the front door to extend the output tray, stand directly in front of the printer, hold the tray with both hands and pull the tray straight out (not up) to open it fully. When you are done, hold the bottom section with both hands and push straight ahead with both hands firmly on the front door to close the extension tray.

There is currently only one way to select 180dpi or 360dpi Draft Quality using the standard driver while Photo Black is loaded, and no 720dpi option is available. This is a very helpful option that has a few advantages. Epson has included a way to make super-fast prints, such as when you want to do a placement test (for example, when making custom books that have hinges), or when good (but not great) print quality is not necessary. Tip: The way to do this when Photo Black is loaded is to choose Plain Paper as the Media Type (see screen shot below), then select Photo Black ink. You normally cannot adjust this, but Epson has made it possible to choose either Matte Black or Photo Black when using Plain Paper, probably with the thought that some people will want to print office documents or PDFs on plain paper even if the Photo Black is loaded. The drawback is that you can’t choose 720dpi under any of the glossy or semi-gloss paper choices when the Photo Black ink is loaded when using the Epson driver. In the future, I hope that Epson will include a 360 and 720dpi option for at least one glossy or semi-gloss media type when the Photo Black is loaded.

It is possible, when Matte Black is loaded, to choose 180, 360 or 720dpi depending upon the matte paper type chosen. This feature allowed me to recently print a few hundred bookmarks at 720 dpi in about 1/3 the time it would have taken to print at 1440 dpi. I used the “Ultra Premium Presentation Paper Matte” Media Type. In some cases, you can work around this issue with either Photo or Matte Black ink loaded by using one of the RIP solutions listed at the end of this article. That being said, the Epson driver comes free with the printer, and it’s easy to navigate once you spend some time with it.

Conclusion and Recommendations

I highly recommend the Epson Stylus Pro 3880. It’s an outstanding printer, with a feature-set and price tag that no other company has been able to match to date. It’s a workhorse, and performed without a hitch while testing it at my home studio, and during a few photo workshops that I conducted over the spring and summer. That being said, I don’t think it’s the right printer for those who want to make just a few 8×10-inch prints every month–other printers with smaller ink cartridges are better suited for that. The printer should be used on a semi-consistent basis so that the ink doesn’t sit in the printer unused for many months. Though I haven’t scientifically tested this theory, I believe that the 3880 is ideal for anyone who prints at least an average of 2-3 11×14-inch prints or 4-6 8×10-inch prints per week.

Pricing and Availability

As of 9/24/2010, the street price for the Stylus Pro 3880 was about $800 for the Standard Edition and $1,100 for the Graphic Arts Edition after a $300 rebate. This is a considerable savings over the original street price just a year ago. The new 17-inch-wide Epson Stylus Pro 4880 was recently introduced, but it does not replace the Stylus Pro 3880, and the street price is yet to be determined (retail price starts at $1,995). If you’d like to check current pricing on the Epson 3880 and help support our site, please consider using one of the links below. We have an affiliate relationship with all of the companies below, and all are Epson Authorized Professional Imaging Resellers. A $300 mail-in rebate applies to purchases of the Stylus Pro 3880 from 8/1/2010-10/31/2010 (download the rebate form here for details).

Check pricing and availability on Adorama.com
Check pricing and availability at B&H

More Info and Links

Epson.com
Epson 3800: Printer FAQ (maintained by Eric Chan): An excellent reference for owners of the Epson Stylus Pro 3800 (much of the info can be
applied to the 3880). There you can also find more links to related products and reviews.

Printer RIPs and workflow software that allow you to exceed the 37.4-inch printing length restriction in the standard driver:
ColorBurst RIP- $495 for the ColorBurst X-Proof RIP, which allows users to make custom profiles inside the system. Comes with a PANTONE licensed PostScript Language Level 3 compatible RIP.
Epson Professional RIP (by ColorBurst)- About $300 when purchased as a bundle in the Epson Graphic Arts Edition (custom paper profiling is not permitted, but the company supplies excellent profiles for a wide range of papers, and this is a good solution for those who need to print proofs from PDFs). Like the ColorBurst X-Proof RIP, this option also comes with a PANTONE licensed PostScript Language Level 3 compatible RIP.
ImagePrint RIP - About $900
Qimage (not exactly a RIP, but it shares some features of RIPs)

The text below is from the EXIF Ver. 2.3 (updated April 2010)  (The full PDF can be found here):

5.7.1 File Naming Stipulation: The file name and characters used for file names are not specified, other than to stipulate the use of ASCII alphanumerics. (File names in Japanese or other character sets are not to be used.) File names shall be 8 characters or fewer, not including the extension. (Long file names are not to be used.) The file extension is “.WAV” (to match the WAVE Form Audio File extension) regardless of the audio data format type.

For those into this stuff, the Wikipedia entry on this topic is very interesting.

After taking all this info in, I put my thinking cap on, and much like in the TV Game Show Name That Tune, I tried to “Name that File in 8 Characters or Less!”

What I came up with is a specific approach for unique, date-based naming within an 8 character limit. Here’s an overview: I recommend designating numbers from 0-9, and then letters from A-Z for years beginning in 2010; then numbers from 1-9 and letters from A-C for the months; then numbers from 1-9 and letters from A-V for days; then a single unique letter or number at the end of the first 4 characters so that multiple cameras can be given a unique letter or number (in this case, the unique letter is A, and this should be able to be edited by the user):

Below is an overview of the years, months and days with their corresponding characters:

YEAR
2010 =0
2011 =1
2012 =2
2013 =3
2014 =4
2015 =5
2016 =6
2017 =7
2018 =8
2019 =9
2020 =A

MONTH
JAN =1
FEB =2
MAR =3
APR =4
MAY =5
JUN =6
JUL =7
AUG =8
SEP =9
OCT =A
NOV =B
DEC =C

DAY OF THE MONTH
1 =1
2 =2
3 =3
4 =4
5 =5
6 =6
7 =7
8 =8
9 =9
10 =A
11 =B
12 =C
13 =D
14 =E
15 =F
16 =G
17 =H
18 =I
19 =J
20 =K
21 =L
22 =M
23 =N
24 =O
25 =P
26 =Q
27 =R
28 =S
29 =T
30 =U
31 =V

Below are three examples of how files might be named if three photos were shot in succession on these three days:
09DA0001.JPG = Name of the first photo after formatting a card, shot on 9/13/2010;
09EA0002.JPG = Next photo, shot on 9/14/2010; and
424A0003.JPG = Third photo, shot on 2/4/2114

Advantages, issues and suggestions to camera manufacturers related to this system:

1. Apart from using 8 characters instead of 13-15, everything else in the original article applies with regard to the advantages of this system.
2. I chose the numbers you see above for the months, years and dates because they are easy to understand (at least until you reach a letter!). 424A0003.JPG is a good example-once you know the system, it’s easy to see that 4=2014, 2=Feb and 4=the 4th day of the month.
3. When we get to 2046, we will be out of letters for the first character used in this system. My guess is that the EXIF standard will allow more than 8 characters by then.

Special thanks to Andrew Sharpe for his comments about my article on Photofocus.com that led to this article.

http://photofocus.com/2010/09/13/an-open-letter-to-digital-camera-manufacturers-regarding-camera-file-naming/
or
http://tinyurl.com/32hklb4

If you are interested in this topic and have a chance to read the article, it would be great to get your comments on it. Also, feel free to share the links above, and to retweet the article, please use the retweet button at the bottom of the article on Photofocus.com.

Rescue workers, including many search and rescue dogs, have also lost their lives since 2001, or have suffered from health problems due to the aftermath caused by the attacks on that day.

Below are a few links to memorials and related information:
• Links to existing memorials or renderings of planned 9/11 memorials
• World Trade Center reconstruction timeline
• Video: Hero Dogs of 9/11