Need some help please

[Bobobird]

A friend wants a 12x8 print of the pic below but I am having major brain-blocks with

- cropping
- glossy or matte print?
- should grain be added?
- should the watermark remain or go or replaced with something better looking?
- with or without borders?

Have only ever done 1 print but that was a 24x16 onto aluminum paper and a pro lab friend had made whatever finishing touches it needed. Unfortunately, he is out of country and will not be back for a while so...

My friend wants to hang it in his office lobby and obviously I would like it to appear at its best.

Have been pulling my hair for the last couple of days just deciding on a suitable crop, let alone worry about the other things. So instead of losing all my hair, thought it would be a great learning experience by giving you guy/gals the problem.

Would really appreciate the help.

Thanks.

PS -
The pic itself can take a pretty heavy crop - tried a closely cropped test print the other day and all details came out fine at 12x8 (crop was similar to #3 in the contact sheet below). A really close crop of just the butterfly also came out fine but that was on a 4x6, don't think that would have taken to a 12x8.

Base pic.


Original size pic can be downloaded from here
https://picasaweb.google.com/1112784...90613645459698

Have been playing with various crops but not sure if these are any good.

[dan marchant]

- cropping
- glossy or matte print?
- should grain be added?
- should the watermark remain or go or replaced with something better looking?
- with or without borders?

Watermarks serve a purpose when used in your online portfolio or when posting in a forum but never on a finished article (print). If you require some form of credit or identification then frame the print and put your name/whatever on the mount.

All the other decisions are creative and as such there is no right or wrong. You're the artist so it should be your vision. Asking people what they would do will get you a multitude of different answers, none of which will be either right or wrong - but they will be someone else's vision.

[Bobobird]

Thanks Dan for the watermark suggestion. Will do that or just sign the back of the print and leave the front alone.

As for cropping - I agree on that too. Posting pics here I just do what makes the subject balanced and pleasing to the eye. Sometimes members will give helpful hints which will always be experimented with to learn more of the process. Maybe it is just the pressure of doing it well that is getting to me.

Still, it is always a good learning experience to see what other more experienced members would do.

Being totally ignorant (almost) about commercial printing was the reason for the print related questions.

Glossy would make the pretty contrasty image look nice but unless the framing is done properly it will stick to the surface glass or whatever and possibly destroy the print.

Matte would avoid the sticky problem and the front can be glassed or bare.

Grain to print to my understanding will result in a smoother appearance but I have only seen that with b/w prints. Have not really paid attention to colour print so am not sure about whether this applies equally to either medium.

Thanks again for taking the time. Much appreciate it.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Bobo,

Since you're undecided, if the image is for use in a specific place, if possible, I'd go and see what aspect ratio frame works best there in relation to area and aspect ratio of wall to be hung on, adjacent walls, their colour(s), lighting, angles of first human approach, etc.

That may well answer the question of rectangular vs more panoramic ratios and also framing/border needs.

Depending upon angle of approach, or someone that has to look at it all day, it may even suggest a horizontal flip be considered.

Cheers,

[Steve S]

Hi bobo. I think the image looks best , cropped 1/1, with the stalk of the flower on the right thirds line. I would also clone out the bit of stuff at the base of the stalk.

An eight by eight , framed and matted in a 11 x 11 frame , with glossy paper would look very nice . (glossy really makes your colors pop) Semi gloss would look very nice as well.

[Polar01]

Bobo just to be different I perfer #4, as for the watermark lose it, replaced by signed signautue on the matt, or image itself say in silver ink, may work. Now to the paper, I myself see this on more of a heavy weight rag paper, this would give a very deep rich look those dark colours, maybe get a sampler of some fineart paper. I myself like Hahnemuhle 308gm Photo Rag well all the best in what ever direction you go with your project.

Cheers:

Allan

[Bobobird]

Thanks Dave, Steve and Allan - wonderful suggestions.

This is what I have done -

Flipped the image - made a huge difference. Should try that more often,
Made a 8x8 and put it in a simulated 11x11 frame - looks superb
Made another from the long version which is a 12x6 and put that in a simulated frame - that looked superb as well.

Then went out to a nearby print shop, had him calibrate his machine and ran off 2 glossy and 2 matte prints.

That mattes looked much better compared to the glossy.

So now I will give give my friend the 2 draft prints and ask him to select which he wants and then can decide on taking one or other to a pro lab.

Thanks again everyone for helping break that mental block.

[Bobobird]

The 2 drafts.

1.


2.

[Donald]

Both look super, Bobo. Let us know which one gets chosen.

[Bobobird]

Thanks Donald.

Won't know unitl I get home in about 3 weeks. Whichever he chooses will make sure he puts the other one in his den. hehe