Introduction
In a brief glance at the history of photography, it is clear that it has really evolved a lot from the use of a film and darkroom. Freeware utilization in photographic and graphic arts have brought in many changes in the way people take and mint pictures by regulation control of final prints. Another thing that has made an interesting evolution when it comes to digital photography is making very large prints. What is more these prints provide great detail, depth, and clarity that makes them to be a favorite to artists, photographers, and art galleries. In this article, we will observe some of the best practice for producing marvelous large format digital prints including preparation, planning, print and finishing.
For the uninitiated, it is important to ask what large format digital printing is first. In a nutshell, large format digital printing is any image larger than 20 x 30 inches. Such prints can be up to 100 inches in width or height as limited by the printer and the type of media used. Large format prints are the best form of fine art, architecture, landscapes, and other areas that need high definition images.
Choosing the Right Equipment
The decision of the appropriate tools that ought to be taken when beginning the process of developing large format digital prints should be given the utmost consideration. There are different types of large format printer which are built to print large sizes at high resolutions although they may be costly. Two important aspects which should be taken into account while selecting the printer is the cost and the requirement. The notable large format printer manufacturers are Epson themselves, Canon and Hewlett Packard or usually referred to as HP.
The other necessary accessories that you require to complete your prints include the right media on which to print. Big format printing entails the usage of large papers and large canvases that are meant for big printing. It is available in different types of textures, type of finish, as well as different sizes, and thus one must opt for the ones that would be most appropriate with relation to the project you are undertaking.
How to Prepare Your Images for Large Format Printing
When you have your equipment and materials set it’s time to prepare your images for reproduction. Large format prints are great, but their beauty stems from the images used to create them, which are great any way. This means shooting in raw format if possible because this format has more room for alteration than jpeg.
You should also scale your image to fit its print dimensions before the printing process begins. Of Late Large format printers possesses a specific limit in printing sizes, thus it is wise to check and verify the size of your image to fit in the printer and be able to benefit from its large format capabilities. Most graphic and image editors like Adobe Photoshop have some tools that allow the images to be re-sized, but it is important that this is done without affecting the quality of the image.
Preparing Your Workspace
Before actually printing, it’s necessary to explain that the working environment should be clean and suitable for the printer: well-organized and comfortable. This might sound like a small factor but a clean environment could eliminate problems such as dust and dirt disrupting your prints. Besides, having all the working stuff within arm’s length is convenient and reduces tension during the printing process.
Printing your Large Format Digital Prints
Your equipment, your material and your images are ready; it is now time to print. This is where patience comes in handy when you want to print large format digital prints. It may take several hours to print large format image, it depends on the image size and details in the image.
Things to do before beginning the printing process is to adequately calibrate you printer and the media to be used. This step is very important in order to get the desired and correct colors and to eliminate the possibility of color changes. Almost all printers nowadays come with basic calibration options which should assist you in calibrating your printer properly.
When printing, it is important that the environment that the printer is in should be clean and the surrounding should not distract you. Monitor your print throughout the process to avoid eventualities such as; banding, streaking, or color variation. While printing, if you realize there is something wrong, ensure that you halt the printing process and check on the problem.
Post-Printing Techniques
After completing the production of your large format digital print, there are certain processes that can come in handy in improving the look of the image. Some common post-printing techniques include:
- Matting and Framing: Mounting and framing add a protective layer on your print and complement it with a professional appearance. The type of print to be framed, for instance a newspaper cut or photo on paper or cloth material has to be put into consideration alongside the type of framing style desired.
- Protecting the Print: However, if the type of print that requires processing is sensitive to damage or fade easily, the following additional precautions should be taken. For instance, canvas prints can be sprayed with a lacquer to avoid the formation of mold and paper prints may be placed behind glass that prevents ultraviolet light penetration.
- Displaying Your Print: Lastly, proper framing of large format print is crucial in order to show of the beauty as well as the presence of your print. It can also be hung on the wall, put inside a glass case, or be used as a photographing background.
Conclusion
Through making beautiful digital large format prints people can get a lot of joy and photographers of any level can gain alot of satisfaction. With these recommendations and strategies implement, you will be able to create photograph prints that reflect your creativity and mirror the subject distinctly.
Starting from selecting the equipment and materials up to preparing your workplace and the further actions after the print, each one of the steps is essential for getting an exquisite print. ALWAYS take time and try different approach and media to find out which is the best approach to inculcate your ideas.
Finally, the realization of this potential achieving of stunning digital large format prints is possible for photographers and artists. When considering the future developments of large format digital printing it may be safely stated that is this field is only going to become even more colorful and diverse as new technologies surface. Thus, it is possible to conclude that one should not avoid the task and should actually enjoy the process of designing something which will make people’s memories special and ideal.