I’m going to diverge a bit from the usual image posts today to share some frustrations with you. For those who only see my posts on Twitter or Facebook or those who haven’t visited my updated website, you may not be aware that all images are made available for purchase as prints. I offer standard matted and/or framed works as well as prints on canvas or metal. Each print is made by a professional lab and carries a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Well, make that 110%…
You see, every image is carefully inspected by me before it ever makes it to my clients. For good or bad, I’m a perfectionist. I have spent countless hours working on my skills as a photographer and each image is processed to a point where I feel happy to share it with you. With that amount of time and energy invested in my images, only the best prints will do. I have chosen the top rated lab in the country to handle all printing and I pay a premium for those prints so that the results match (and very often exceed) what you see on the monitor.
This week, I had not one but two issues with prints. That’s a rarity as I have only had to reprint 3 images so far this year for issues such as small blemishes or other imperfections.
Earlier in the week, one of my matted images came back ‘too dark’. I realized it as soon as I opened the packaging and, within minutes, had arranged a reprint with the lab. I explained the delay to my customer who was understanding and grateful when she saw the final product a bit later in the week. An inconvenience but a good outcome and the client never had to see the less than perfect print.
Today, I hand delivered a 30″ x 40″ metal print of my Best of Show causeway image to a client. I had briefly inspected the print but it was so large that I could only peek at the bulk of the print. The packaging looked great so I assumed the rest would as well. Imagine my reaction when we opened up the box together and I saw a bend in the corner of the metal and a mark on the image itself! In this case, I had chosen my second favorite lab for the job as the logistics of ordering such a print from my favorite pro lab had added significant cost to the job (they insist on shipping these pieces in a specialized wooden crate). As the old adage goes, ‘you get what you pay for’ and, even though the cost for the print was still formidable, the results did not match my expectations nor that of my clients. A reprint will be in the making as soon as the lab opens on Monday morning and I will be taking my business elsewhere. Unfortunately in this case, the client’s first impression was not of awe but of imperfections.
Just wanted to pass on a bit of the ‘behind the scenes’ of printing here at Wednesdays in Marblehead and reaffirm the promise that every print ordered should not only meet but exceed your expectations.
If you haven’t seen my updated store, click any of the products below. Note – the images you see are representative of the product ordered. You will have a chance to enter a note at checkout specifying the image desired.