The overwhelming volume of photographs these days are viewed digitally on a screen. You upload to social media yourself without much thought of file size (around 1000px) and resolution (72dpi) because it looks fine on the screen. If you want to print, however, you must consider many more things from capture to editing, and matting and framing, to create a digital file that will print beautifully for competition or decoration. This is a costly endeavor whether you print yourself or use a commercial service, but the key to cost control is standardization. We will discuss how to select two or three image sizes that will scale to fit two or three standard mats and frames, allowing for purchase of precut mats and backing, glass, and frame rails.  Once the event that required the print is over and if the piece is returned to you, remove the print from the mat and reuse the mat/backing for the next requirement.  I will demonstrate how I place prints in mats and safely remove them later, and a way to attach information about you and the print that can be removed without damaging the backing. Lastly, I will talk about commercial printing service, pros and cons of buying a printer, and display different papers with the same printed image.

Wayne Guenther began his photography avocation in the late 1960s and became increasingly involved with Art Photography in the mid-1990s. Membership in Gallery West and the Art League (both in Alexandria) nudged him to regularly create new work and develop a style. In 2009 he was a charter member and President of the Workhouse Photography Group (Lorton) and remained active there until 2012 when he fully retired. Wayne joined NVPS in 2015. He has been accepted in many regional juried art competitions/shows over the past 25 years and has placed in numerous NVPS monthly competitions.   

Wayne shot with Nikon equipment for many years until the aggregate weight on his back and shoulders became problematic. He switched to the micro-four-thirds system in 2014 and uses Olympus System and Olympus lenses. His web site is www.wayneguentherphotography.com.

Narrative for E&T “Before You Print”:

https://nvps.org/home/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Before-You-Print-NVPS-.docx