On printers and printing

I recently had an unusual conversation. Typically, when I say that I do photography, and the other person is also a photographer, the first thing I am being asked is what do I like to photograph, or maybe what camera I have. This time, however, it was: “What printer do you have?”

The whole idea of importance of printer stopped me in my tracks. I said I print commercially, considering how little printing I do. But the conversation stuck with me, and made me re-think what I consider my photographic output. And if you are not a professional, for whom photo shoot ends with a client delivery, is it of prints, album or a disc – you probably should think about it, too.

When you are done with a picture? Is it when you press the shutter in front of the beautifully lit scene with a perfect composition in viewfinder?

Or is it when you post-process that picture to bring out subtle tones and ideal balance of colors and upload the digital file to Social Media site, Flickr, 500px or G+ to share with others?

Or maybe, just maybe, you are one of the few who actually take the time to learn how to do your own printing, matting, framing and finding just the right spot in the house to hang the print, and enjoy the results of your hard work outside of the digital realm?

If you don’t do the last step, why not start? The added advantage of surrounding yourself with yours and other photographers’ prints is the time you take to study them. With time, you will start seeing flaws, compositional issues, missed dust spots etc. You will learn and you will grow.

This article appeared exactly as it is in October newsletter of Linn Area Photo Club. If you would like to share your thought on the subject, please visit Korwel Photography Google Plus or Facebook pages!