Is "print quality" important anymore?

[Bill Brown]

This is a very interesting thread, even for someone like me, for whom the next photo I print will be the first photo I print. I intend to get to that point at some time, but even as I improve I am constantly finding new ways that my images are not good enough to commit to paper. The goalposts are always moving...

Gord, My word to you is make a print or have a print made. There's something wonderful about seeing your own work as a hard copy. You'll notice completely different things in a print as compared to viewing on a screen. I print lots of 7" wide prints because I can get two on an 8 1/2 x 11. It can be matted out to an 8x10 and looks nice. I also create custom fold cards on an 8 1/2 x 11. The image is around a 5x7. People love getting these. Here's one I did for a car mechanic who fixed my van, at a fair price, when I broke down on a trip to visit my mom and sister. I wrote a few words of thanks inside. The light grey line is the score line for the fold.

Have fun with it and let others share in your enjoyment. No pressure to meet any special standards. I say give it a try.

 

[Tony Warren]

This is a very interesting thread, even for someone like me, for whom the next photo I print will be the first photo I print. I intend to get to that point at some time, but even as I improve I am constantly finding new ways that my images are not good enough to commit to paper. The goalposts are always moving...

I agree with Bill. There is something very satisfying about a print and definitely worlds better than a screen image. As for moving goalposts, that will always be there. It is in the nature of things. If you are unhappy with exposures for example, bracket and the other thing, composition, vary it with a couple of shots framed differently. Harder if you are using film of course, can get expensive, but the main thing is to give things a go because, as someone once said, the more you try, the luckier you get!