Where to Print Photos?
Recommendations on where it's best to print photos, calendars, photo books, greeting cards and large wall pictures.Introduction
When using photo lab or photo salon services, you should be aware that the printing machine or the operator working on it corrects photos. Brightness and colors are adjusted. If done by an operator, they follow their own taste and experience. If the printing machine does the correction, it is often set to some AUTO mode that automatically adjusts the photo according to its own judgment. So don't be surprised that in different photo salons and even in the same salon but on a different day, you receive different photos (colors and brightness differ) when sending the same source photo. This is because operators change, printing machine settings change, some ink is running low, etc. Good photo labs are those where these operators don't change for years and the result is consistent. In all photo labs, you can ask to skip the AUTOMATIC correction and print without corrections, but then your photo needs to be perfect. Often, when a new photo lab opens, the result can be unpredictable because the printing machine hasn't been calibrated. Recommendation to find one favorite photo lab, establish contact with the operator, and then you can receive consistently consistent results. Of course, another option is to buy a mid-range home photo printer, but that's another story. Recommendation not to take photos to cheap random kiosks where the price is reduced due to saving on chemicals, which will affect the photo's lifespan. Now let's look at the most popular and preferred printing labs.Photos
I recommend printing photos at www.bfs.lv (at Pulkveža Brieža Street 3), www.jvk.lv (Šarlotes 6) or www.fotki.lv (Kr. Valdemāra 25 branch). In the first two, you can try to establish contacts with operators and partially control corrections. One of the fastest and most convenient is fotki.lv, which additionally provides online storage for photos, but for large photos I still recommend printing at BFS or JVK. Remember that at any salon you can ask to print any color photo in black and white.
Photo Book
Recently, photo books, very popular abroad, have finally appeared in Latvia as well. In a photo book, photos of your choice are printed. Using the internet, you upload photos, design the book and place an order. In approximately 3 days, the photo book is ready. You can put one or several photos on one page, choose a cover and write a comment on each page.
This opportunity is offered to us by www.picturehappy.lv
Calendars
Calendars in small quantities in Latvia are printed by www.kiwiprint.lv and www.picturehappy.lv.
Large Format Printing
For large photos (also in poster format), I recommend going to www.bfs.lv, www.jvk.lv or www.fotocentrs.lv. At Foto centrs, you can order large photos on komotex (more expensive and durable) or cardboard (cheaper and more fragile) base. For example, if you want to print a photo in A3 size, I recommend ordering the base 10 cm larger on each side. If an A3 photo is 297 x 420 mm, then I recommend a base of 497 x 620 mm. Recommended thickness is from 5 to 10 mm (the thicker, the more durable and expensive). Base color is also possible, standard is white and black. Black can complement black and white photos. There's also the option to laminate the photo. This means the photo will be covered with a thin layer of film that will protect the photo from dust, damage, color fading. I recommend laminating photos.
The cheapest large format printing is www.dprint.lv
Printing on Fabric
Printing on fabric aka canvas print is done by www.picturehappy.lv (need to contact via email). The photo on fabric is stretched on a wooden frame and resembles a painting. Very nicely fits in interior. Often such printing is called canvas print.
Foreign Resources
Abroad, I recommend printing at http://www.adoramapix.com/OrderPreLogin.aspx (for black and white photos, I recommend choosing Ilford Black and White paper). Printing happens in USA and for delivery you'll need to spend approximately 5-10 Ls if ordering from Latvia, but it's worth it if you're printing several large images (A3 or A4) and black and white photos.
More foreign resources where delivery is to Latvia
www.flickr.com/do/more/ (here you can create calendars, cards, albums, and books)
www.wgbooks.com
www.zohodesigns.com
www.janesbook.com
www.asukabook.com
Megapixels and Photo Size
This table applies to SLR camera photo sizes and their maximum print sizes for very good quality. The maximum print size of photos can also be larger, because photo quality also depends heavily on the lens, lighting conditions and camera settings during shooting, so these indicators are approximate.
| Maximum Size | Megapixels | Photo Size |
| 13 x 18 cm | 3 mpix | 2000 x 1500 |
| 20 x 30 cm | 6 mpix | 2800 x 2100 |
| 20 x 30 cm | 8 mpix | 3200 x 2400 |
| 30 x 45 cm | 10 mpix | 3900 x 2600 |
| 40 x 60 cm | 12 mpix | 4300 x 2900 |
| 40 x 60 cm | 16 mpix | 5000 x 3300 |
| 60 x 90 cm | 21 mpix | 5600 x 3700 |
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