Hello Dianee,
As an amateur photographer who likes to sell his prints, I have
explored several different options for producing paper
prints/postcards from slides. First, one should realize that any
large-scale "fine arts" printer company should be able to handle your
request. I would suggest looking at other folks' cards and see who
they use (or contacting them).
To aid you in your quest, I've done a little searching on google for
printers that provide postcards printing (search = postcards; search =
postcards printers; search = postcards from slides). Here are some
weblinks to companies you should check out.
1) http://www.vistaprint.com.au/vp/ns/default.asp
Vistaprint graphics of Australia prints postcards from your
design/photograph. In this case, you will have to digitize your
slides, following the specifications outlined under the "art specs"
section of their webpage. You can have the digitziation done online
at companies such as:
www.slidescanning.com/
or
http://imagerevival.com.au/
both of which provide EXCELLENT digital images from slides (see their
webpages)
To my knowledge, no large online postcard printer works from slides.
However, if you choose to go with Vistaprint (or another similar
company), you will upload your digital images via the internet, and
then fill out their online order form. Typically, you should expect
to pay about $200 US dollars for 1000 copies of a single image. This
offers much more profit per card than selling your photo rights to a
wholesale postcard publisher.
Some more printing companies for your to consider are:
1) www.liquiddreamsdesign.com
This is pretty good site, with decent prices.
2) www.ThePrintGuide.com
This site offers a good FAQ section, and when I called their customer
help line, they were fantastic.
3) www.colorkgraphics.com
Don't know too much about this operation, but they seem "prominent" on
the internet.
4) www.purepostcards.com
Another good site, with lots of info.
I want to remind you that all of these options require you to digitize
your slides. Note, however, that digitizing your slides does not mean
they'll look grainy on paper. In fact, it's quite the opposite.
Professional printers use "bleed" between the colors to make their
images look very realistic (this ability to bleed inks is not common
on consumer printers, nor is it possible to do on a computer monitor).
Of course, by digitizing the images you also have the ability to
enhance colors, remove blemishes, etc. The company above
(imagerevival.com.au) specializes in such restoration, and can scan
for you the selected slides to wish to turn into postcards. In fact,
this is the safest and most cost-effective way to providing printers
with your image (no slides to get lost, and no high-res digital file
until you are satisifed with price, etc).
Once, I met a full-time photographer whose pickup was full of his
card and postcard line. He'd make sales in every little store and
motel he passed by during his photography excursions. I can see where
this would work, but it may take a tremendous amount of discipline.
One last note; there is a difference between postcards and
photocards. Postcards are printed on card stock, and photocards are
photos printed on cheaper paper laminated to cardboard backings. The
former are nicer in appearance and generally of higher quality.
Well, I hope this answers your question. Good luck in your
search.
regards,
Deepsea |
Request for Answer Clarification by
dianee-ga
on
14 May 2003 04:20 PDT
Thanks for your research so far, Deepsea. You have located great
suppliers for me IF I want to scan the slides. But I don't, if I can
avoid it. And I am still not convinced about the quality of the image
that results. On my relatively low resolution computer screen, how
can I judge? So, I am still looking for printers who would work
directly from slides. Surely there are some out there that have web
sites. Surely. It may prove too expensive for me to do it this way,
but at least I will have the option. Kind regards, Diane
|
Clarification of Answer by
deepseep-ga
on
14 May 2003 10:45 PDT
Hello again Dianee
It took a bit of work, but I found a company called PhotoGraphic
Specialties (http://powerpoint.35mm-slides.com/) in Pennsylvania, USA
that can make postcards from 35mm slides directly. The process
involves doing color separations by hand for making your postcards. I
searched google for color separations and found this definition:
"Color separations are artwork separated into component plates of
cyan, magenta, yellow, and black in preparation for process printing
or into the appropriate number of plates for spot color printing. Each
color separation prints a single process or spot color.
from (http://desktoppub.about.com/library/glossary/bldef-colorseparations.htm)
This process does not involve digitizing the artwork, and is the
traditional way of making postcards from slides.
Their rates are fairly typical. 500 3.5in x 5in (or approx.
8.75cm by 12.5 cm) postcards are $195 US dollars. As you buy more
postcards the rates are much less, e.g. 1000 cards costs $215 US
dollars.
The person you need to contact is Bob Young. He wanted me to
tell you that they will be closing for vacation for two weeks
beginning this weekend, and returning June 3rd.
I also feel compelled to tell you that you may be able to find an
outfit in New Zealand or Australia that could accomplish this same
task. You must ask them to make to color separations straight from
the slide and then to print them on postcards. I was unable to find
anyone on the internet (from NZ or AU) that could accomplish this
task. Bob Young, however, was quite competent and willing to help.
He was sympathetic to your desires to NOT digitize the images, and as
such is willing to oversee the color separation process. In addition,
he was not concerned about working with someone in New Zealand,
although he did point out that shipping costs are, of course, higher.
I hope this is satisfactory, and answers your questions. I too
learned a bit about color separations. In any case, let me know if
you need more clarification and I will see to it.
good luck, and I hope to see your postcards in international
circulation!
Deepsea
closing for vacation for two weeks on Friday afternoon (returning June
3rd)
3.5x5 (500) $195
1000 = 215
|
