Drugstore Prints (Page 2): Yes! I found out about that quite by accident! :sm22:...

flyboy61 Loc: The Great American Desert

Longshadow wrote:

Yes!
Costco offers two options: color correct or print as is.
I always print as is.

Yes! I found out about that quite by accident!

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

B Boyd wrote:

Thanks jimcam. Never crossed my mind that they would do that but I still question why the edited raw files are the only ones I have the issue with. Edited jpegs, no problem.

After editing raw files what are you sending to the printer? You must be exporting into a jpeg or a tif. What does that file look like on screen compared to the edited jpeg?

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

Small print 4x6 specials are quick and low cost when they have a sale. I was confronted with the desire to have my 8x10 format photos printed as 4x6 prints for a show and tell to bore new friends. Unfortunately, the drugstore machines would crop them; certainly not what I would want.

The solution was to batch extend the canvas of the long side of these photos to 8x12 which translated to 4x6 in the drugstore machines. The blank space can be used for an ID either by software or by a fine point sharpie.

Sending relative a small brag book of 100 prints is better than sending them a hand-me-down fruit cake.

FastStone Photo Resizer is a free .. but excellent... software that will resize the canvas and will do batch.

coolhanduke Loc: Redondo Beach, CA

B Boyd wrote:

New to UHH so hoping I'm in the right area for this.

I shoot a Canon 7d ,jpeg and raw. Most of my work is for online only but sometimes need prints.. I do my RAW PP in LR then the final edits in PS. Everything looks great on the screen but when uploaded to WG or CVS for some quick prints they loose some color , desaturate if you will. When I do the jpeg PP in PS and then upload they look good on the screen and the prints look good too. Thoughts?

I would check color space and not worry about monitor.

If one mode looks good and another looks bad it’s got nothing to do with your monitor.

sandykreit

The drugstores do a terrible job, COSTCO is the best for printing.

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

Find a better commercial printer perhaps. I see a lot of good reviews about COSTCO but I’ve never used commercial printers.

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

First - WELCOME to UHH!

I have had experience with WG. The one nearest me used to do fine. No longer. I showed the print to the tech and he happily tried to readjust the printer until the print was acceptable. That worked for a few years. Now he can't adjust it to get anything close.

jimcam Loc: Wisconsin, USA

Longshadow wrote:

Are you sending RAW files?

I had the same question, but it "seems" that wouldn't be an accepted upload extension. Never tried it though.

ralf Loc: NJ

You need to calibrate ur monitor. Then what u c on the monitor will b closer 2 what u print.

B Boyd

Problem solved. ColorSpace in LR defaults to Procolor RGB. Changed it to sRBG and now prints match screen.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

B Boyd wrote:

Problem solved. ColorSpace in LR defaults to Procolor RGB. Changed it to sRBG and now prints match screen.

Not sure what you mean by this solution ...

First, RAW files have no colorspace. The digital editor introduces colorspace. You're correct, LR defaults to the widest available colorspace within that tool, specifically ProPhoto RGB. You should maintain this color space (ProPhoto RGB) through all your editing. It will help maintain rich colors. Only when creating the output file for printing, online digital display, emailing to your mother, etc, in the Lightroom Export Step you should specify sRGB. The physical print should match to that output JPEG. Review and tweak that JPEG before sending to print, if needed.

If Photoshop is involved, pass the file from LR to PS in ProPhoto RGB. Although you can, don't create the print JPEG from PS. Rather, return to LR and use the Export dialog and sRGB as the output colorspace.

Colorspace as applicable to online display as discussed in another recent post: https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-629327-1.html Note and follow the two links provided in my first reply in this thread for historic examples and a more thorough discussion of the importance of using sRGB as the final output colorspace.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

This is my take on your dilemma. First thing first, a JPEG image had intervention by the camera. If you have a good file (exposure, colors and contrast) the print is going to be good. RAW data is a different story and I tend to use proprietary software so that when a print is made it will reproduce colors as the manufacturer of the camera intended. Final editing with any other editor after initial editing of the RAW data with proprietary software will not affect the initial settings.

Two things come to mind:
1- Monitor calibration.
2- Lack of such calibration in a majority of service bureaus, especially drugstores. For sure Walgreen does not calibrate their machines.

Take your images to a reputable printing lab. If necessary ask for a color correction assuming your monitor is not calibrated. When reproduced colors should be pretty close to what you saw.

Silverrails

John_F wrote:

Every image display device has a color pattern (wr... (show quote)

Wow, now that whole explanation has my head spinning in circles.🙄🤔🥺

tdozier3 Loc: Northern Illinois

B Boyd wrote:

New to UHH so hoping I'm in the right area for this.

I shoot a Canon 7d ,jpeg and raw. Most of my work is for online only but sometimes need prints.. I do my RAW PP in LR then the final edits in PS. Everything looks great on the screen but when uploaded to WG or CVS for some quick prints they loose some color , desaturate if you will. When I do the jpeg PP in PS and then upload they look good on the screen and the prints look good too. Thoughts?

Make sure you choose upload in full resolution in the upload option menu

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

There is a lot of good advice about color space, etc in this thread already, but I wanted to add one other comment. I am having trouble with the title of this thread. If colors of a the photos is important to you, I am not sure why you are using "drugstore prints". If the photos really matter, I would show it by "sparing no expense" and finding the best prints available to you. I personally would take them to the local camera store rather than to CostCo {you'll notice that the main part of the name is "cost" - not "quality"}; if a local camera store is not available, I would explore 'mail order' options. Then I would have a chat with a knowledgeable someone at the printer - at CostCo the person at the photo department today may have to be an 'expert' on fertilizers tomorrow.