My first two prints for my exhibit

[Barefoot]

I'm glad you started this thread, AT. Printing, and related items, is seldom discussed around here and that a shame 'cause I really need to get my poop together. On the one hand, I say that I hate to throw away available color. But, after editing the RAW file in NX2, what's the first thing I do? I open the TIFF file in Elements and get the “Elements can't handle a 16bit file. Do you want to convert to 8bit?” dialogue box. Uh...umm, I guess so. Damnit, regardless of the color space, I just threw away a bunch of color.

Looks like I need to start using Lightroom for everything instead of just firing it up for a print job. I could get used to it eventually, I guess. OnOne's Perfect Photo Suite plays with Lightroom real well and I can do layers there If I need them and of all the available software out there it absolutely does the best job of layer masks.

[theantiquetiger]

But most of these online places only take jpeg, so a 16 bit TIFF is no good if you got to convert after anyways.

***Edit***

Adoramapix takes JPEG and 8-bit TIFF

[Marko]

First off, The prints look good AT!

Yeah, me too. I'm shooting RAW+ JPEG Fine (just because I can, by God). As far as the RAW file goes it matters not what you choose, but I ask myself why I would purposely want to strip away any available colors from the JPEG. It may be counter-productive 'cause I shoot with the Standard Pic Control. Capture NX2 lets me select another (Vivid,Portrait, Landscape, etc.) if Standard isn't cutting it. Man, it can get confusing. You here so many different things from so many different people.

I was asking AT about this 'cause I feel like the more the lab ask of the author, the more they have his best interest in mind. Maybe another misconception on my part, but...

Help, Marko. I'm drowning.

Not sure exactly what you are asking BF - I have been doing most of the printing myself for the past few years since I like thick kick butt paper...and I live in Canada. I mention Canada because if I lived in the USA, the shipping to get killer prints on killer paper is affordable. (If anyone knows a place in Canada - please let me know).

Anyway, because I print for myself AND I have an RGB monitor, I shoot in RAW in adobe RGB on standard/normal. The stuff always looks great on my monitor and when I print it (if the exposure and PP is up to snuff).
When I post to the web, I'll often convert to SRGB OR add some contrast.

Now the odd time I do have something to send to a lab - I call them and ask them how they want the file, what colour space it should be in etc.

Hope that may help - feel free to prompt me for additional info. if you need any in this thread or another one.

[theantiquetiger]

Framed and ready to hang at the show

[Barefoot]

Good job, AT. Now get busy on the rest of'em.