FAQs
Where am I based?
I work from home on evenings and weekends, I sometimes meet customers on print deliveries local to me, and are happy to organise this in and around my home town of Hartlepool. Unfortunately, I don’t have a shop or premises for meeting customers just yet. I plan to promote and showcase my images in local weekend markets, and when they are coming up, I’ll promote in advance on Facebook.
Print Sizes, what do I offer?
Right now, I offer a small standard range as listed in the price section. I can offer bespoke and different sizes to suit you and your needs. I can when required print larger than A1 size (approx. 33 x 23 inches) but it is best to initially drop me an email with your requirements. Later this year, I plan to expand what print sizes and services I offer to include images within greetings cards, and other smaller items. Please regularly check out my Steve Lord Photography Facebook page, which will list any updates.
Do I want or need Fine Art Prints when C-Type prints are very much cheaper?
Technology enables Fine Art inkjet prints in particular but also C-Type laser printing to use processing methods that are much improved from traditional printing techniques used, 10-20 years ago.
Process: C-Type prints are created using light-sensitive photographic paper that is exposed to light and then developed chemically. Fine Art or Giclée prints, on the other hand, utilise a high-quality inkjet printing process, where tiny, intricate ink jets scatter patterns of ink onto premium paper or canvas.
While inkjet printing outperforms C-Type overall in terms of quality, the costs for printing and preparation are significantly higher. For many customers, the Fuji Pro prints I use offer excellent value for their price point and are suitable for most non-critical needs.
When higher detail, a richer colour range, heavier papers with refined textures, ‘the look and feel’, and greater sustainability are required, Fine Art papers are the superior choice. These papers are often derived from cotton linters (a by-product of the cotton plant), whereas traditional photographic papers are produced using wood pulp sourced from trees.
Will my prints have a white border, or be printed to the edge of the paper?
My personal preference is the capturing energy of a scene and feeling the drama and impact, the vibrance from corner to corner. For me I normally envisage a scene as intended for edge-to-edge (borderless) prints. This is my standard style and approach, and comes as standard with print orders, though I can supply images with white borders if requested, at no extra cost. Where so, please request by email white print borders and specify in either: 1/4″ 1/2″ 3/4″ 1″ or 1.5″. Thanks in advance.
What if I am looking to frame one of your prints?
So as an example, a standard supplied image will be borderless and 12″ x 8″ will be printed edge-to-edge for those dimensions. If you are looking to frame your print, your options will be a standard 12″ x 8″ frame without a print mount, or if you wish to mount the print within a bigger frame for more impact, the general advice, here are two suggested sizes, though there are no rules as such.
Frame and outer mount size 16″ x 12″ – for a modest upscaled look. Inner mount opening at or just over 11.5″ x 7.5″ (must be slightly smaller than the 12 x 8 image to hold it in place and ensure no edge gaps). A border to be 2″ on each side, fitting up to the required 16″ x 12″ frame dimensions.
Frame and outer mount size 20″ x 16″ -for a centrepiece or gallery style print being more dramatic and attention grabbing in a room. Inner mount opening at or just over 11.5″ x 7.5″ (slightly smaller than the 12 x 8 image to hold it in place and ensure no edge gaps). Border to be 4″ on each side, fitting up to the required 20″ x 16″ frame dimensions.