Digital BW, The Print

Hi group,

I'm curious how members on this list may price themselves on the
commercial market for the prints they are making. I've seen several ways
of doing this, from a listing of sizes and related charges, to a per
square inch formula. 

How do you differentiate between a smaller size print (11x14), that
takes just as much time to print as a large one. Perhaps a set-up fee to
begin the process, and what about a proof first for larger size prints...

what is a fair price to charge a customer for a 24" x 28" print on
archival paper and using MIS inks? 

what is a fair price to charge for a 30 x 40 or 40 x 60?

thanks for any input...

Mark MacKinnon
320studio

Alan,

thanks for the comment. since no one else has responded, I'm figuring
that most people on this list are printing for themselves, and that the
larger sizes are not within the capabilities of the smaller footprint
Epson printers.

I have a pricelist from a company called WCI, that does charge $95 for
an 8.5" x 11" print... it goes upwards to $299 for a 24 x 36". They
include a drum scan of the image, and a proof in the price, so that
explains the print price.

On Cone's website, he charges $30 for the first print - 8.5 x 11", and a
24 x 36 would go for $150. Proofs are additional cost, and the scan will
cost you from $65-200.

so pricing is similar between these two, with Cone probably ending up
costing more... not sure what his imaging pricing is all about, guess
that is the selective work involved to get the print right. Additional
proofs are extra.

I'm not sure how many people are offering services to the public using
quad or hex B&W inks, or what the demand is. Dugall in NYC, also offers
some kind of service, not sure I have not checked... but I was told by
an exhibiting photographer that they used them to output the show, and
were looking for someone that could come closer to matching what they
really wanted.

I suspect, it takes some dedicated interface to get it right with the
customer, and the big labs will not be able to handle that. Just as in
B&W silver halide based fiber printing, you have to go to a particular
type lab specializing in B&W, or do it yourself to get it right.

Mark MacKinnon
320studio
New York


Message: 13
   Date: Sat, 13 Apr 2002 17:32:38 -0700
   From: Alan Zinn <AZinn@...>
Subject: Re: pricing

Mark,

I had a brochure from a full-service print outfit that advertized $100 for
an 8 x 10 Piezo print. Can't lay my hands on it now but I was shocked at the
prices.
Time to hang out a shingle! 

At 09:33 AM 4/12/2002 -0700, you wrote:

>Hi group,
>
>I'm curious how members on this list may price themselves on the
>commercial market for the prints they are making. I've seen several ways
>of doing this, from a listing of sizes and related charges, to a per
>square inch formula. 
>
>How do you differentiate between a smaller size print (11x14), that
>takes just as much time to print as a large one. Perhaps a set-up fee to
>begin the process, and what about a proof first for larger size prints...
>
>what is a fair price to charge a customer for a 24" x 28" print on
>archival paper and using MIS inks? 
>
>what is a fair price to charge for a 30 x 40 or 40 x 60?
>
>thanks for any input...
>
>Mark MacKinnon
>320studio