I print my photos (rarely, but I've been wanting to print more, and this video is certainly motivation to do so) because they look so much better on paper. I find that when I show people my photos on a printed medium, they seem to appreciate the photo more than if the see it on a screen. The thing is, we see hundreds of photos on a screen on a daily basis, but we don't see, touch and feel actual prints that often... so they stand out a lot more when they're printed, and generally speaking, will get a better reaction from people than if they're on a screen.
I love printing photos, as I enjoy "reliving the moment" I made them. I don't have a great printer so I struggle with the right colour settings etc. But it's still nice to look at these pictures I made myself. (Rather than going to IKEA and by stuff)
On the odd occassion I have had an image printed, it is because it is an image I am proud of, and I just want to show it off. Selfish and self centred maybe but if I created something I'm proud of I want it to be appreciated.
Hi like you I started out many years ago printing B&W. What an experience. Photography for me is so much more than pointing a camera. I love landscape so it's about finding the location the time of day the weather the walk the setting up. Moving on to take take the picture coming home to see what you captured using lightroom to process. Then.... printing finding the frame finding the spot hanging it up and then everyone I pass I remember finding the spot seeing the light being our door and the feel of the day. Why wouldn't we print for that eh? Just magic like watching a B&W appear it never fails to thrill
The ink tank system appears to be much better than the cartridge system ru-vid.comUgkxciSwynMJ7PnUvvx11rewiu-yFBkZTl53 and a lot cheaper to run. The machine was easy to set up. A small point but I thought they'd be a USB cable included to help with the set up but there was none. I've been using it now for a few weeks and it seems like a good product and superior to my previous printers which were all troublesome HP machines.
It's the final step as to why you captured the image the image in the first place. The beauty of trying different paper which can also give a totally different feeling and depth to the image is so special. Online it's all about likes for a brief moment in time that are easily forgotten but with a print it lasts a lifetime.
I enjoy printing my photos just for the thrill of viewing it more often. It adds so much more "emotion" to a photo if you see a printed photo on the wall. I just printed some of my more recent photos for the first time in 3 years and just got reminded of how it inspires you to just go and get more of those wonderful moments.
A great video again! Thanks Nigel. I like prints just because those social media ruin good images. We spent lots of money to get higher resolution camera and sharper lenses, however, if we only look images on phones and share them on Instagram, all the benefit from expensive gears are lost.
+Yue Lei completely agree - it makes me laugh actually as the photos that look impressive on IG are often the drone shots that have 12MP low dynamic range sensors. However it does show that ultimately composition rules
I am a film photographer and printer. Nowadays I usually print onto 16"x20" paper or larger. Before printing in my darkroom I work on the image in my mind. I make smaller prints and look at them and as I consider how to proceed I try to get a sense of the feeling behind the print. I then use a masking procedure which allows me to use a registration system to help me dodge in a way that tools in the darkroom will not allow. It usually takes me about a month's time before my negative is ready to print. Obviously this kind of process requires that I enjoy darkroom work. But when I get to the point where I make an actual enlargement the print is either satisfying or I go back to the drawing board, so to speak, and re-mask the negative. There are many images that I've printed over the years again and again. Some films I've masked over 15 times. When I finally get to the point where I am happy with the print it then has a life of its own. Then I release it. I believe that everything has consciousness and that we impart a bit of our own spirit into everything we touch. So if we give much attention to it then the evolution of the photograph benefits in every way.
Hi Nigel, Came across your video I guess by mistake. But it is one of those things that what's on your mind comes in your direction. You see I too started back in the darkroom days, going back to the early 1990's and loved when I saw my work on paper. Well fast forward to today, and I never print anymore and haven't in years. It's cost and quality issues of printing on my own that has held me back. I have never been happy when I saw self-printed work and its quality. And the cost to do it and have low quality has driven me away from self-printing. Your video has opened my eyes to things have changed. But I am still worried about the overall cost, not just the printer but the ink and papers. I'm now ready to take a look at the best way for me to look at my images again on paper. I am torn between making the investment of self-printing or farming it out to one of the quality companies out there to print for me. I would like to hear your thoughts on going with the self-printing to outsourcing it? My dream is to one way or another get my images printed and like you, have them up in my home. Some say I should be selling them, but I am not ready to do that. It's more a confidence thing than anything else. You have great work and I know you will but keep shooting. Happy photography days.
+Dave Mendel thanks for the comment Dave - really appreciate it! It is a tricky one but I would say go to a quality lab and get some printed first before you invest. The quality is so amazing it will blow you away compared to darkroom days. 👍
Thank you for this video I really enjoyed it. Why do I print well software for viewing keeps changing but a print will be there if not forever for a longtime. I love digital photography but we all take too many photos printing make me make a choice of what I really like.
Quite different from cooking. In cooking, eating the food is the ultimate objective. Not so much in photography. Unlike the old days, we do not really need to print our photos nowadays. A print is just one way to present your photos. We have alternative ways nowadsys. Further, printing cost a lot of money and you need a space to hang or store them. Well, by all means print your photos if you are participating in an exhibition. Otherwise, why waste that money ?
Chris Huang it’s not just about hanging them in a gallery to show other people though. It’s finally getting see the art your create in a physical form. I feel it’s much easier to appreciate your own art and see where your skill actually is with a print.
Ideally, it is good to print to see the final product but if one were to print every photos you will need a lot of space to store them. Beside the cost it may not be practìcal. It also depends on how much you shoot per week.
Why do I print photos: because so much of photography has become about disposable iPhone/Instagram images that last an instant and are immediately forgotten . Printing allows some permanence, critique but above all for emotions to evoke and mature over time .
" I want see prints on my Bedroom wall and look on this photograph again and again , because that inspired me to take a another shot like this , That's why I love Prints "
I send my images off to be printed and enjoy each time I get them back, to me each image comes to life in print it brings the experience and thought taken more so than on a screen.
I work for a disability charity and I sell my prints to raise money so we can continue to provide the very important service we do. It is also a bit of a two way street as I get to use a room there as my studio. I don't have a website as I can't commit to anything due to my health which is only going to deteriorate, so selling prints online is no good if I can't get prints out often for months at a time. I don't like Instagram, mainly because it makes my images square (I think I've done something to the settings) and they have to be jpegs. So besides raising money printing my images offers an opportunity to show my images to a wider audience but also an audience of other people with disabilities and I know at least two people who have since picked up a camera to get out. I've recently started darkroom printing my 35mm black and white images and I love it, wish I'd started years ago. This comment isn't to win the print, it's merely my truth about why I print my images.
+Mark Harris fantastic stuff Mark. My exhibition was totally for charity as well. My son had meningitis when he was young and being able to use my passion to raise some money for the meningitis trust was such a great feeling :-) 👍
Starting with 35mm film then a hiatus until digital and dropping Nikon for Fuji and LF / MF its time to print. First step is to find the right paper and service to print in Birmingham then shift to home printing as it the end it's the print we're after.
No point in just keeping your prints on a hard drive in my opinion, printing them, especially large, gives them a real wow factor. It also means that other people will see them when they are displayed.
Nigel - brilliant instructional video, from which I will take many of the points covered. I , like you, used to print B&W images using Ilford & Fuji film in my then, 35mm cameras. The enlarged results I have to this day and will often take them out for a renewed look. Since turning to digital format I for some time lost the need to print my images and always felt something was lacking by just viewing and sharing them on monitors, tablets etc. I realised lately that much of the joy of photography is have a tactile product to view whether in book or single print form. I will now convert many of my more favourite images to a hard format & hopefully rekindle my interest in photography as a whole.
Another great video Nigel. As someone who just got into printing I couldn't agree more with your reasons why it's good to print. I need to try a few more papers so it was really interesting to see your use of those different paper types. I think I'll get a sample pack from Fotospeed ordered. :-)
+Julian Baird - Landscape Photography thanks Julian - you definitely should. I have printed on loads of papers and over last 10 years most of my print sales have been on Canson and Hahnemuhle. Fotospeed will be up there now!
Great video! I want to start printing my photos for all of the reasons you talk about. One question about the mechanics of printing - when I have sent prints to the lab, they come back with the image extending to the edge all the way around but I see that all of your prints have a white border around the image. Do you add this border in Photoshop before you print the image or if it's done through a setting on your printer? Thanks.
+Tim Blake agree they are expensive (well the inks are... but you can get lab prints done on canon and Epson printers for great prices now - worth it!) thanks for the Kind comment Tim! 👍
buy a canon ip7250 for around 45 pound. can be found from uk shop begining with A and is 5 letters long or from amazon i dont believe i bought a printer. buy this one prints to a4 size and for paper price that is a good start size.
Ok, I know this video is a year old but I’m just finding it now. First, thanks so much for the information on the photo paper. I love having a brilliant physical print in my hands. So much better than 3-second glimpses in a slide. But I especially love knowing that something I captured is adorning someone’s wall and bringing them pleasure...having a little piece of me and my memories in their home. Thank you for your well-thought-out and easy to follow videos. Cheers
When i print my images at home and hold them in my hands, i start to see details that maybe i didn’t on my computer or phone .i start paying closer attention to my histogram, details, saturation and so on. 1) It makes me a better editor 2) It makes me a better photographer 3) It inspires me 4) It makes me revisit old photos 5) It brings my photos to life - forever 6) It’s ultimately satisfying
I love printing them because it brings back the excitement of sending away the spool and getting the prints back. I also love seeing them in print as they come to life again.
Another fantastic video Nigel. So why do I print my images? It just simply feels more real to me. Whilst I love saving my images on my hard drive, sharing them on Facebook and saving them as screen savers and computer wallpapers, a picture doesn't feel really finished until I've printed it off, held it in my hands and seen the "real thing". I suppose I just love the tactileness of a printed image more than a digital version!
Very helpful film and very well made. Never printed any of my images but it is something I am thinking about more and more. As I don't sell prints (yet) its the cost that puts me off slightly. Maybe one day I will print and wonder why I have never done it before. Atb
+Renegade Scot it is an expensive capital investment but if you do sell the payback period should be fairly short... however selling photos requires a lot of effort and a unique approach as it is a saturated marketplace
Hi Nigel Printing my photos that I take, is being able to enjoy and show them on my wall. However more importantly I want to be able to inspire my children to be creative and enjoy life.
I print images all the time. If it doesn't end up on my wall, I make a copy at letter size and save them in a binder. I love being able to go back and actually hold it in my hand and study it and see how my photography skills have improved over time.
To be quite honest, I haven't done any printing yet, but it's high on my list, just need to get to it one day, just been too busy and sort of intimidated really - never have done it, the whole process seems so complicated. But I'll get to it and this video really made me start thinking about it again.
hi nigel very nice video. and a good point to get photos printed. I think photos should be printed because they get lost in the hard drives and also on social media. so you need to print your photos (or at least the best ones) so you keep looking at them and also look at them in some years and think back on the journey and the story of the picture. It is also important to find the best images and separate them from the thousand other ones which are good but not the best. Also a printed photo is materializing a photo so it is something and not just data on your PC.
Photographers who don't print their work are truly missing out on the pleasure of their craft. The screen is only a representation if the photograph. And printing has always proved to be a more intimate way of previewing the finished product. I print all my work on appropriate paper. Seeing what San Francisco Bay looks like in black and white on quality metallic paper is priceless.
Nice episode on printing. I agree -- it's not a photo until it's on paper. I just acquired a Pro 100 and having fun making prints and experimenting with papers.
I got my first camera when I was about 10 years old. I immediately started to photograph "fine art" photos and some of them turned up really nicely. How ever the film was experience back then, I was a lot ahead of my time and no one didn't understand what I was trying to achieve. Now, about 25 years later I got a great camera gear and started photographic again. I have great support from family and friends, they want me to print my photos to have on their walls. I have printed a few photos (outsourced) and I do agree that the feeling to see the picture printed on a wall is amazing. I'm now looking to get a printer at home for more amazing feeling to holding my pictures in my hand. Thank you for the hints and tips.. not only from this video. Love what your doing with your channels. Keep up the good work.
I think photography is going the same way as music. Digital platforms are great and super convenient - but there is NOTHING like owning a physical copy of an album you love. The same applies to holding a real print or a photo book.
I like to print photos because, once they are up on my wall, I don't have to press a button nor use a mouse to look at them. They are simply there in my living space without any effort to view!
I subscribe and watch all your videos, I have learnt so much about photography by doing this, but the video about printing is just superb anyone with half a brain cannot fail to learn from it, the articulate way you put across all the info is great, you say things in a way people can instantly understand also the info on photographic papers is invaluable to us hobbyist photographers , I love printing my photographs because the depth of colour and detail can only come across in the printed article, you see different thing every time you walk past the pic hanging on the wall, there is no substitute for this. more vids and info please as I am getting completely absorbed with this wonderful pastime. regards, Colin.
I printed my photos (A3 or 3+) since many years, and I like really this work, looking the results, adjusting the dark zones or the colors, .. It is very pleasant. Unfortunately my Epson R1900 is out of order, I immediately bought a Canon Pro 10S but it has a serious problem as it believes that no cartridges are inside; I will certainly exchange it as it is brand new. I can't imagine stop printing my photos, it makes me happy. Even in the 80's I was accustomed to make my Cibas. Doing his own photos is great, I would recommand it to anyone. It can't be challenged by only seeing the screen neither looking at diapos. Many thanks for this your vidéo, your considerations about the paper, mat, glossy, .. I prefer too mat paper, but it could certainly be discuted. Cordially, Milos PS : I bought too a Nikon Coolscan 9000ED, to scan the 135 or the 120. I love too the argentic photos, even if sometimes I use digital cameras.
I recently had a photobook made online to share images I took at my sister's graduation with family and friends. Watching the difference in peoples reactions to holding physical photos as opposed to seeing them on a screen is simply amazing. The experience from that has encouraged me to have some of my landscapes printed out, even if only to stick on the wall in my study! Here's to more of those reactions from other people
Printing, I believe, is the next best thing to being there.... It's like the reward for the time and effort spent in attaining the shot. A memory you get to share with others other than a blip on a instagram feed. Will look into whether fotospeed paper is available in US> Thanks!
Hi... only just found your channel - with this being the 1st vid watched... great stuff. Now, if not too late to enter! I believe that there is no better way to view your shots than as a print - on whatever medium. You (I!) don't get the same feelings when viewing on a monitor that I do when seeing it mounted on the wall as a framed print or canvas... or handled when included in a book. It's an uplifting feeling for sure that can't be beaten 😊
Why do I print my photos? We are constantly bombarded by digital images. It's only the images that I print out that can be enjoyed over and over again. Printing images have also helped me pay attention to my color my color accuracy. It's too easy to forget about the images you've taken if you don't print them out.
I enjoy printing my photos so that they can be displayed and people can see them, otherwise they are trapped on my phone or tablet - and eventually forgotten...
Great stuff here thanks. As for I print my favorites so I'll still able to view my photos in case I should forget to pay my internet bill...kidding mostly! ;)
A photograph is not a photograph until it is a print. I do the same thing - I will make a working print and then place it on the dining room table for several days to see how I feel about it over time.
Great video. I print my best image's and hang them on the walls around my home because I feel images that just get left on your harddrive just get neglected. Yeah OK from time to time you look back over your image's but if you have prints hanging on your walls they evoke memories and moments in your life plus it's nice to get comments from friends and family when they realise that the photo they like was an image that you captured.
For me printing is like the finish line of a marathon. You get up the mountain, take the shoot, come back home, editing and then comes the printing. Its like the medal you get for finishing.
Great video. I print my pictures to give them as presents to my friends and work colleagues. I like to give them something that is mine and dear to my heart.
I don't yet have a good photo printer, but I've already enjoyed printing some photos and putting them up in my office so that I can enjoy them any time. I like remembering the taking of each photo, and they give me something to look at that's not on a computer screen. :)
I first started in photography using a film SLR in the days of digital DSLR's. I spent about 70 euro on Ebay back in 2007-ish and got an old Canon Eos 30 with some lenses (a much cheaper way to get into photography at the time). I quickly bought a bulk film loader, daylight tank, and a bulk tin of film. When the developed film started to mount I enrolled in a night film photography course at the national art college in my city. This is where I learned to use an enlarger, to make contact sheets, to choose an exposure, then enlarge it, find the right exposure for the print (maybe play with some filters to increase the contrast), and then wait for it to dry. That experience was visceral. I felt like I was part of the photo when I held it in my hand. After a number of weeks I started taking photos differently. I was thinking about how a shot might come out in a print. This is one reason to print your work. Recently I've looked at getting some of my digital photos printed. I don't think it will have that same special alchemic feeling which the darkroom provides but I'll be just as happy to hold it in my hands. Thanks for your videos
I like to print my photos because you only then see the fruits of your endeavors in true reflection. Nothing like the end product to spur you on to further your horizons
hi nigel im very selective about which photos i end up printing as im very ambitious in the regard of wanting my photographs to be perfect before actually printing them. but as you truly said it really does help improving ones picture as you get a look at it from a different perspective. anyways the few prints i have made are hanging in my room and are very dear to my heart and always make remember the amazing hike for that photograph.:)
A good quality print on beautiful paper is the icing on the cake. I get satisfaction from seeing an image printed in its full glory rather than shared in low resolution on social media.
When you print your photo it starts to live, it gets a dimension, a thickness, a smell a texture and every time you watch it you remember the reason why you shot that photo, you can definitely live again a small episode of your life.
Nice one Nigel..just enjoyed with a cup of Yorkshire Tea and a flapjack...be interesting to follow your channel morphing into a cookery channel !! :-) . :-)
Bummer, I missed it! I love the feel of holding the photos, looking through old photos with family and friends-ahh the memories! I've always hung my photos even though I'm not a professional photographer-I love remembering being there in that moment taking the picture! Thank you for sharing!
Large prints really show the beauty of a 8x10" image. In my workshops, only show large prints, those impress more than a 4K screens (which displays 8 Mp). It just does not resolve enough detail.
Sometimes, but mostly I give in house workshops. I'm guest in large Governmental buildings. Another addition: from printed work I can show examples side by side on the same large format. Can't be done on a screen. Large prints I show: up to 64".
Hi I print to complete the image it is what the image is for although not all my images make it that far I'm running out of space planning to change that soon though!
I like to print my pictures as there is nothing better than being able to handle and share a real tactile thing, storing on a computer or on web is all very well but you just can't beat holding a print.
Great Video.., by printing my images I feel that I have not condemned them to sit on a hard drive with no-one to ask, where, why & how I made that particular composition. I'm now running out of wall space!
I personally print photos just for the pleasure of seeing my work in print plus i think people are more interested in printed material than looking at digital images all the time. Interesting to see the different range of papers out there as i normally just use Canon paper for my printing needs.
Phew, was waiting for this last night Nigel, (read your twitter tweet) but unfortunately, the two bottles of beer and wee hours got the better of me and so I had to head to bed! So it was a great surprise to see this video on my youtube alerts this morning! Some serious food for thought in the video. I currently have images on rotation in the house, as there simply not enough wall space :) but quite agree printing your own work for me at least completes the full circle of photography, having a physical product in your hand after the hiking and suffering the elements is really satisfying. Regards Geoff moore.photos
I love to print my own images,there's nothing like it, seeing the print come out of your own printer . It's nice to see the edited image on an I pad but it's special to have the printed photo in your hands to look at or mount it on your home .
Nice video - I've always wanted to print my own, can't afford the Pro 1000 but I think the Canon Pixma PRO 10 S is my next purchase. Shall bookmark this video for reference to photographic paper. *Edit - Commented before the video finished but I'm inspired by others who print there own, that and I need to fill in the blank spaces around my home!
Hi Nigel, nice videos. I have been a photographer about 3 decades and i will love to print my favs photos and illustrations. Q: I love the A2s, could you tell me about a good and affordable (ink use & ..) printer in 2023 to produce this prints? thank you so much from Norway. ( i did have a anon pixma pro 1 long time ago, but was extremely bulky end has to be on always/ the ink was quite SS)
You allow Lightroom to calculate the print resolution. So, uncheck 'Print Resolution' and Lightroom will calculate the resolution according to the print dimensions, otherwise, it's re-sampling to suit.
I have printed all my photographs in my my room :) And you know my parents think im addicted to photography xD Displayin those photos also help me to let my friends and family see my work whever they visit :) TBH im youuuuurrrrr FAAANNNNN and i need those photos :(
You might see if your school or local library would let you have a show. It is satisfying and helpful to get feedback from others than your relatives. And don’t let what you may see as negative criticism get you down, often that can make you think in ways that positive remarks won’t.
HELLO PLEASE HELPPPP. I would love to buy a printer for my boyfriend. He has been doing photography for 2 years now, and has been wanting to print out some photographs. I would love to gift him one not to expensive or cheap lol he has a fujifilm TX4 and. I have no idea what kind of printer to get him please anyone pleaseeee
Ok, been all over the web, own Photoshop-Lightroom-Ilustrator-Fireworks-Gimp-Luminar......you name it. I cannot find anything, anywhere that explains how to crop an image so that it will print as a 7" tall by 5" wide photo and not rotate the image. Have unique frames, photos are landscape, don't care if some side cropping occurs, just want to print to fit the frame without having to cut everyone.............any help out there appreciated!
Hello, I have an image i want to print for a family member but i dont know if it need tweaking slightly. Woud you ever do any critiquing of people photos? As you seem to have a very good eye for what works and what doesn't, thanks.
Hi Nigel, I recently got into printing and RU-vid is sending me your video (4 years after the fact). It's been really elevating my photography and enhancing my connection with my images no doubt! I noticed you didn't have the "simulate paper/ink" box checked in your soft proofing. From what I've seen, the soft proofing doesn't really display how it will look on a given paper unless that box is checked. Have you found that to be the case as well? I'm not sure WHY they would have it unchecked or even give it as an option, since the point of soft proofing is to see what it will look like on that paper. I'm curious if you have found this to be the case. And I made the opposite transition from Canon to an Epson P900. All good stuff and thanks for making this 4 years ago! Cheers! Chris
Hi Nigel, only just discovered your channel & subscribed. Particularly enjoyed this video because your enthusiasm for printing shines right through it. Like you I use Fotospeed papers (& a few Japanese papers too, for bookmaking) but haven't really tried the NST Bright White (except in a sample pack). I'll put that right too but I wondered if you'd tried the Platinum Etching 285? It's my most-used paper thanks to its gorgeous texture, but I only really found it to work well with a custom profile... Some say its shadow detail is poor but I haven't found that - in fact I love it for B&W prints too. Best wishes and thanks again for your inspiring videos!
Printing your photos is actually what make them timeless (well, sort of at least). Sharing them digitally they eventually drown in the digital clutter. Instagram f.e. says that the life span of a picture is actually only a couple of hours. Sure it is always there but buried somehow... ;)
I’m really interested in printing my own photos. I have dabbled in the past with mixed results. This time I plan to do it ‘better’! I’ve ordered some A3 fotospeed paper (quite an investment in itself!). I have by epson xp950 printer (with stinky inks rather than originals due to cost difference, so fingers crossed!). I have limited wall space so am unlikely to frame many of them (also due to cost). Do you have a portfolio of your prints? How often do you change the ones on your wall? I always find hanging prints difficult as it is very ‘final’, if you know what I mean.
This was so inspiring and informative. What is the typical paper size you print on, for example in the video [7:13] the framed photo on your wall . . . is that on 13x19 paper? To frame and put an over-mat on top of the photo so that a little bit of white border is still showing, do you have to cut a mat with a custom size window opening to fit each print? Or do you use a standard size pre-cut mat with a standard size opening like 12x18 or 13x19? Also, for your 13x19 size print, which the print on your wall appears to be, what size frame are you using? Thanks!
Great video!👍🏻 I wondered how much the settings of printing your photos have changed in those years, Have you ever think to do another video to update this settings. I am saying this because softwares update every single year. Do you send your prints using only Lightroom? Thanks
Similar situation to you Nigel, Darkroom printing for over 30 years and still printing, nothing better than watching your print appear in the developer dish. Got the pro 1000 for digital, the quality it produces is stunning, use Hahnemuhle and canson papers myself. thanks for the video
Nice episode on printing. I agree -- it's not a photo until it's on paper. I just acquired a Pro 100 and having fun making prints and experimenting with papers.
Nice video. Not everyone can afford a pigment inkjet printer. They are really expensive and so are the inks. Do you have any dye inkjet printers you recommend that would be more affordable? Thanks.
Hi Nigel, I've now set up my new printer and printed 3 A3 sized prints from my recent Isle of Skye trip. WOW!!!!!!!!!!! The detail rendered from my Fuji GFX is just spectacular. Now all I need to do is get them mounted but I have to say i have been missing something for years now, the joy of printing. Thanks. Julian Baird has also been inspirational to getting me back printing so shout out to him also.
Printing my photographs creates profound connection which is very unlike when viewed on a screen, printed photographs are an actual thing. And sometimes some photographs slowly grows on you which you feel to be just ok while you are processing them.
I'm curious what online options there are for folks wanting good archival quality (but not overly expensive) prints? In the past I've printed straight from Apple, but these were just for snapshots or family albums. I'm not sure of the ink quality or how long lasting the colors are etc.
I print my images to share with friends and family. The print can be viewed and is more realist than just simply viewed on a monitor. On those lazy days, thumbing through a stack of prints with a cup of coffee is relaxing and brings back many memories. I study the prints to see how I can make it better (composition, exposure, subject matter,) next time. Always looking to improvement.
