The Charm and Benefits of Silver Halide
Silver Halides have been used in the light-sensitive chromogenic printing process for over 100 years, making them the longest running photographic print medium. Photographic Prints (aka Chromogenic Prints, C-Prints, or Silver Halide Prints) have been a staple in the professional photography industry, and are just as popular today as ever before. The fact that they have remained strong through the transition from film to digital with the same chemical printing process speaks for itself. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a Photographic Print is worth a thousand plus ten! So let’s take a look at the benefits of Photographic Prints, and why they’re still a favorite for delivering client images.
Seeing Your Work in Print
The obvious and primary benefit of Photographic Prints is that they allow you to see your work in print form, from wallet sizes all the way to large format, with a maximum size of 50” wide or 120” long. No matter what type of imagery is burnt into those silver crystals, each Photo Print is a direct reproduction of what a photographer sees through their lens. Anyone who has ever seen their work on a Photographic Print has experienced the justification of bringing an image to life rather than letting it die in the digital archive.
Traditional Portraiture
Many professional portrait photographers offer prints as a part of not only their client packages, but an important part of their marketing and business models. Whether Photographic Prints are included as the main attraction of a client package, or as a base option before the upsell of large Wall Displays or heirloom Books and Albums, they are a catalyst that enables photographers to deliver their vision in tangible form to be cherished for years to come. Portrait and Headshot Photographer, Jenn Schaeffer explains:
Photo Prints from Bay Photo will stand the test of time and are made to be heirlooms passed down from generation to generation. The pictured product is my small traditional wall portrait - the image is mounted on 2mm styrene to prevent warping over time (durability!!), has a gorgeous linen texture (quality you won’t find at the corner drugstore!) and a protective lustre coating to help it stand the test of time.
- Jenn Schaeffer (Jenn Schaeffer Images)
Schools, Sports, and Volume
Schools, Sports, Dance, and other Volume Photography businesses rely on Photographic Prints to deliver the end product to their clients. With a unique workflow of their own, they build packages with multiple “units” (in most cases these are specific sizes of Photographic Prints) that their client can choose before, during, or after picture day. Many of our “Quantity” Photo Print orders allow volume photographers to efficiently and economically order each subject’s package in bulk, so they are delivered in sequence as part of a team, class, or event. We urge all Volume Photographers to check out PhotoDay for a streamlined workflow while offering beautiful Photographic Prints from Bay Photo.
Client Proofing
Sometimes editing or choosing which photographs to print is the hardest part, especially when they’re ALL so beautiful! We offer Proof Prints specifically for this purpose, which many portrait photographers review with their clients after the shoot as part of an in-person sales consultation. When the client sees each shot firsthand, they can select their favorites for the upsell of a Wall Display, or a grouping for a Book or Album. Newborn and Family Photographer, Tonya Riggs, prominently promotes the importance of print to new and potential clients, using Proofs:
“It’s such a pleasure watching the connection my clients have with tangible proofs. Each client values this process and sees the quality of superior lab work like Bay Photo’s.”
- Tonya Riggs (Designs By Tonya)
Test and Portfolio Prints
Sometimes photographers themselves need to check their work in print for resolution or color purposes, before ordering the larger size. Photographic Prints either standard or as Test Strips (available in Bay ROES) are a great solution for physically previewing images before committing to the final display. It’s also important at times in your photographic journey to look back and see how far you’ve come. Standard Photographic Prints can double as portfolio prints to be reviewed, critiqued, celebrated, and revisited as part of your overall body of work.
Silver Halide Photographic Prints have long been known for capturing the truest color and some of the finest detail from your images. Learn more about Photographic Prints, view our 10 different Photographic Paper surfaces, order a free Swatchbook of your own, and make history by burning your images into silver halide prints today.
(Offer expires 5/2/24)
While a photograph is often phrazle valued at a thousand words, a Photographic Print is valued at a thousand plus ten! Now, let's examine the advantages of Photographic Prints and see why they remain a preferred choice for presenting customer photographs.
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