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What type of photographic equipment do you use?

Does the brand of equipment a photographer uses really matter?  Not at all.  Remember, it's the photographer that takes the picture, not the camera.  Exceptional photos can be taken using equipment from any of the major camera manufacturers.  Just be sure to also use a sturdy tripod.

However, since you asked, all of the photographs on this site were taken with Canon and Contax equipment. Since 2003, all my photographs have been taken with digital cameras.  For those with a particular interest, my gear consists of the following:

70-200 f2.8 IS

85mm f1.8

90mm F2.8 TSE

What type of equipment do you use for printing?

All of my prints are made with the Epson 7600, one of Epson's wide format professional inkjet printers. However, the choice of inks is at least as important as the choice of printer.  I use only Epson Ultrachrome pigment inks to deliver a wide color gamut as well as to ensure longevity.  For more information regarding these issues please refer to the next several FAQs.

Wait a second, aren't inkjet prints "cheap"?

To many, the notion of an inkjet print evokes poor quality.  Several years ago this may well have been the case. And while one can still produce "cheap", low quality inkjet prints, it is now possible to produce exceedingly high quality prints that are at least as sharp, detailed, and colorful as those produced in the traditional photographic darkroom.

Needless to say, this ability has occurred because of advances in inkjet technology.  Professional quality inkjet printers can now generate ink "dots" that are so small as to be totally invisible to the human eye. The newest series of such printers utilize seven separate ink colors which allow for exceptionally smooth color gradations. There are even different black ink formulations that are tailored to specific paper types in order to ensure the deepest, richest colors possible.  Many professionals feel that the current generation of inkjet printers are capable of producing prints that are of even higher quality than those produced by traditional photographic processes.

What is the expected longevity of my inkjet print?

Short answer: 60 years or more before any fading occurs.  This is based on data from the well known Wilhelm Imaging Research group.

Long answer: There are two general ink types used for photographic printing, pigment based inks and dye based inks.  Dye based inks typically have a wider color gamut, meaning that they can produce more brilliant and wider ranges of colors.  However, their Achille's heel is longevity and fade resistance.  In addition to fading, there have also been problems with some of the dye based inks undergoing chemical breakdown from environmental factors, which can lead to dramatic color shifts over time.  Pigment based inks, on the other hand, have superb longevity and fade resistance.  However, they typically have a more limited color gamut as well as a problem called metamerism, whereby the coloration of the ink appears to change under different lighting conditions.

With the advent of the new Epson Ultrachrome inks one can now have the "best of both worlds".  These pigment based inks have a much wider color gamut than any pigment ink previously developed, approaching that of dye based inks.  In addition, the problem of metamerism with color images has been eliminated. Despite these marked improvements, the Ultrachrome inks still retain the fade resistance associated with pigment based inks, which has resulted in the remarkable longevity data generated by the Wilhelm Imaging Research group.

How do I care for my print?

All fine art prints, whether traditional photographs, inkjet prints, or lithographs, should be framed under glass using archival, acid-free matting and displayed in an area where there is minimal exposure to direct sunlight.

Why is the color of my print slightly different than it appeared on my computer monitor?

Exact color matching and color management are very difficult processes.  There are inherent differences between an image displayed on a computer monitor, which our eyes see directly via transmitted light, and a printed image, which we see via light reflected from the image surface.  In addition, color on a computer monitor is produced by mixing three different colors of light, while the colors on a print are composed of seven different colors of ink.  Nonetheless, the colors of a print can match the colors displayed on a computer monitor very closely if both the monitor and the printer are color calibrated.

However, exacting color calibration is not something that is done by the average home computer user. It is a time consuming process that requires the use of expensive equipment.  In order to calibrate a monitor, a spectrophotometer is used to measure known color values as they are displayed on the screen. Specialized software is then used to produce a "color profile".  This profile then converts color from what the monitor, in its native state, "wants" to display to what the true, measured color values are.  A similar process is then used to calibrate the printer.  When both monitor and printer are properly calibrated, the color of the printed image will match the image displayed on the computer monitor exceedingly well.  I work on a system that is calibrated in this fashion.

However, there is also another confusing variable which comes into play when viewing an image over the internet.  When an image is adjusted using photo editing software, it is "tagged" with a special color profile that allows the colors of the image to be perfectly reproduced. Internet browsers, unfortunately, do not have the ability to interpret these color profiles and are therefore unable to exactly reproduce the colors and tones of the image.

Therefore, since most computers have not been professionally calibrated and because internet browsers can not faithfully reproduce the colors of an image, the colors you see on your print will vary a bit from the way they appear on your computer monitor.  These differences should be minimal, with the colors of the print appearing richer than the monitor image.  There should certainly be no difference at all in what decor the print will match. However, it is, of course, our policy that if you are in any way dissatisfied with your print you may return it for a full refund.

Will my print show more detail than I see on my computer monitor?

Yes.  In fact, it will show much  more detail than the image you see on your computer monitor.  The size of the image file that you view on your monitor has been drastically downsized in order to allow it to upload to your computer within a reasonable period of time.  The original file is over 100 times larger and will print with much finer detail than seen on your screen

 Copyright(c)   Grill Photographic. All rights reserved.

ht(c) 2003 Grill Photographic. All rights reserved