For the past two years I’ve had two images exhibited at the Woodman/Shimko Gallery in Provincetown, MA. I placed them there as an experiment, and until recently I forgot about them. Then I received an email from a gentleman from Florida stating that he saw them in the gallery and wanted one of them printed large. He had just purchased a new house in Ft. Lauderdale, and he was going to use my image to help create a feeling of home. This was going to be my first major sale.
We started by talking about size. He wanted 40” x 24”. All of my work to date was half this size at best, so I knew I was going to have to work differently to make this one special. I researched high-end printing services, and after a few comparisons I decided to work with Blazing Editions, a fine art printer located in Warwick, Rhode Island. And, boy, did I ever choose the right printer!
I’ve worked with a number of printers both online and in brick-and-mortar settings, and no one has provided the level of service and expertise that Blazing Editions did. They made me feel like a king. They worked collaboratively with me, sent me proofs in a variety of finishes, and they engraved my signature right onto the image.
So why was this experience so important to me? First, this was my first major photo sale. I’ve had occasional success in dribs and drabs, but this was the first time I was so deeply involved in the process, and I wanted the image to be perfect. It was personal.
Second, I decided to leave the printing to the pros, and I feel confident that I found the best in the area.
Third, I found that Blazing Editions also does printing for Steve Koppel and Alison Shaw, two local photographers who have influenced my work and for whom I have great respect. That was a thrilling discovery.
For the foreseeable future, I will be printing most of my conceptual images in large format (bigger than 30” X 30”). Every day we look at tiny images on our phones. A large printed image has much greater impact than a small image on a screen. There is no comparison.
So if you are looking for something to hang on your wall, take a look at the Concepts section of my website. I love to share my work.