Hi Guenther, thanks for your comment! Your work absolutely deserves to be available for prints, while you say you’re not a professional photographer your work is most definitely of a professional level so it’s wonderful to hear you’re looking to create a website.

I can email with a more in depth response if you like but to reply to your questions, purchasing your own printer is a personal choice and would mean investing without knowing if you’ll be able to recover costs (at least at the beginning). Initial start up costs for a printer plus paper and ink can add up quite quickly depending on the quality you’re after. I used to own a print lab and used a large format Epson printer which I loved however with a minimum width of 24inches, it was quite expensive to keep running in terms of paper rolls so I sold it a few years ago. I’ve heard great things about the Canon imagePROGRAPH PRO-2000 24″ Professional Large-Format Inkjet Printer and Epson SureColor P800 Inkjet Printers.

One thing to consider with home printing is how many size variations you will offer. If you’re keen to stick to a few select sizes then it can be a viable solution, if however you wish to provide your clients with a bit more diversity, it can be easier to have a lab do the printing for you.

In terms of pricing, this comes down to your production costs and the value you put on your work. If you’re printing at home you’ll find production costs are higher. You will need to factor in paper, ink, the printing cost (either with a lab or your home printer) along with appropriate taxes for your location and of course the profit margin depending on the image value. There’s no real set model to work off in terms of value, some photographers opt to sell limited edition collections which raises the prices.

For print sizes, I found it easiest to base this around what frames your local stores sell. IKEA for example sells odd sizings like 50cm x 70cm compared to traditional print sizes of 20 x 30″ and so on. Then there are the A series of sizings which can sometimes be more relatable for customers. It’ll always be hit and miss as to which sizes are more appropriate, I’ve found it a complete mix bag as to what people select and think it comes down to frame sizes and the space they wish to fill more than anything.

Finding a preferred print lab in the EU and US would be a great way to manage shipping costs. I do this currently as COVID-19 has meant shipping times from Australia are experiencing delays of 5+ weeks. Doing some test prints can help decide which lab works best for your process.

As for what makes a good print lab, great reviews from professional photographers are always something I look for along with great customer service and a professional looking website. Then you’ll need to check they offer the paper types you’re after, some print labs may state they print ‘Fine Art’ but it’s always best to ask what type of paper they consider this to be and ensure it aligns with the quality you’re seeking.

I hope that helped answer your questions a little, feel free to email me via hello@thewanderinglens.com if you’d like more clarification 🙂
Thanks,
Lisa