I'm Michael Omori Kirchner.
I'm a business coach and mentor to photographers.
Large prints are a very important tool to offer to your customer...
as they can physically hold it in their hands.
It's ok to offer something online and show a picture of it...
but nothing beats handing the print to your client...
So they can really see it, touch it and feel it.
That's the 'wow' effect.
I have a background in photography, having worked as a photographer for 15 years.
I know the challenges of the craft and the best ways to handle them.
I'm Jochen Kohl. I've been a professional photographer since 1994.
I focus on photography and architecture.
I am also working with a lot of professional photographers.
As there is quite a lot of catalogue work involved, printing is very important to us.
To me, it's a key factor that when trying to deliver my best work...
using very precise colour, the printed image matches the image that I have captured...
in the exact same way.
That's why I like the new Canon printer with its Media Configuration Tool.
Ensuring the right profiles are used for the type of paper, it is just perfect.
From there, we continue to the soft-proofing step.
I'll select paper types based on the look we want...
and as a test, try to reproduce the same atmosphere on a different type.
From there, it's a set colour management Workflow always using a calibrated monitor.
The first step in working with an image...
is thinking about exactly what kind of image you're working with.
You'll often have to manage two or three different types of paper.
Is the image in black and white? Does it have a lot of skin texture?
Then I'd take a roughly structured paper type that supports the look of the image.
But if it's a portrait, I will need a lot of beauty shot retouching...
Of course, I'd prefer a soft surface, so you don't notice the paper structure.
Instead, you let the image work for itself...
and imperfections that have been retouched stay hidden.
In this way, I choose the paper type, pick the right profile for soft-proofing...
and check if the colours work well with the paper.
If the paper can support the image I've created on the computer.
If needed, I make some corrections...
and from that point, not a lot can go wrong during printing.
It's just a matter of making sure that Photoshop or printer software like Mirage...
takes care of the colour management in its entirety.
That's when printing becomes really easy.
It gets harder when you leave out one of the steps...
keep switching printer drivers or have the wrong one installed.
Or you forget a closing bracket somewhere and your soft-proof is rendered incorrectly.
But that's what we're here to learn, and I think the important messages are clear.
For photographers, this is a lovely opportunity...
to extend the value chain that you're able to offer.
That way, you have all-in-one solution with photography, printing...
and framing that you can offer your clients.
You give your clients a clear image of what they can buy.
You can work a complete package into your sales pitch...
which creates more revenue opportunities for you as a photographer.
For the client, it offers a complete understanding...
of the beautiful print they will get to take home and hang on the wall.