To make your living as a full-time photographer, your work needs to extend beyond artistic skills and must include high-profit print product sales. In this article, we dive into the top five tips in choosing a professional photo print lab designed to elevate your competitiveness. After years of being hands-on in the photo industry and numerous lessons learned while collaborating with successful studio managers, we now share with you without reservation.
What is a photo print lab?
A photo lab is a specialized facility equipped to process, print, and enhance photographs with precision and expertise. Beyond basic prints, professional photo labs enhance the essence of your images, elevating them to new levels of quality and clarity. They meticulously handle each shot to ensure exceptional results, making them ideal for framing and display purposes.
Top 5 Considerations
Print Quality
At the very beginning, the primary consideration when selecting a photo print lab is the print quality they offer. Look for labs that utilize advanced printing technologies with lab photo printer, such as Giclée printing, to ensure exceptional color accuracy, sharpness, and detail. Silver Halide Printing is also the mainstream professional imaging technology with the best and most stable effects. High-quality prints are essential for conveying the true essence of your photography. That’s because you want to offer clients a good experience and leave them heirloom-like prints and albums, while we also want to entice clients to purchase more.
Zno Print Lab
The professional print lab focuses on professional print techniques, and Zno uses alpha-cellulose, acid-free and lignin-free neutral pH paper in Giclée printing that masterfully absorbs ink to offer powerful colors, distinct contrasts, and the broadest possible range of light to dark tones. Silver Halide Printing is also another print technique by Zno. The image is exposed on to silver halide color photosensitive material and then developed through a chemical processing process to form a photo. The advantage of this print technique is precision, a combination of chemical and optical technology, so it can be said to satisfy the pickiest of professional photographers.
Color accuracy for photos is expected from any professional photo lab print, but the quality of the print product is important as well. Luxurious tactile, thick substrate and mid-sheen pages in albums are keys to impress your clients. Valuable and unique product materials such as crystal, leather, suede & velvet, and wood can also show your professionalism with the variety you offer.
It’s not difficult for photographers to choose the best quality since photographers can order the same image samples from multiple print labs. The challenge for photographers is to define the print labs’ print quality with the high pre-cost before making the decision to add them to your studio package list officially. Zno provides free pre-made sample album and 50% off custom studio samples for professional photographers who join our Pro Plan, a free loyalty program, to see and feel our quality because we are confident in our products and are confident that you will like them too!
Reasonable Price
An affordable price is another important factor when choosing a print lab. Mastering your cost is a necessary lesson for us who want to earn more and stay working in the photo industry. It may be troublesome, but it is helpful to make a comparison price table of different professional print labs.
There are two parts in the comparison of the product’s cost. One is the basic product cost, which includes size, number of pages, photo paper, materials and so on. The other is potential add-on cost, as a professional photographer that provides high-end print products, adding personalization for clients is important. As a result, photographers should consider embellishments, textures, presentation, etc. at the beginning.
A more effective way is to design the print products in different configurations in advance as you design your photography packages. By going through this exercise, hidden costs or savings may appear. Such as booking a studio logo die with a one-time setup fee for debossing can save $15.00 compared to the $25.00 starting price of custom logo debossing fee per album at Zno.
Customer Service
A print lab is a business assistant and should provide the following services. A support team that not only suggests professional design ideas and popular embellishment combinations but also offers quality assurance after you receive your products. For any professional print lab, always check their product warranty and verify communication with their support team. Make sure you can contact them in at least two different methods and their response time is within 2 days. It is important to be able to explain your requests clearly which will improve both your experience and your clients’ satisfaction.
While you work with Zno, print photos near me, you’re working with a trusted friend. All print products come with a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects. Simply contact the Zno support team when there is an issue. Before or during ordering, the online chat offers immediate help to assist with your workflow. The email support team is available 24/7 to solve your problems. For a speedy assist, the phone support team is prepared to answer why question. All of us will do our best to provide assistance and resolve any order issue.
Diverse Options & Clients’ Needs
A professional photo print lab should provide a diverse range of product options including photo papers, materials, embellishments, sizes, covers, and more. It is required in order to best serve your different customers. That’s why it is important to consider the lab’s selection to ensure they offer the proper materials to complement your style and preferences.
Before you start marketing your business, it’s important to identify your ideal client and know what they want. For example, is your target client vegan or has faith? Do you want to provide specialty product options like leatherette or eco-friendly paper, or special color options and design styles? Understanding your ideal client will help you tailor your print product sales.
Don’t worry, this isn’t as hard as it sounds. Clients may have whimsical thoughts when presented with various options. And as a professional print lab, it is our job to provide abundant product categories and numerous options to satisfy their requests while maximizing your profits.
Considerations for Print Lab Integration
As a professional photographer, choosing the right photo print lab is a critical decision that can significantly impact your studio’s workflow and overall efficiency. Zno understands the importance of a seamless integration with your studio processes. And we’ve developed features and services to simplify the entire workflow from design, order placement and delivery. Here are two features that a modern professional print lab should offer you:
First, it should be user-friendly, intuitive, and efficient for handling the entire ordering process. From selecting the print product, uploading your images, specifying print options, designing and submitting your order. Second, it needs to provide product previews for you to share with your clients and get feedback.
As the next-generation professional print lab, Zno offers more than just print products. With our in-house team of engineers, we have built our own design software called Zno Designer. It includes all popular features that photographers require. Like a cloud-based design platform, online proofing and customized features exclusive to Zno’s print products. With Zno Designer, a photographer can design an album in minutes using the auto-fill or smart layout feature. It simply requires a drag-and-drop of photos to produce an effective layout. In the preview screen, the software can present actual material texture and sheen for a realistic presentation.
FAQ
– What’s the Difference Between Professional Prints vs Consumer Prints?
The main difference between professional and consumer prints is all about quality, customization, and service. Professional prints are made with higher-quality paper and inks, giving you better color accuracy, sharper details, and prints that last longer. These labs take extra steps to ensure the colors in your prints match your digital files perfectly and check every print for any defects. You also get more options for customization, from different paper types to various finishes and mounting choices. Plus, the customer service is top-notch, offering personalized advice to make sure your prints come out just right.
On the other hand, consumer prints are all about convenience and cost-effectiveness. These services are super easy to use, often available online or at local stores, and they don’t break the bank. They’re perfect for everyday photos, personal projects, and gifts. Consumer print services usually deliver quickly, which is great if you’re in a rush. However, while the quality is decent, it doesn’t quite match the professional level. The materials and production processes are simpler, so the prints might not be as vibrant or durable as those from a professional lab.
– Using a Lab vs Buying Your Own Printer?
Choosing between using a print lab and buying your own printer depends on your specific needs as a photographer. Using a professional lab means you get top-notch quality and consistency thanks to their high-end equipment and expertise. They take care of color calibration, use high-quality paper, and offer precise printing, ensuring your prints look stunning every time. Labs also provide a wide range of options, from different paper types and finishes to unique products like metal prints and photo albums, giving you and your clients more choices. On the other hand, having your own printer can offer convenience and immediate results, but it requires a significant investment and ongoing maintenance. You’ll need to handle color calibration and sourcing high-quality materials yourself, which can be time-consuming and costly. For most photographers, the reliability and variety offered by professional labs make them the preferred choice, especially for high-stakes projects where quality matters most.
Conclusion of Print Lab
Securing a trustworthy professional print lab is a cornerstone for sustained success in the realm of volume photography. The market boasts numerous high-quality print labs, each with its unique strengths. By prioritizing print quality, reasonable pricing, excellent customer service, diverse options and seamless integration, you can elevate your photography studio’s competitiveness.
Zno stands out as the next-generation professional print lab. It is not by just offering print products but a comprehensive suite of services and features to support business growth. It’s free to try so start your project now! With careful consideration, you can choose a print lab that aligns with your business goals to provide the quality and service that your clients expect.
About Zno
Zno is your One-Stop-Shop Print Lab and All-In-One software platform for professional photographers. With premium quality print products and innovative selections, impress your clients with professional printing on high-quality materials. Maximize your profits with maximum customization options and streamline your workflow with our cloud-based editing and easy ordering system. Say goodbye to complexity and hello to simplicity with Zno. Join us today and take your photography business to new heights！
