Expectations from your lab

[JohnHeckler]

Ok, so it looks like I will end up not entering the Ying Yang twins shot at MES (some are probably saying "good, it wasn't going to merit anyway) because it indeed came back from the lab with some visible banding from the gradiant.

Given the short runway I have to turn around another print I decided to abondon that one and will enter another. Fortunately I had printed a couple extra different ones.

However, my question is this ... allegedly the banding could be fixed by adding noise. But, if *I* did it, I'd potentially be trying a couple versions before getting it "right". So, I asked the lab if I could send them the PSD file and they could add the noise and run a test print to see if the banding was still visible. It would be a pretty straight forward thing as my gradiant was on it's own layer, etc.

They said they can't do that type of editing/art work. I said why not ... it's pretty straight forward and I will pay for it, I just need to turn this around quickly to which they responded they just don't do that type of thing.

Why is that? Is it really that unreasonable? Would the lab you use do that for you?

I'm pretty disappointed, but maybe that is standard operation procedures for labs ... I kinda doubt it though.

What has been your experience? I'm I crazy to expect a lab to be able to work with me on this?

[Dave_Cisco]

Why is that? Is it really that unreasonable? Would the lab you use do that for you?

I'm pretty disappointed, but maybe that is standard operation procedures for labs ... I kinda doubt it though.

What has been your experience? I'm I crazy to expect a lab to be able to work with me on this?

This doesn't surprise me at all....What are the chances that you're going to be happy on the first pass?...the second pass...etc. As long as it isn't right, it's always going to be their fault.

[Auralee_Dallas]

Millers wouldn't do it for me, but they did reprint the banded images for me when this incident arose. I had to fix them myself. They weren't even really tuned into the "noise" fix. There is a "different" look to the banding fix using noise and each person would have a different opinion on how much was enough or too much. I think if you didn't know how to do this yourself, you would have to hire a digital artist.
Unfortunately you were up against a time constraint, but you could have ordered a test print. Mine were for a wedding album, and I ended up changing the background to a pale solid, because I didn't like the look of the noise gradient.

[Betsy_Finn]

I had an image that i was concerned about high key magenta banding -- i asked millers to flag it and stop printing if the lab techs noticed it showing up at all.

It didn't show up, but they were more than happy to look for it and would have contacted me if i needed to resubmit my file.

[Mike_Fulton]

In the few times this has come up Miller's and Collages.net both have fixed my problems without any questions, as Betsy said, they were both very easy to work with and get my product right.

[JohnHeckler]

Under any other circumstance, I would have certainly delt wtih it myself. I just figured they would be easier to work with in the caes of print competition. You would think it is a prime time to be making your customers happy when they will then proceed to go to a HUGE convention and brag about their lab to a whole bunch of potential new customers.

Whatever, I guess I just don't understand the business well enough yet ...

[Linda_Gregory]

Question:

Is this a pro lab or a consumer lab? We have labs all over that pose as a prolab but really cater to consumers and do not have the staff or capability to do special needs things.

So many photographers are doing their own artwork, labs are cutting back on their artist staff because of supply and demand. Consumer labs used to have them but several in our area now do not...no need.

So, my point is, they may not have the capability to do the testing you're asking for.

[JohnHeckler]

Question:

Is this a pro lab or a consumer lab? We have labs all over that pose as a prolab but really cater to consumers and do not have the staff or capability to do special needs things.

So many photographers are doing their own artwork, labs are cutting back on their artist staff because of supply and demand. Consumer labs used to have them but several in our area now do not...no need.

So, my point is, they may not have the capability to do the testing you're asking for.

It is WHCC, which I would consider a pro lab. They have the expertise. The lady I was talking to was asking the artist directly. I got the distinct impression it was not a matter of being capable of doing it, it was more a policy thing ... which really makes me consider if I want to use them as my lab. They have been outstanding to work with thus far and I have been with them for 3 years. I just really expected more from them in this circumstance, rightly or wrongly.

[Joe_Galioto]

ok, lets talk about banding. I've had to deal with it several times, mostly on high key. i have people in the studio that know how to fix it. unfortunity you ussually don't see it on the monitor and have to reorder a new print.
my question: is there a way to avoid the problem, am i doing something wrong in the capture? i'm using a 5d & always white balance/raw.
joe

[Betsy_Finn]

Joe -- I learned about ways to see if banding will occur and how to prevent it by taking Miller's webinar "Digital 101 the Basics" (see their free webinar list here). Let me find my notes and see what I was told about it.