Print Shops
By Elizabeth Morgan
Digital photography has made the dissemination of pictures much easier. If you have a good inkjet printer you can run off prints on quality photographic paper and get remarkable results even at home. However many people still prefer to send out for prints from the corner print shop, especially if they’ve chosen to shoot pictures on film.
Fortunately for tourists across the world, the quick print industry continues to boom, allowing them to develop and print their photos in virtually any city they may find themselves in. Print shops offer quick results at affordable prices and are not likely to go out of fashion in the near future. How many people, especially tourists, shooting on digital cameras have convenient access to computers and printers anyway?
Originally called copy shops, print shops now offer a range of services including traditional and digital printing, color copying, making presentations, and even binding and collating facilities. Efficient customer service and up-to-date technology are what determine a print shop’s success, especially in increasingly competitive times. Chances are there’s a print shop at every street corner, and to attract customers, each will have to offer something extra.
An alternative to high street print shops are online or web-based print shops that offer a variety of services including printing and delivery. All a customer has to do is mail a file of pictures that need printing, specifying size and type of paper, and for a fee, the pictures will be delivered to his doorstep.
Some print shops specialize in making quality fine art prints on different types of paper. With more and more artists and photographers opting to make art prints of their work, this is a growing industry, requiring precision and skill. Technology-intensive, it requires substantial capital, but once established, can prove to be pretty lucrative.