After printing my images with an ink jet printer at home for years I recently took a disk to Walmart where they are now advertising 4x6 prints for 19 cents. This is significantly less than it costs to print at home so I gave it a try. A professional photographer friend suggested that matte finish would be best for astrophotography as it reduces the very fine noise in the image.
With my roughly 1/4 million pixel Starlight Instruments MX916 camera, I didn't expect great images but was very impressed with the results. The 4 x 6 prints are beautiful. Even the 8 x 10 prints at $2.50 each are acceptable for star party contests. I have won several 1st place awards recently and feel that it is worth your time to give it a try.
If you show off your portfolio on 4 x 6 prints, they hold up well to handling and don't show fingerprints like the glossys do.
It is best to bring your images in on a CD but I have used a 3 1/2 floppy in a pinch.
The Rosette Nebula, a winner, was made with Kodak Elite Chrome 200 slide film, scanned then enhanced in photoshop before printing.
With my roughly 1/4 million pixel Starlight Instruments MX916 camera, I didn't expect great images but was very impressed with the results. The 4 x 6 prints are beautiful. Even the 8 x 10 prints at $2.50 each are acceptable for star party contests. I have won several 1st place awards recently and feel that it is worth your time to give it a try.
If you show off your portfolio on 4 x 6 prints, they hold up well to handling and don't show fingerprints like the glossys do.
It is best to bring your images in on a CD but I have used a 3 1/2 floppy in a pinch.
The Rosette Nebula, a winner, was made with Kodak Elite Chrome 200 slide film, scanned then enhanced in photoshop before printing.
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