What is the Print Lab?

Do you need a 16.5x24.3 print on Hahenmühle Photo Rag – from a file you uploaded this morning –  for an exhibition in Miami next week? No problem!

The WCI Print Lab specializes in making perfect prints from your files, and meeting your unique and specialized needs. We understand what a gallery-quality print is, and that your final print needs to be of a caliber that inspires customers to invest in hundreds or thousands of dollars in your artwork.

We offer prints on a variety of photographic and inkjet papers. We make each print using the same ICC profiles and tested workflows our Expert Printmakers use to make our signature Exhibition Prints.

Call us today to discuss your needs or latest project, and we'll make the quality prints your photographs deserve.

 

 

About Our Pricing

Print Lab pricing is determined by the paper surface you choose to print on, the size of your print, and how many prints you order. If you order multiple prints of the same image, in the same size, at the same time--you'll qualify for lower pricing.

Let's say you order four 16x20 prints of the SAME image. The first print would be billed at the 1st print price prints, 2-4 would be billed at the 2-9 price as shown below:

Say the pricing for a 16x20 print is:
1st print: $48.89
Prints 2-9: $40
Prints 10+: $33.33

The first print is billed at $48.89; Prints 2-4 are billed at the 2-9 price of $40 (total of $120 for prints 2-4); So the total cost for four 16x20s would be $168.89.

Now, let's say you order four 16x20 prints of four DIFFERENT images. In this case, each print would be billed at the first print price. This is because it take us more time to print four different photographs than it does to print the same photograph four times.

Order & Upload Information

Order Online using our secure order form.

Upload Images using our online portal.

Our staff is here to help, if you have questions.

If you prefer to mail or fax your order, print out the online order form, and send it to:

West Coast Imaging
40094 Highway 49
Oakhurst, CA 93644
Phone: 559-641-7338
FAX: 800-635-1640

Have Questions? Contact us!

Turnaround:

Print Lab prints are given first priority by our imaging staff, and we work to complete each order as quickly as possible, without sacrificing quality. When we have prints with surface damage and other defects, we reprint them until we have an excellent print to send you. This adds time to each order. If you need it yesterday, we have RUSH services that come along with RUSH charges. If you are working on a deadline, even if it’s far in the future, please be sure to let us know so we can work with you to meet your objectives.

Presentation

Presentation is everything when it comes time to display your work. We offer a variety of presentation services including mounting, laminating, and overmatting. Every job we do is custom, and is meant to fit your project's unique needs. Visit our presentation page to learn more.

Color Print Options

Making a beautiful color print is about paying attention to the subtle nuances of each photograph, and making sure those qualities are evoked in the final print. The first step is to make global adjustments to density, contrast, color balance and saturation. Once the global changes are made, the print can be fine tuned by applying the same tools to local areas. By working with our expert printmakers and communicating your desires, we can explore the possibilities inherent within each photograph, and make a stunning final print.

In addition to the traditional printing decisions made in Photoshop, digital printing allows us to print on a wide variety of papers. This can significantly change what your photograph communicates, giving you new options and possibilities to explore.

Light-Sensitive Photo Papers
Most of our clients choose to use traditional light-sensitive photo papers, which we expose in our Chromira using an LED light source, and then process in RA-4 chemistry. Because it is real photo paper, prints have the tactile look and feel of a traditional photograph--but with all the benefits of digital control.

We offer standard Matte and Gloss surfaces using Fuji Crystal Archive Paper. Another option is Fuji SuperGloss, which has incredibly deep and rich colors thanks to its SuperGloss surface. If you like the look of Ilfochrome/Cibachrome, you’ll love SuperGloss. We also offer Fuji Pearl paper, which gives prints a unique, metallic look.

Inkjet Photo Papers
Another option is to use our inkjet printers to print on papers that have surfaces similar to light-sensitive photo papers. When viewed up-close, inkjet prints will look sharper than light sensitive papers, and many papers have extremely long life spans. Epson Premium Luster Photo Paper is the most popular choice, and it looks and feels very similar to Fuji Crystal Archive Matte.

Inkjet Fine-Art Papers
Fine-art papers give color photographers exciting new options. Fine-art papers offer the same look and feel as the paper used for watercolor paintings. You can choose from papers ranging from a light texture, to a heavy texture. Prints on fine-art papers typically have a softer and quieter feel that works well for many photographs. Blacks are generally muted slightly, but rich, saturated colors are still possible. Much of the muted effect comes from the non-reflective qualities of the paper itself. Fine-art papers look wonderful when displayed in homes with no direct lighting on the artwork. Our most popular fine-art paper combination is Watercolor Smooth.

Inkjet Canvas
With inkjet printing, we can also print on specially coated canvases. Since the texture of the canvas shows through, it gives the viewer a sense of a painting, and opens up new avenues of expression for photographers.

Click on the paper choices tab for more information.

B&W Print Options

It’s hard to deny the beauty of a well made B&W print. By removing color, and instead using only black, white, and shades of grey, B&W allows ordinary subjects to be transformed into a print that reveals more than the thing itself. A pepper becomes more than a pepper--a nautilus shell more than an empty shell.

Making a beautiful B&W print is about choosing a proper overall density (exposure) and contrast for a particular photograph, then combining that with local changes (dodging and burning) to both density and contrast, bringing out the purest essence of the subject.

The tools of digital imaging are capable of immense control into the process. When working with a custom printmaker, digital imaging allows great repeatability and ease of proofing. Most adjustments can be made more quickly than in the darkroom, which helps control costs and provides more opportunities to explore the potential of each photograph.

A digital B&W print can have many starting points: Color digital camera files, color slide films, color negative film, B&W negative films, and more. Color photographs are converted to greyscale in the computer with very precise control.

The look and feel of a B&W print has always come from the process that makes the prints. In the analog darkroom, these processes are based on light-sensitive papers that use different metals to achieve their particular look. Most darkroom B&W prints are made with paper that uses silver, but platinum and palladium are also very popular alternative processes.

We have several options for black and white printing:

Light-Sensitive Photo Papers
It is possible to use our Chromira to print onto light-sensitive photo papers and make B&W prints, but we prefer the results of inkjet printing for B&W over light-sensitive papers. However, unique results can be obtained with Fuji SuperGloss and Kodak Metallic paper.

Inkjet Photo Papers
Inkjet photo papers are the best choice when you want to replicate the surface of silver based darkroom papers. Silver Rag is a very popular choice for clients who like the look of gloss-surface fiber based papers used in the darkroom.

Inkjet Fine-Art Papers
A fine-art paper is generally one that looks and feels like the paper used for watercolor paintings, and for many alternative darkroom processes like platinum and palladium printing. You can choose from papers ranging from a light texture, to a heavy texture. Prints on fine-art papers typically have a softer and quieter feel that works well for many photographs and allows a feel similar to platinum and palladium. Blacks are generally muted slightly, but mid and high values are very crisp and defined. Much of the muted effect comes from the non-reflective qualities of the paper itself. Fine-art papers look wonderful when displayed in homes with no direct lighting on the artwork. Our most popular fine art paper combination is Watercolor Smooth.

Inkjet Canvas
With inkjet printing, we can also print on specially coated canvases. Since the texture of the canvas shows through, it gives the viewer a sense of a painting, and opens up new avenues of expression for photographers.

Click on the paper choices tab for more information.

Paper Choices

Nothing changes a photo more than the paper it's printed on. From traditional photo papers to watercolor papers and canvases--we have a choice to meet your needs and make your print unique!

Favorite Paper Combinations

These are our favorite paper and printer combinations--the ones we think produce the best results. Choose the surface that best fits the mood of your photo, and make a stunning print to share with the world.

Gloss Photo Fuji Crystal Archive Gloss printed with the Chromira
This traditional glossy photo paper has beautiful color and rich, deep blacks. If you're looking for a standard glossy print, this is the choice for you.

Matte Photo Fuji Crystal Archive Matte printed with the Chromira
Like its gloss counterpart, this paper also has beautiful color and deep blacks. This is a great option for those who prefer a non-glossy surface, or for photos that will be handled a lot.

SuperGloss Fuji Flex SuperGloss printed with the Chromira
This is the glossiest paper you can use -- there's no other material like it! SuperGloss offers the deepest and richest colors, and incredible shadow detail. It practically glows with light from within. The surface is similar to Ilfochrome papers that have been popular with professional photographers for years.

Fuji Pearl Fuji Crystal Archive Pearl printed with the Chromira
This truly unique paper combines Fuji's long lasting Crystal Archive emulsion with a base containing natural mica and titanium dioxide to create a pearl/metal appearance within the print.

Silver Rag Museo Silver Rag printed with Epson 9800 K3 Photo Black
An inkjet paper with a surface similar to traditional darkroom processes, such as fiber based silver gelatin B&W prints, and color dye-transfer prints. This is one of the best choices for B&W printing.

Watercolor Smooth Hahnemühle Photo Rag printed with Epson 11800 K3 Vivid Magenta Matte Black
Hahnemühle Photo Rag 308 is a 100% cotton rag artist's paper which allows prints to look like platinum, palladium, watercolor, or other alternative print processes. It is our most popular paper for photographers looking for something "different" from standard photo papers. With Epson K3VM inks it produces stunning depth, detail, and subtlety.

Sihl Luna Artist Canvas 340 coated with Eco Print Shield - printed with Epson 11880 VM K3 Ultrachrome inks

Luna Artist Canvas is our favorite choice for printing on canvas because of its superb color accuracy. It's a perfect choice for any canvas application. Every canvas is coated with a water resistant finish for protection and ease of cleaning. Our coating is available in a choice of Matte, Satin, or Gloss surfaces. We offer both stretched and unstretched canvas.

Luster Photo Epson Premium Luster Photo Paper printed with Epson 11880 K3 Vivid Magenta Photo Black
Epson Premium Luster Photo Paper has been a longtime favorite for inkjet printing because it looks and feels just like Fuji Crystal Archive Matte. This paper choice is popular with our customers who own a small Epson printer. It allows them to offer larger prints than they can make themselves, while using the same paper they use to create their smaller prints.

Ilford Galerie Gold Fibre Silk Ilford Galerie Gold Fibre Silk printed with Epson 11880 K3 Vivid Magenta Photo Black

Ilford silver gelatin papers have always been renowned for their quality. Now with Ilford Galerie Gold Fibre Silk, we can make exquisite digital prints of your B&W and color photographs.

Gold Fibre Silk is a Baryta paper, and uses technology similar to that used in their traditional darkroom papers to create a look that emulates the look of prints made on the darkroom.

Don't see what you want? See our Custom Paper Combinations for more options.

Print Lab FAQ

You don’t have to be an expert at Photoshop to make great prints. Thanks to WCI’s Print Lab and our online portal, making great prints is as easy as uploading your files and placing an order.

But if you want to delve deeper into the art of photography, there are limitless options to create photographs that express your deepest emotions. Our Print Lab FAQ is designed to help those who want more control of their photographs. It contains detailed information about our processes, and techniques that can help you achieve your goals. Visit the Print Lab FAQ.