Printing and framing digital b&w for exhibiting/selling

[bk1970]

I will be showing a few of my works from "I was Here" series (pictures can be seen here: http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=133397 and they're all done with Sigma DP2M) at a London fair beginning of September. This will be hopefully, and very possibly, followed by a couple of more showings in the autumn. But - I have no idea how to prepare the b&w prints for exhibiting and selling.

I'm not printing myself and from what I read, it seems Ilford B&W paper seems to be a favorite - is that true?

Whitewall.com is offering these possibilities:

Lambda print on Fuji Crystal DP II
LightJet print on Kodak MetallicLight
Jet print on Fuji Flex high gloss
LightJet print on Kodak Pro Endura
LightJet print on Ilford B/W paper
LightJet print on Ilford baryta paper

Which to choose and is there something more appropriate out there?

Concerning my colour abstracts, I was always thinking about printing on canvas or aluminium backing. But with black and white's it seems to me that paper is best - or am I wrong?

Then there's framing - I need to keep the cost low (can't afford to put a too steep a price on them, thinking about 300-450 pounds max) but of course it mustn't look amateurish.

They didn't give me a lot of space, 2x2,5 meters is all. I'm still deciding on the size, as well as if I'll combine my b&w series with my colour abstracts or just stick to b&w's. But even at sizes, for example, 60x40 or 75x50 cm I think i could hang 4 pieces, two in a row.

If anyone's reading this from around Berlin, I'd also use a suggestion about packaging and shipping.

So, any advice is much appreciated!

 

[AusDLK]

How large do you want your prints to be?

 

[bk1970]

Most likely 60x40 cm.

Right now it seems to me the cheapest way is to make prints on ilford b&w paper, on aluminium backing. Matting and framing looks expensive.

 

[squareshooter]

You have just jumped into a very deep well and who knows what you will find. Been there, done that. You need to do research, research, research. Prices, the quality of workmanship, reliability of the vendor all vary like crazy. I had a wonderful lady to print my photos and a gallery that was going to re-do part of his gallery for my photographs. A spot in the crossroads of the town. And then his business went belly-up on me and I was stuck half in and half out of luck.

 

[bk1970]

You have just jumped into a very deep well and who knows what you will find. Been there, done that. You need to do research, research, research.

Yes, I can imagine 🙂
Sorry to hear about your experience, really bad luck.
I think I have just enough time to do this right. Just needs to be very careful with the cost.

 

[gsgary]

These are very good http://www.metro-print.co.uk/home but dont know how expensive postage would be

 

[bk1970]

Thanks, I'll check them out.