General photography related stuff thread

WheresMyWhite · Postby **WheresMyWhite** » Thu Nov 12, 2015 5:04 pm

RTR, I have the V1 + both lenses (the 10-30 and the 30-100)(from right after the Nikon1 line came out). Was a gift from ex-SO.

It's a bit on the heavy side for a "compact" camera. I suspect I got it as I have Nikon for my DSLR. Having said that, if I was shopping, I'd be looking at the Sony lines and really reviewing what each camera's strong points are and what I would use and not. The Nikon1 has a nice feature that you can shoot video in a special mode designed to also be able to get high quality stills. I don't really shoot much video so that feature is kinda wasted on me.

Have a *great* vacation! Pictures if you do anything cool!

viscountessleftfield · Postby **viscountessleftfield** » Thu Nov 12, 2015 6:57 pm

Racetrackreject wrote:VLF- Yeah, I think I'm going to have to look into getting a bigger one to try out, but I was torn between that and a beauty dish. Care to share your thoughts on one vs the other?

I don't think the beauty dishes work that well with speedlights. If I ever get my alienbee I'll get a beauty dish for it.

But, for in home lifestyle shoots were I need a whole room evenly lit to chase a kid in, the softbox just can't be beat. Same for dance floors, it's just such nice even light. It totally beats out my umbrellas!

I'm using a Newer brand from Amazon that was about $40. I just bought another Newer one of Ebay with a grid for $29.99! And, a few honeycombs and gels for my speedlights.

Now, I need a pelican case just for lighting equipment. LOL

WheresMyWhite · Postby **WheresMyWhite** » Wed Dec 23, 2015 12:10 am

Resurrecting this

I have discovered shooting fibre optics in the dark is quite the challenge

I rented (and now own ... blush) the 58mm v1.4 - between that and the D750 have some pretty nice photos, at least IMO

VLF, can you turn the shutter sound off on the D750? I can't figure out, if you can, how.

Also, question on using the histogram. Do you use exposure compensation to push the histogram to the right without clipping regardless of how it looks on the back of the camera or do you use a combination of exposure compensation with how it looks along with what the histogram shows so maybe the high part of the bell curve is in the middle...??

Suzon · Postby **Suzon** » Wed Dec 23, 2015 2:14 am

Viscountessleftfield, would love to learn some OCL from you. I really feel I need to take that step. You wouldn't be planning on coming to the bay area any time soon?

Racetrackreject · Postby **Racetrackreject** » Wed Dec 23, 2015 7:17 pm

WheresMyWhite wrote:Resurrecting this

I rented (and now own ... blush) the 58mm v1.4 - between that and the D750 have some pretty nice photos, at least IMO

If it's the same as my full frame, "quiet mode" is the Q on the bottom rung of the top left dial. Now, having said that, there has been a bit of a complaint about it not really being that quiet.

You can't drop that bomb and then not show us photos!!! Congrats on the lens though. =)

Racetrackreject · Postby **Racetrackreject** » Wed Dec 23, 2015 8:32 pm

I have mostly been shooting rodeo type stuff, which is interesting since it's not what I do. The bull riding guys have been super nice and supportive, and have sent me a number of messages either begging me to come to the event they are riding at to do photos or just to tell me that my photos of them are their favorites. So very nice to hear!

Some samples:

I did do a family photoshoot last weekend- mom, dad, 2 kids, and multiple dogs/horses. It was fun and in addition to my regular rate, the mother gave me a gorgeous western halter. It's called a bronc halter, which basically means it has a large decorative leather piece on the noseband. This one has flowers with large rhinestones and is beautiful. I was completely in shock over the gift and I think it will look super fancy on Basco. I will have to get a photo of it to post.

Here are the 2 kids with the daughter's dog, Goose. The photo is not final edited yet and I need to take the redness out of the daughter's face.

Lola, who is a tripod but only uses 2 of her 3 legs.

Oh, I also did photos at my old eventing barn. It was an in-barn schooling show with hunter classes.
Horrible photo, but this is my old horse, Wakerdoodles, with his new owner.

kids (twins) on ponies!

Leadline:

Costume class entry- I swear Mole, the pony, was 30 years old when I started riding there 16 years ago:

WheresMyWhite · Postby **WheresMyWhite** » Wed Dec 23, 2015 10:10 pm

Hummm.... photos... photos - RTR, what would you like to see??? I have luminaria from 2 different places (Desert Botanical Garden and White Tank Regional Park), ZooLights (from the Phoenix Zoo which was a "zoo" with all the kids and not my personal favorite venue) and also the Sonora Lights display from the Desert Botanical Garden (the fiber optic display).

I have whittled them down to maybe a 100 or so that I like

Try this one on for size...

: 20151219-DSC_2284-1-2.jpg (31.81 KiB) Viewed 29800 times

Suzon · Postby **Suzon** » Wed Dec 23, 2015 10:25 pm

OOOOOOOOOOH 8-)

viscountessleftfield · Postby **viscountessleftfield** » Wed Dec 23, 2015 10:29 pm

Suzon wrote:Viscountessleftfield, would love to learn some OCL from you. I really feel I need to take that step. You wouldn't be planning on coming to the bay area any time soon?

I'll be back next spring. I have a flight voucher, let me have your guest room and I'll be there sooner rather than later. :lol:

viscountessleftfield · Postby **viscountessleftfield** » Wed Dec 23, 2015 10:30 pm

Racetrackreject wrote:
If it's the same as my full frame, "quiet mode" is the Q on the bottom rung of the top left dial. Now, having said that, there has been a bit of a complaint about it not really being that quiet.

You can't drop that bomb and then not show us photos!!! Congrats on the lens though. =)

Yep, same place as yours RTR. Quiet mode slows the camera considerably, counts as two clicks on the shutter for the life of it and I don't use it. The D750 shutter is pretty quiet for a Nikon, my 700 is a monster!

viscountessleftfield · Postby **viscountessleftfield** » Wed Dec 23, 2015 10:33 pm

WheresMyWhite wrote:Also, question on using the histogram. Do you use exposure compensation to push the histogram to the right without clipping regardless of how it looks on the back of the camera or do you use a combination of exposure compensation with how it looks along with what the histogram shows so maybe the high part of the bell curve is in the middle...??

Two answers to that.

I personally shoot manual. I shoot to my histogram and in normal lighting conditions I like a nice even histogram with the curve in the middle. Shooting at night, you'll have a histogram that is peaked on both ends because you have really light and really dark areas.

Mom shoots AP with the D750 and I keep it on +.7 exposure compensation because it does like to underexpose. She watches her histogram, and if we're in situations that the camera just can't deal with (severe back lighting is the big one) then she'll go to manual. But, even with her good glasses she can either see her camera controls or consistently see through the viewfinder. She can't get it worked out to see both, so she cheats - which is fine, the D750 and D800 behave themselves quite well on AP!

WheresMyWhite · Postby **WheresMyWhite** » Wed Dec 23, 2015 11:18 pm

VLF, thanks for the tip on the quiet shutter. I won't use it and just deal with the noise as it were...

Thank you for 'splainin' why I was seeing 2 peaks in the histo (right and left side).

I fussed with exposure comp on pretty much all the night shoots as much learning as anything... first time I've really used exposure compensation during night shooting. I'll see how the D750 does at +.7 and see (for outside/daylight shooting). I tend to use AP as I like to mess with DOF on plant photography. I was doing exposure compensation literally in the dark as I couldn't see anything of the camera other than the histogram on review and feeling the buttons and dial and figuring dial to the right "added" light and dial to the left "subtracted" light. The second night at DBG at least I remembered my small flashlight (where is that blush again?)

The photo above (with the 58mm f1.4) was also interesting as cloud cover that was reflecting Phoenix city lights.

VLF, I have a day bed if you need an Arizona vacation

RTR et al, I'll pick a few of my favorites and post them

You have one of them above...

WheresMyWhite · Postby **WheresMyWhite** » Thu Dec 24, 2015 6:14 pm

Fiber optics in the dark *are* a challenge (and all these are hand held)

Oh, all the fiber optics are part of the Bruce Munro: Sonoran Light exhibit at the Desert Botanic Garden in Phoenix.

: 20151203-DSC_1019-1.jpg (95.83 KiB) Viewed 29787 times

: 20151203-DSC_0911-1.jpg (92.28 KiB) Viewed 29787 times

These actually appear to be clear soda bottles, full of water with the fiber optic "wire" in the water. There were 59 of these towers, they are about 6' tall and they all change color.

: 20151203-DSC_1334-1.jpg (147.25 KiB) Viewed 29787 times

WheresMyWhite · Postby **WheresMyWhite** » Thu Dec 24, 2015 6:16 pm

Last of the fiber optics... (this is a "close up" of the "things" that are all over the side of the mountain). Also, most of these fiber optics change color (the small "fireflies" do not change color).

: 20151221-DSC_2527-1.jpg (152.84 KiB) Viewed 29787 times

The desert does know how to pull off a sunset

: 20151219-DSC_2028-1.jpg (47.33 KiB) Viewed 29787 times

: 20151219-DSC_2100-1.jpg (83.26 KiB) Viewed 29787 times

Suzon · Postby **Suzon** » Thu Dec 24, 2015 7:00 pm

So freakin' fabulous!

Suzon · Postby **Suzon** » Thu Dec 24, 2015 7:02 pm

viscountessleftfield wrote: I'll be back next spring. I have a flight voucher, let me have your guest room and I'll be there sooner rather than later.

Would love it if we had a guest room!!!

We turned the second bedroom into the business office. The best I can offer is a blow up mattress. :oops:

You're welcome to it.

Racetrackreject · Postby **Racetrackreject** » Thu Dec 24, 2015 8:11 pm

Love, love those WMW! Gorgeous!

WheresMyWhite · Postby **WheresMyWhite** » Thu Dec 24, 2015 10:12 pm

Thank you

Suzon · Postby **Suzon** » Sun Dec 27, 2015 2:02 am

Here's a question: I'm just starting to re-design my website to better reflect what I do and want to do. So I need to completely revamp my portfolios. I would like a variety of opinions on what images to include...both from pro photographers, horse people, and just image/art enthusiasts in general. Would love to recruit a few of you to go through a library of images and pick your top 20-25. Anyone up for that sort of thing?

WheresMyWhite · Postby **WheresMyWhite** » Sun Dec 27, 2015 5:02 pm

Suzon, sure.

You know me, I have an opinion about just about everything

What I would like to know is what would you like to showcase (and probably in many cases, one and the same)... the breadth of work you do (i.e., weddings, architecture, landscape, horses and so for) or more your image skills (i.e., what you can show via post-).

I am thinking, without seeing the photos, that in some cases, a photo may showcase one of those but not as much the other...

Suzon · Postby **Suzon** » Sun Dec 27, 2015 5:47 pm

WheresMyWhite wrote:Suzon, sure.

You know me, I have an opinion about just about everything

What I would like to know is what would you like to showcase (and probably in many cases, one and the same)... the breadth of work you do (i.e., weddings, architecture, landscape, horses and so for) or more your image skills (i.e., what you can show via post-).

I am thinking, without seeing the photos, that in some cases, a photo may showcase one of those but not as much the other...

Totally great question. For my business, I would like to move more toward sessions where the client is looking for something more "artistic" and different from the standard portrait session. That might be turning their horse into a composite digital work or just an unusual photographic look at their horse or riding or relationship with their horse. Something they wouldn't necessarily get from the standard portrait session. This would be something they would blow up and put on their wall...getting reactions like "great piece...OMG that's your horse!" Or perhaps they are looking for a short body of interesting B&W photos of their horse for a coffee table album.

And then, of course, creating those pieces that people will buy even if it's not their horse. A nice piece to put on the wall in the entry, etc. And even the stuff for throw pillows or mugs and other decor items.

Focusing on horses right now. I will photograph any animal, but there are already some amazing dog photographers out there and my portfolio is a bit slim in that department. I will probably put something together for "other animals" and basic "fine art" stuff, but let's get the horses put to bed first.

Suzon · Postby **Suzon** » Sun Dec 27, 2015 9:34 pm

So should I link the "potential candidates" here or do you think we should do this via PM.

WheresMyWhite · Postby **WheresMyWhite** » Sun Dec 27, 2015 11:57 pm

I'm ok either way

- if you want "public" feedback, then put stuff here - if you are interested in more "private" feedback, then I'd go PM

Racetrackreject · Postby **Racetrackreject** » Mon Dec 28, 2015 7:13 pm

Oooh, I want to see!

I need to do something with my website, it's horrible at this point and outdated, but who has time?? lol

Suzon · Postby **Suzon** » Mon Dec 28, 2015 7:27 pm

Racetrackreject wrote:Oooh, I want to see!

I need to do something with my website, it's horrible at this point and outdated, but who has time?? lol

I hear you on that! I'm trying to re-write my artist statement and that in itself may take the rest of my natural life. :lol:

I just picked out a new template for my website, so now I have to redo stuff to fit that color theme yada yada yada. I used to love this stuff, but cramming it inbetween all the other stuff going on makes it a little bit of a chore these days.

I'll put the photos in the running up in a folder on SmugMug and whoever wants to vote can take a gander. Just leave a list of your top 20-25. Please hold for link. BTW, I'm happy to help out anyone else who needs this sort of opinion.

WheresMyWhite · Postby **WheresMyWhite** » Mon Dec 28, 2015 9:10 pm

Sweet

Looking forward to seeing your first round cut of your favorites

Suzon · Postby **Suzon** » Tue Dec 29, 2015 11:34 pm

Alrighty, anyone who wants to play, just leave a list of your favorites in a post.

https://fuzzywunkle.smugmug.com/Possibl ... /n-tSMNTw/

Each photo is numbered. They are in no particular order. Please also note your absolute favorite. Thanks so much for the input!

Inamo · Postby **Inamo** » Wed Dec 30, 2015 8:17 pm

I haven't got time to list 25 shots for you, as an artist the selection should be yours to reflect where you want your photography to take you. My favourites are those with the horse silhouetted on the ridge at sunset. On some you have applied a blurred effect which isn't to my personal taste, but may be your style. You may wish to consider categories of gallery such as equine portrait, lifestyle etc.

Happy website building

Suzon · Postby **Suzon** » Wed Dec 30, 2015 8:38 pm

Inamo, I do already have my list of 25 favorites in the equine category. For me this is an exercise in what someone other than me is attracted to about my work. I'm trying to get opinions from both photographers, other artists and just strait up horse people. I also posted this in a Facebook group and the results are very surprising to me as to the top scoring pieces. My number one favorite does end up on pretty much everyone's list, but so many of the others are not what I would have picked. So it's very interesting what speaks to other people.

Thank you so much for your input. I too love the silhouettes and love it when I get the opportunity to create them.

WheresMyWhite · Postby **WheresMyWhite** » Wed Dec 30, 2015 9:19 pm

Suzon, I have not forgotten

I have a first pass but want to go over it again before I list them

Racetrackreject · Postby **Racetrackreject** » Wed Dec 30, 2015 10:49 pm

I just did a quick run through and picked some, but not 25. (90, 70,57, 52, 49, 44, 43, 29, 23, 22, 20, 15, 6, 5, 4, 3) I don't really think it's a fair selection because I tend to like plain images without much editing, so that is what I leaned toward. I did, however; like the softer images with the lighter coated horses, but I wasn't as crazy about them with the chestnut colored horse. That has more to do with my personal taste than anything else though. I think the dark pony with the wild mane was my favorite photo, although I loved the spook photo too.

viscountessleftfield · Postby **viscountessleftfield** » Thu Dec 31, 2015 12:57 am

Suzon - I'll go look tomorrow. I got out of the hospital yesterday, this pregnancy is kicking my ass. It sounds like you want to head into Fine Art Portraiture, is that right?

Websites will be the death of me, mine is relatively updated, but I suck so bad at blogging I need to outsource that!

WheresMyWhite · Postby **WheresMyWhite** » Thu Dec 31, 2015 1:28 am

VLF, congrats and :eek:

and hope you are doing better!!!

Suzon · Postby **Suzon** » Thu Dec 31, 2015 2:32 am

viscountessleftfield wrote:Suzon - I'll go look tomorrow. I got out of the hospital yesterday, this pregnancy is kicking my ass. It sounds like you want to head into Fine Art Portraiture, is that right?

Websites will be the death of me, mine is relatively updated, but I suck so bad at blogging I need to outsource that!

I told you this is your Princess Katherine pregnancy. :lol:

I know what you mean about the blogging. I completely suck at it. No follow through...at all.

And yes, I'd like to specialize in fine Art stuff. I want the client that is looking for more than the standard nice photo of their horse. Lots of people do the standard stuff and do it well. So I'd like to branch out into a different market. For example the last three big pieces I sold were the B&W of the mama and foal walking off into the textured background, The horse and rider walking into the painting, and the cowboy and horse bowing their heads against the blowing snow. I like producing a lot of different looks during private sessions and also selling large single pieces as art. If a photo stands by itself, I'm good with that, but I also love taking the good elements in a less than stellar photo and "seeing what I can do" so to speak.

viscountessleftfield · Postby **viscountessleftfield** » Thu Dec 31, 2015 2:41 pm

WheresMyWhite wrote:VLF, congrats and and hope you are doing better!!!

I'm working tonight. :lol:

GERD, Ulcers, and morning sickness are an ugly combo and it got me two days in the hospital. My husband says I have the stomach of a cat, once I get sick... you might as well just pack me off to the doctor.

viscountessleftfield · Postby **viscountessleftfield** » Thu Dec 31, 2015 2:43 pm

Suzon wrote:
I told you this is your Princess Katherine pregnancy.

I know what you mean about the blogging. I completely suck at it. No follow through...at all.

And yes, I'd like to specialize in fine Art stuff. I want the client that is looking for more than the standard nice photo of their horse. Lots of people do the standard stuff and do it well. So I'd like to branch out into a different market. For example the last three big pieces I sold were the B&W of the mama and foal walking off into the textured background, The horse and rider walking into the painting, and the cowboy and horse bowing their heads against the blowing snow. I like producing a lot of different looks during private sessions and also selling large single pieces as art. If a photo stands by itself, I'm good with that, but I also love taking the good elements in a less than stellar photo and "seeing what I can do" so to speak.

Princess Katherine can have her pregnancy back. One of the nurses this week told me just not everyone is cut out for pregnancy. But, by the time you realize it, it's way too late to change it. :lol:

Are you in the In Person Sales group on Facebook? There are some amazing fine art peeps in there, and most fine art portrait artists are probably not selling digitals. You need to control the printing for those products - most labs would butcher them!

WheresMyWhite · Postby **WheresMyWhite** » Thu Dec 31, 2015 4:46 pm

As a curiosity aside...

When/what drives when you replace an SD card??? After so many photos? When you start getting errors (ick)?? You've never replaced one

For those with cameras with 2 SD slots, what do you use the 2nd slot for?

raw+jpg
overflow from slot 1
duplicate of slot 1

viscountessleftfield · Postby **viscountessleftfield** » Thu Dec 31, 2015 4:56 pm

WheresMyWhite wrote:As a curiosity aside...

When/what drives when you replace an SD card??? After so many photos? When you start getting errors (ick)?? You've never replaced one

For those with cameras with 2 SD slots, what do you use the 2nd slot for?

raw+jpg
overflow from slot 1
duplicate of slot 1

I replace my SD cards every 8 months, which is roughly every 50000 clicks. I replace my CF cards every 18 months, which is roughly every 50000 clicks. I have had four card failures this year, and my cards have been used roughly 300,000 clicks.

My dual slot cameras are Raw + JPG. We are at a place with our shooting that I could deliver my JPGs if my RAW card failed. I'd rather not, but doing RAW+RAW slows the processing time of the camera down to a point it's a problem. For portrait sessions I don't always shoot backed up and personal work it's a crap shoot. I have 'backup cards' that just kind of live in my backup slots, I take them out monthly and check them to make sure they work, but otherwise we have two smaller cards that are just backup cards. I use 64gb cards in my primary slots, 16gb in my backup slots. I have enough cards to shoot four weddings in a weekend and not reuse cards.

Racetrackreject · Postby **Racetrackreject** » Thu Dec 31, 2015 5:29 pm

I'm the opposite, I use a 64gb card as my backup and 32gbs as my main shooter. I don't fill up my 32gb cards though and typically just switch them out between divisions. I can get all of my backup from one show on the 64gb card usually. If I don't think I have packed up enough cards, then I will make the 64gb my overflow card, but I've noticed my camera's estimate of how many photos I can get on a card is usually underestimated by around 100. I don't count on having those 100 extra shots, but it's just something that I've noticed.

I haven't really replaced cards, but I don't do the volume that VLF does. I did buy new cards after I noticed that one card started importing some photos upside down, but I've used that card since then with no issues. I just save that card until last or only use it for my personal stuff.

WheresMyWhite · Postby **WheresMyWhite** » Thu Dec 31, 2015 5:41 pm

Thanks! And a followup "blonde" question

- VLF, how do you count clicks?? No, I haven't looked in the D750 user's guide yet

viscountessleftfield · Postby **viscountessleftfield** » Thu Dec 31, 2015 5:54 pm

WheresMyWhite wrote:Thanks! And a followup "blonde" question - VLF, how do you count clicks?? No, I haven't looked in the D750 user's guide yet

This website will tell you - http://www.camerashuttercount.com/

I had to pull shutter counts on the D800 when we killed it and I went ahead and pulled them on everything at that point. I estimate there's another 50000 clicks on my cards where they were used in my second shooters cameras or rental equipment. I average about 25000 clicks a month for my business. One of my employees has the D750, one has a crop sensor Canon (7D) and is learning to shoot our equipment.

WheresMyWhite · Postby **WheresMyWhite** » Thu Dec 31, 2015 6:35 pm

Suzon,

I'll prefer by saying I am not overly fond of most photos that are too post processed

I also am picky with B&W, I tend to like sharper contrast.

My favorites... 16, 17, 20, 23, 25, 29, 30, 37, 39, 41, 53, 57, 58, 63, 79, 87, 90. Would liked to have seen color photos of the pony (50,51)

.

Of the list above, 17, 25, 39, 57, 58, 87, 90 I would put on a short list of photos I would consider purchasing

Suzon · Postby **Suzon** » Thu Dec 31, 2015 7:17 pm

Well, voting is now over. I went in to confirm which photos were on top hit something I shouldn't have and SmugMug scrambled the order. Started to unscramble but threw up my hands. Thanks everyone for participating. I think I have a better idea now which photos the outside world think are my best.

WheresMyWhite · Postby **WheresMyWhite** » Thu Dec 31, 2015 10:26 pm

Suzon,

Do you want verbal descriptions? Although it sounds like if I go back to the window I have open, I won't see the same photos...

Inamo · Postby **Inamo** » Fri Jan 01, 2016 10:25 pm

I finally got round to editing my photos from a trip to Golega in Portugal last year. Thought you might like to see them as I had some amazing opportunities to photograph beautiful Lusitanos from some of the oldest studs in Portugal

Happy New Year!

http://www.helenjgphotography.co.uk/pho ... Key=cmrLD2

Suzon · Postby **Suzon** » Fri Jan 01, 2016 11:10 pm

Inamo wrote:I finally got round to editing my photos from a trip to Golega in Portugal last year. Thought you might like to see them as I had some amazing opportunities to photograph beautiful Lusitanos from some of the oldest studs in Portugal

Happy New Year!

http://www.helenjgphotography.co.uk/pho ... Key=cmrLD2

Those are beautiful! Did you go to the Tony Stromberg workshop or was this something private?

WheresMyWhite · Postby **WheresMyWhite** » Sat Jan 02, 2016 1:25 am

Another 'what do you guys do' question

Do you use local labs to print your photos or some "online" service? I currently use BayPhoto but thinking of trying something different. I looked at Snapfish but their size selections on various prints are pretty limited.

No, I'm not looking to print fine art quality but would like decent quality printing on a variety of difference surfaces and a choice of sizes more than 3 or 4 different sizes

Suzon · Postby **Suzon** » Sat Jan 02, 2016 2:14 am

I use Bay Photo for anything that "counts." If I want to throw together a quick photo book without breaking the bank, I use Shutterfly.

Inamo · Postby **Inamo** » Sat Jan 02, 2016 9:35 am

Suzon, it was a workshop organised by Lusitano World with Russian photographer Katya Druz. They're running another one in April I think, the info is on their Facebook page. We had some magical moments.

viscountessleftfield · Postby **viscountessleftfield** » Sun Jan 03, 2016 2:34 am

WheresMyWhite wrote:Another 'what do you guys do' question

Do you use local labs to print your photos or some "online" service? I currently use BayPhoto but thinking of trying something different. I looked at Snapfish but their size selections on various prints are pretty limited.

No, I'm not looking to print fine art quality but would like decent quality printing on a variety of difference surfaces and a choice of sizes more than 3 or 4 different sizes

I'm not a Bay Photo fan. Their quality is great, but OMG the shipping to the Carolinas is like molasses! Same with Nations, great quality, great selection, but ship times are crazy!

MPix is the consumer arm of Miller's Lab - I use Miller's and send my customers to Mpix. You have to be a professional to have a Miller's account. Some of my stuff is also printed at White House Custom Color, their quality is comparable to Miller's, but I like Miller's albums better so I streamlined to just Miller's unless the order is through PASS/SmugMug/Pixieset, then WHCC syncs with those services.

For Canvases I've heard great things about Artsy Couture and I love their custom USBs.

For albums I want to find a true top of the line album supplier, like KISS but haven't yet!

Snapfish and Shutterfly prints are horrible next to the pro labs, I don't even bother!

Edited to add - I do use a local lab - Biggs or Kenney in Charlotte for last minute. Biggs quality is decent, but they're pricier than online options and not near as nice as Miller's! Kenney has crappy service and doesn't ship, so I have to drive two hours to pick up from them.

Who is online