Everybody puts round their forecast for the coming year - business, economy, computer and when it comes to photography - kit.  Why so little on printing?  Is it not a sexy a subject - or is it rather a lot of the same.

 

When one considers how much money is spent on ink and paper (despite the efforts or people like us to help keep your costs down), it is surprising.   I should not complain: like 'photo paper how you want it' there is little competition.

 

Where do I get my insight/  I read a lot, and Photkina was an indicator too  - but then I watch what the  print service people are offering.  If they find a market for a printed service, then there must be similar demand for you to do it yourself.  Some areas we can help; others go to a company which specialises in that product.  then there is my gut feel.  Around in the industry for over 40 years that is an indication.

 

Décor Prints

 

You have a 14 megapixel camera?  Well your photos can be blown up to be large - photos, posters or designs.  Specialist décor paper has been introduced to meet that market.  Or you can use the same gloss or satin papers that you used in A4.

 

Home A3+/A2 Printers

To produce an A2 (24x16.5 in 60x42cm) or A3 Plus (19x13in 48x33cm) you need a printer which can meet this.  This need not be large or expensive: - currently the Epson 3880 or HP Designjet 90 for  A2 or the R2880 for A3plus (that's what I have - with a Fotospeed bulk feed).    Expect some lower cost introductions in this area.

 

Gallery Wraps

Along with décor prints becoming more popular and they have been deskilled.  The You frame home kit is good - but we have discontinued that in favour of Jetmaster.  Canvas should not be a pre-requisite.  Paper is easier to handle

 

Mugs, mats and more

More and more everyday objects are being decorated with your prints.  Not our area - but more and more people offering a service as special ceramics have made these more commercially viable from specialist vendors

 

Acrillic Prints

Another specialist are which we are not into.  For ordinary 10x8's mounted paper will give the same effect - but for cubes etc they can be just right.

 3D

It was all the rage at Photokina, but I'm beginning to think that this surfaces when there is nothing else of importance.  As someone remarked special glasses are anti-social.  I bought some software at Photokina to launch - and it is still in the bag I bought home.  Even I fall for things sometime!

 

Textiles

 

Something else that has been coming for years.  I remember inkjet textiles being presented back in the 1980's.  Watch out for a cost effective service as these companies innovate.

 

Print your own E-books

 

Despite the IPad and Kindle there is something about the printed output which is user friendly.  If you have a laser printer (even mono) are lower cost it is so easy to print 2 pages per view on to the reverse side of used copier paper.   I do it - I guess I'm not the only one.  And I have no commercial axe to grind here.

 

Merge of the Photo Editing and Album Making Software.

 

 We sell the latter, and new versions offer more editing functions.  I think we can expect new versions  (no inside knowledge) with editing approaching Photoshop Elements and far better layout schemes for Photoshop, Corel, Serif etc.

 Niche Paper Supplies

 

Well maybe we are the innovator with "Photo Paper how you Want it"  Paper cut to the size you want and folded, punched, perforated too.     Certainly the print service companies offer a lot.  Maybe we will see more competition.  We welcome it!

 

And more Photobooks

 

I just repeat the Photobooks graphics that GfK showed at Photokina. (the one that featured OPUSalbums.com!).  The service market is exploding: and print-your-own volumes are up too.  As I often say:  "Photos that are not printed are invisible".  They may be on a disk - but they will be forgotten.

 

My thoughts -   What are yours?

 

Best wishes for Christmas and the New Year

 

 

Kind regards
Daniel Roberts
OPUSalbums.com

PS - More bad weather!  We are up-to-date with shipments , but we get the occasional call from customers whose goods have been delayed.  We have had the most problems with medium sized deliveries to the Irish Replublic where we have been using DHL.

If your delivery has been held up please accept our apologies.  It is for reasons totally byond our control.

PPS - Over the Christmas period we expect to ship product out daily till 23 Dec, then by mail only 29, 30 Dec and daily from 4 Jan 2011.  We will check for orders and emails daily throughout the holiday.

PPPS - If you ar a recently added customer apologies for the run of emails.  You were just catching up!