Those, who follow me on Instagram and Facebook, most likely know already that I dedicate so much personal time to take new pictures and spending many many hours in Photoshop to refine them. Sometimes I really think "why in the world do you retouch so excessively, removing any small part of dust or dirt, conducting high-end retouching if all of it anyway is most likely to be viewed on a smartphone?! Or even worse on Instagram only. In the size of stamp."
But the very simple answer is: I want to do my retouching once! So not just something quick for the Internet. If I have a vision, I want that vision to come to live. If that means spending three hours in Photoshop, it's fine. And I know for myself that I am always aiming higher and want to produce the best picture I can and get the best possible quality, so that my pictures could be printed big! Then, everyone sees bad masking mistakes, dust spots and anything else that hasn't been done flawlessly. So basically those small pictures would have to be re-retouched in order to make them look good when viewed bigger than on a smartphone screen.
Actually, I love big prints, but unfortunately I rarely take the step to order big prints, because as you know, I like to keep my flexibility and don't clutter myself with heavy big things which you cannot transport easily in suitcases. So I decided two years ago, to decorate my room with small prints, which are still way bigger than instagram pictures and to cover my wall piece by piece with my photographs. That way, I do not have to decide which exact picture I want to hang on my wall. There are just too many pictures that are important to me. And if it comes to printing digital pictures, I always chose and still choose Saal Digital, a German printing company with fair and transparent pricing. And Saal Digital became my number one printing company, since it has been the first service that accurately matched my colours, even if my picture had been edited in ProPhoto RGB, which is not even printable. Nowadays, I edit my pictures directly in Adobe RGB.
Even big publishers like NatGeo didn't manage my colour profile online.
So then, when Saal Digital recently offered to me, to try out their printing service for wall prints I could not deny this offer. I got a 50€ voucher, which I fully used ordering a Alu-Dibond Butlerfinish® 40 x 60 of the following picture:
I decided for this picture, as it symbolises my biggest solo travel adventure so far. 14 days through the Middle East, visiting Israel and Jordan. It was also my first trip outside of Europe and it taught me so many things that no university or tv program could have ever taught me. It opened my mind to different cultures, and although we made different experiences, we are all the same.
Anyway, now I am really happy to have this print decorating my last wall in this flat I live in currently. It is super light weight, durable and the finish is beyond what I had imagined, so I will be able to also carry it with me if I decide to move abroad again one day. I hung it onto the wall - using Pattafix rubbers - facing one of my windows. Depending on the time of the day the picture looks always a bit different as the aluminium surface bounces off the light. Hence, this picture with the harsh sun and harsh shadows was a fantastic choice for the aluminium print, as it plays with the lights and shadows of the image.
I am even more surprised how detailed this print is. I remember myself pushing this image to its limits and sharpening it into the last details. And now I see that all my dedication to high quality pays off. If you are like me and prefer quality over a quick print in a nearby supermarket, Saal Digital should be your choice! Hands down! They operate as well in Poland and many other European countries.
Every year, I print A3 calendars for my close friends and family, which look absolutely fantastic!
Ordering a big wall print will not disappoint you!
Thanks, Saal Digital for doing a great job!
PS: Yes, it is advertisement. This article is sponsored by Saal Digital. To pay back for my voucher I was supposed to write an article about my experiences. BUT I would not never lie or cooperate with company's that I do not fully support. So this is an honest feedback and recommendation.
#saaldigital