Digital Printing & Workflow
A hybrid workshop (online & in-person) with Sarah Christianson, Summer 2021
You’ve got some beautiful images, but how do you prepare them to take full advantage of the colors, tones, and beauty within? Maybe you’ve tried printing and have been frustrated by the results looking different than on-screen. Maybe your prints just look off and you can’t quite figure out how to make them pop. Or maybe you want to become a better printer in general. This workshop is for you!
In this hybrid workshop, I’ll teach you how to take your digital printing skills to the next level and how to develop a critical eye to better evaluate and refine your prints.
There will be 3 online class meetings via Zoom in which we’ll discuss color management, choosing inkjet papers and printers, file preparation and post-processing techniques in Lightroom and Photoshop, and the hallmarks of a well-printed photograph. The other 3 class meetings will be held in-person, outside in my backyard in Oakland, so we can physically compare inkjet papers and surfaces, evaluate test prints, and refine your images until we’ve turned them into beautiful, finished prints. Particular emphasis will be placed on developing your skills and vision, so you can work with confidence beyond this workshop.
Registration is limited to 8 participants to facilitate hands-on learning and provide individual feedback. Participants should be located in the San Francisco Bay Area to attend the three in-person class meetings in Oakland. For these in-person sessions, the class will be divided into groups of 4 for greater attention and focus on your work. Masks & vaccinations are required, too.
Pre-requisites: Experience using Lightroom or Photoshop to develop & process your photographs. Knowledge of curves & masking helpful but not required. Participants should have at least 3-5 images to use in the workshop, to turn into final prints.
Workshop Schedule, Dates, & Times
Monday, July 12, Session 1, 6-8pm (Zoom)
Color management, monitor calibration, ICC profiles, papers, inks, printers, resolution & sizing, etc
Monday, July 19, Session 2, 6-8pm (Zoom)
Post-processing Best Practices workflows in LR & PS, histograms, curves, dodging & burning, masking, sharpening, preparing for printing, sizing, etc
Saturday, July 24, Session 3, 9-11am or 4-6pm (Oakland)*
Compare and contrast inkjet papers & surfaces, evaluate test prints round 1, mark-up test prints for corrections
Monday, July 26, Session 4, 6-8pm (Zoom)
Examine digital files together via screen share and perform corrections identified in round 1 test print evaluations
Saturday, July 31, Session 5, 9-11am or 4-6pm (Oakland)*
Evaluate test prints round 2, mark-up test prints for additional corrections and final adjustments
Saturday, August 7, Session 6, 9-11am or 4-6pm (Oakland)*
Evaluate and critique final prints, compare & contrast final prints with all previous test prints
6 class session: 3 held online via Zoom & 3 in-person, outside in Sarah’s backyard in Oakland*
Total instructional hours = 12
*In the interest of public health and to provide a high level of individual attention to participants’ work, the class will be divided into two groups (of 4 people each) for the in-person backyard print evaluation sessions. Group 1 will meet with Sarah from 9-11am on the scheduled days, and Group 2 will meet with Sarah from 4-6pm on the scheduled days. Again, masks and vaccinations are required for in-person meetings.
Cost
The following options are available:
$500, workshop only
If you select this option, you will be responsible for using your own paper, making your own test prints & final prints, and bringing these materials to the in-person sessions for evaluation and group discussion. Sarah will not be making any prints for you. This option is recommended for those who have access to a printer and feel confident in using it.
$625, workshop + printing add-on option
If you select this option, Sarah will print all of your test prints and final prints for the workshop. This additional fee of $125 includes all of the paper, ink, and labor. You will provide Sarah with 3-5 image files, and the tests/prints will be no larger than approximately 8x10 to 11x17 inches in size. Prints will be used during the in-person evaluation sessions, and they will be yours to keep after the workshop ends. This option is recommended for those who don’t have access to a printer and/or those with access but don’t feel confident in using it.