incident while trying to print pics at store

[WRM]

Hello all,
I do amateur photography and work on my photos in Photoshop 7. I recently took some pics at one of my brother's baseball games, and made a collage. I gave my mother the picture on a cd so she could get it printed at her local Wal-Mart. When she got there and tried to print it, she was refused, on the grounds that the picture was "professional". (The collage had no watermarks or copyright on it). They also turned down some more pics, including one that all I had done was turn it into a grayscale pic. The employees were very rude, and even a manager came over and insinuated that she had stole this pic and he could lose his license if he printed it.
Now, although I am somewhat complimented by their reactions (still new to this), in reality, I like getting pictures printed at Wal-mart, and I like to send pictures to family and friends to allow them to get what they want printed. So what would you do? Has anybody ever had an experience similar to this? I can't imagine what would have happened if I had taken my own pictures up there and they had turned me down!
Thanks,
Ross

[Noelf]

It sounds like your mother ran into some overzealous workers. Someone from above probably put the "fear of god" into these poor guys about copyright, and they took it to an extreme.

I would tell her to just look in the phone book for a film shop that does digital printing also, they are more likely to understand the process better than Walmart seems too.

- Noel

[Vikki]

I know exactly what your mother experienced. They are actually ridiculous about this.
What you'll have to do is enclose with the CD, a photo release (one for each photo) that includes your phone number. They will actually call you.
I think you can download a "release" at their web site.
I would also send them an email describing your experience.

You are almost better off going to a local lab, where they can get to know you.

Interesting story though, a portrait photographer I know, was at the service department counter at a local big chain grocery store. Right next to the counter was their Kodak print kiosk. While the photographer was waiting at the counter, a woman came over to the kiosk and proceeded to copy a portrait the photographer had taken. Talk about a coincidence!! The photographer was naturally upset and talked to the management regarding their policy, or rather, lack of it.

[rondon]

I've never had a photo printed outside of my inkjet... at Walmart is the printing done on good machines ?

A Lab sounds a bit formal.... while walking up to a machine sounds interesting...

Walmart ... or anyplace pretty much ties up a day from here so could anyone tell me briefly how to prepare ?

I'm supposing that the machine must handle about any format given that they cater to the public... but are there limits to file size etc.

I've looked at the online Walmart site but it seems to pertain to uploading photos for them to print... nothing about a kiosk to print ourselves.

Can you walk up to a machine with a disk and print pix ?or have I read this forum wrong ?

Thanx

[Vikki]

It depends.
Some Walmarts have 1 hour printing. There you will find an Aladdin (think so) koisk where you can put in your media and place your order. It transfers the order and images over to the main printer, which is a Fuji Frontier. It actually only takes about 15 minutes, but they say an hour in case of backlogs. Fuji's don't use embedded profiles, and work best with an sRGB profile.

At all the stores, you can get prints right away, but I'm not sure what printer they use for that, and it may only be 4x6's.

The online ordering is nice in that you can spend all the time you want preparing your order. They will deliver the order to you, for a small shipping charge, or you can have your order sent to the nearest Walmart store, with no shipping charges.

[rondon]

Thank you... sounds good.. i registered and will check that out soon...
RonDon

[cedwar]

Hi everyone...

I just wanted to let you know that I deal with this topic almost everyday, being that I manage a One Hour photo lab. I am strict on the copyright policy because there is an overwhelming number of people who do want to copy work that has been professionally done. I prefer to protect those photographers, especially the smaller more private ones, who try to make a living at that profession. Now when someone comes in with a collage, or something that looks professionally done, who might have done it themselves, I ask them to produce the negatives as proof that the original image belongs to them.

If it turns away business, Id rather err on the side of caution than infringe on a professional's work.

Cedwar

[westsidemaurice]

If you visit Walmart you know you'll waste an hour...and sooner or later you'll have dents and people problems in the parking lot. How much is your time worth, and do you really want to patronize a slave owner?

The smallest HP printer does better work than Walmart and costs almost nothing. The Epson 2200 does better work than most custom labs and still costs less than a scratch or dent in the Walmart lot.

[rondon]

I dunno how bad things are there in NM ...dents and problems in the parking lot .... I guess people are a little touchy there. Never had either problem.
But then I'm so glad to get to town I have to sit on my hands to keep from waving at everybody. might be my attitude.

an hour at walmart isn't much in my life...

But what led you to say the printers are no better ? is that true everyone ?

I had the opinion they utilized high end printers... That was my interest... I don't do enough printing to justify buying a good one.

as for the slave thing.... sadly we're entering a new age... industries have gone global... with little remorse.

What's to be feared now is a falling dollar. let that slide far enough and that "slave" may be able to buy more with his money than we can with our's.

[chris h]

Walmart have taken over a big food chain in the UK called Asda (Associated Dairies) and their staff are called 'Associates' instead of employees, presumably this innures them to the pain of £4.50 ($6) per hour!

[catia]

when someone comes in with a collage, or something that looks professionally done, who might have done it themselves, I ask them to produce the negatives as proof that the original image belongs to them.

And what pray tell do you ask for when someone like me who is all digital comes in? My response to you is similar to your response, "Who needs to do business with you?"

Catia

[DigitalDevo]

Originally Posted by westsidemaurice

The smallest HP printer does better work than Walmart and costs almost nothing.

Not even possible. A normal inkjet can not even compare to a Dye Sub more or less a Fuji machine. The larger machines do not actually "print" the pictures. They use lasers to put the pigments onto the photographic paper and then are pput through a chemical process similiar to regular film developing/prints. Actually, "prints" on Fuji Crystal Archive paper will most likely last longer then a film "print".

[Vikki]

The smallest HP printer does better work than Walmart and costs almost nothing.

I have to disagree with you on both points. I'm am curious though, about why you feel this way.

I have an HP, and I have had prints done through Walmart and a few other places that use Fuji Frontier printers. There is no comparison. Other than a small proof, I would never sell anyone an inkjet print. Also, have you ever calculated the costs of ink and paper for the HP, or any other home printer? It's outrageous!

Don't get me wrong, I'm not defending "Walmart", but rather the process. There are plenty of other places to get Fuji Frontier prints.

[brandonx49]

This is hot topic today.

My experience with Walmart has been good. At 25 cents Canadian for a 4x6 matt or glossy I'm not complaining. To purchase an expensive consumer photo printer would be a matter of convience (debateable): the cost of ink, paper, hardware; calibration; troubleshooting is hardly worth it to me and I get along with computers pretty well.

Last week I actually went to all three places in town that do the fast one hour printing. I printed a variety of 4x6 images at these shops and the quality seemed pretty much the same. One place was 29 cents an image but they did it right when I was there. Impressive.

I still have yet to try the pro shop and print 8x10's for a true quality comparison.

Eventually I hope to sell my prints to clients. Are these hour shops good enough or should I go to a professional shop.??

Places like Ofoto - how does this compare to the Walmart quality??

Tx,
Brad

[DigitalDevo]

Frankly, for selling prints I would want top notch. Shutterfly or someone who uses Fuji Crystal Archive paper on good machines! Or For super large format prints places like JumboGiant (also get canvas and watercolor prints made), or the Kodak E-Metallic paper is supposed to be super rgeat for portraits and B&W/Toned images.. Like from Mpix.. I just made an order to Mpix and am awaiting the arrival anxiously to see how this paper and their printing service stacks up. I have ordered 1000's of prints from Shutterfly with no problems at all