Why photographers still need to print - James Tan, Photographer and Printmaker

How printing your photographs makes you a better photographer.

- Alvin Soon

How did you become a printmaker?

I joined the Master Photographers Association (MPA) from the U.K. That’s when I noticed that print is especially important, because to enter the MPA you need to go through a print exam. If a photographer doesn’t know how to print his picture properly, he doesn’t pass.

It was around 2007-08 that a senior photographer suggested I focus on printing. I decided then that I would dedicate 10 years to learn everything I could about printing.

What separates a good print from a bad one?

There are two foundations: the first is color management. You need to know how to properly calibrate your monitor. In the entire workflow from camera to print, the printer is actually the most accurate device. The most inaccurate device is the monitor. With an inaccurate monitor, you don’t know what you’re doing.

The other is to know how to edit your picture. A lot of times you can’t always see exactly what you’re doing on the monitor. The moment you print your picture you’ll be able to see all your mistakes. A monitor has, at most, 8.3 megapixels, your camera has way more. You won’t be able to see your mistakes on the screen, you’ll need to print it out.

What are some common mistakes people make when printing their photographs?

Mistakes people make when printing are small. But when you print your picture, you’ll notice the mistakes you made when editing, the mistakes you made during shooting, the mistakes in your concept.

There are four steps to a photograph: The first is conceptualization, the second is the handling of equipment, the third is editing, the fourth part is the print. The print is the trial by fire, because if the print doesn’t turn out well, then it means your picture isn’t good.