Yeah. It’s the sort of thing you need to see in real life to understand. You don’t really get how the print interacts with the ambient light when looking at it on a computer. Which is why I suggested getting some small prints made up.
Metallic paper is my favorite. The colors jump off the page and beat you over the head with their colorfulness. But this is a problem if there’s too many different colors in a small area. Example - this picture that I printed looked like hell on metallic paper because the colors were fighting each other. It looked fine on normal glossy and lustre papers:
You won’t have the problem with B&W pictures, or with pictures with large patches of one color. The different leaves and sky color in this one was too much on metallic paper.
I searched quickly, and it looks like I can get a large (about 50 inch long) panorama printed on aluminum here (or at least the shop can have it printed in France and shipped to their shop directly). It would cost from 60 to 100 USD, depending on the exact size.
No sign of metallic paper though, but the store propose a high quality photo paper on aluminum sheet. I guess it’s a different different thing?
I think I’ll try getting a modest print size first to see the quality. Then I can have it hanging in my work office, not a loss.
Noise should not be a issue as you are brightening only the lighter area and noise in the clouds may look like natural structure!! One way to do it in GIMP is:
Duplicate the layer twice. Turn the top layer blending mode to screen. Apply a black layer mask to that layer and roughly paint in (soft brush, white color and 100% opacity) the central parts of the clouds. Then apply large Gaussian blur to the mask. Merge Down to the second layer. Now you will have two layers. One original and other with lighter clouds. Repeat if necessary. This works for me every time.
Cool! Let us know how it turns out (post pictures).
It sounds like they are printing on normal photo paper, and then gluing the paper to a sheet of aluminum.
I don’t think you’re being offered a 50" print on aluminum for $60-100.
Here’s some of the prices where I got my canvas printing done. Measurements in inches, prices in USD:
So it’s another reason to go small at first to make sure you understand what you are getting.
Printing pictures is fun. In one room, I started hanging pictures on one side of the room, and as I print new favorites, they are gradually moving leftward and filling up the wall across the room. It’s interesting to watch my skills and style changing as time goes on by looking around the room. Pictures that I took 3 years ago and thought at the time were the best thing ever, I now am sort of embarrassed about. But I leave them up now as a history lesson. Sort of a “this is where I came from” thing. I’m sure 3 more years from now, I will have second thoughts about my current favorites.
That’s the price I saw on their website: 84.95€ for a 30x140 cm print on aluminum (that is, 96.54 USD for 11.81 x 55.12"). Your can look here for a google-translated page.
I pulled the trigger and ordered a direct print on aluminum. But to test their lab, I ordered the smallest size available (~8x12"), the total is 42 USD including wall fixation system and shipping to Guadeloupe. Delivery is expected on January 30.
Edit: if the result is satisfying, the big print will cost me 140 USD everything included (12x47")
