I use these folks

https://bayphoto.com/prints/fine-art-prints/?gclid=CjwKCAjwn6GGBhADEiwAruUcKjgzGZ5hpdkOCMiHGUu3N2-dSQh_v5SpRrz9OZ-yHvNz7LGSXpZcCxoC8VYQAvD_BwE

My daughter did a whole wall of 8x10 from CVS. She did it online then went & picked them up. They look amazing.

Shutterfly does a great job.

Bay Photo is an excellent business local to the three of us. It's a custom photo lab. About a year ago, at someone's suggestion, I had some work done by Mpix and I was shocked by how good the work was. Really top notch. A custom lab in a small podunk in Kansas.

Please take this suggestion from a former pretty active amateur photographer who was schooled by a good friend who's a pro (I'm the amateur). The resolution of the images you're printing is pretty important when you start thinking about larger formats. A standard jpg file, what often photographers will provide to customers, will give you an image (at 11x14) that will be blurry. Best prints at that size require uncompressed files - commonly called RAWs but of many different types that vary by camera brand.

If the image you're printing is in the 5-10 meg size range and/or a jpg, at 11x14 you're going to have an image lacking crisp definition. All of the files I had printed were professionally taken RAWS, some in excess of 75 megs though cropped down. All were very clear. I'm picky, I do see the difference. Maybe it won't matter to you. If you have only small files, try one first. Or see if you can get better ones. Good luck.

+1 Mpix

Honestly.....I just pick the cheapest place. I've had 4MP blown up to poster size @ Walgreens, back in the day....and hung it on the wall......looking pretty good I might say. It's been 3 years since I've had anything blown up.....can't remember where....but I've been pleased with them ALL!

(I rarely shoot in Raw)

Mpix has the best photo prints of anywhere that we’ve tried. For years we tried all kinds of local places but the quaility just wasnt there.

Thank you all--I'm mulling the choices over. Elmer, no, we're not too picky and don't mind if the image is a little "soft."

Sure, sjerin, understand. Soft isn't exactly the right word, better to say "blurry" when seen other than from a distance. Somewhat out of focus.

Do try to get the best resolution image files you can - resolution can be assumed to increase with file size. It does make a difference.

Like you, my images were of a wedding. I insisted that RAW files be provided. The photographer balked but agreed and delayed doing it after the fact. I bought and supplied her with a 256 GB thumb drive for the transfer - all the images in total added up to 150GB. Well worth having.

I ju just used Walgreens for a canvas print, it came out great!

This auto correct mess is driving me nuts!

Is Bay Photo out of Scotts Valley?

I think that's right. I'm not sure if that's a retail facility or, more likely, an HQ and production site.

I looked up the address - it's on Disc Drive, so that may mean it's in one of the former Seagate buildings. Seagate used to be in Scotts Valley.

I remember driving over the hill before Hwy 17 and all the apple juice stands in Scotts Valley right along the road.

That may have been before my time. My recollection back to the mid-70s isn't perfect but I seem to think that stretch of Hwy 17 was already a freeway then. Though over the mountain it wasn't, just a painted line separating cars travelling in opposite directions, usually too fast. It was so dangerous! Or maybe you're referring to off of the freeway and on the SV town streets?

I do remember the cheesy little Santa's Village though, at the other end of the valley from where Seagate was and Bay Photo seems to be, That sat closed and unused for many years before it was torn down

Elmer, I can't remember the exact year Hwy 17 opened, probably around 1958. Before then it was a two-lane road over the hill. Coming back from Santa Cruz on a hot summer day it would be bumper to bumper all the way back and you could hop out of your car, buy some apple juice or a snack and get back in before the cars rolled any further.

It seems like on all weekends from April to October and holidays, it still will be bumper to bumper over in the morning and back in the afternoon-evening. Often, on the busiest of such mornings, the southbound backup can extend back to the Pruneyard. You probably know that if you're in the area. And sometimes starting at Hwy 1, up the mountain and down northbound in the afternoon.

But no apple juice stands, that's something I never saw. Been here since the mid-70s, a SoCal transplant.

Another vote for Mpix. I own a massive, expensive Canon photo printer, but use it only occasionally, when I'm in a hurry. Otherwise I wait for one of Mpix's sales and put in a big order. I'm a firm believer in the value of prints. I've tried a few services recommended by pros, and Mpix is my favorite. When I used to exhibit they did all my 11 x 14s, and some 16 x 20s too. Beautiful job. They print my custom Christmas card every year too.

staples

I came across this video today which might be of interest to those on this thread. It compares the various photo printing services available.

https://youtu.be/Hm88Jl62_pM

I placed my first order from Mpix today. Just a few pix of the grandkids.

Thanks again. I'll remember Mpix for future photo print-outs. I ended up using Framebridge because they wouldn't sell me the frames I wanted (and can't find them anywhere else,) unless I ordered the photos as well. I'll let you know how they turn out.

I recently sent an old photo from my DIL to this company for a 16x20 print. It came out beautiful! Not expensive at all - prices on website and everyone loves it. It is a little 'soft' but unless you put your nose right up to the picture - it is not noticeable. I am a photographer and the resolution is just fine. The original shot is more than 25 years old and I did some editing in my photo editor, because it is a snapshot and the sun was blindingly hot. The canvas is perfect for hanging - as is - I use a regular pushpin for the job. Try one out - can't lose for the price.

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