Print Matte Finish Photos

FlorianBaaske

Hi,
I would like to order prints for some of my photos. I would like to get them printed with the matte finish. But I could not select this finish type. I'm a power user. Is this not included in my subscription?
Many thanks,
Florian

denisegoldberg

If someone from SmugMug doesn't pop in here, you might want to check with the help desk at http://help.smugmug.com/customer/portal/emails/new.

In the meantime, this is what I found on the SmugMug help pages.

From your URL I assume that you are in Europe. Based on Smug's help page Print labs available with SmugMug, if you are in Europe your prints will be directed to Loxley.

Our non-commerce plans all print photos through either EZ Prints or Loxley, based on the buyer's location. Buyers in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa will be directed to Loxley, all other locations to EZ Prints.

From the help page Papers used by the labs for print:

Loxley

Fuji Professional DPII paper is used for both lustre and gloss finishes. Kodak Professional VC paper is used for Metallic. Each press-printed product is printed on an HP Indigo. Depending on the product you select, you may have a choice of different paper options, including Standard Satin, Recycled Satin, Pearlescent, Oyster Pearlescent, Art Watercolour, Ivory Art Watercolour, and Art Linen.

I don't see a matte finish shown for Loxley.

When I go directly to the Loxley print finishes page (http://www.loxleycolour.com/prints/prints-mounting/photoprints#printOptions) I see the same 3 print finishes shown on Smug's help page: lustre, gloss, and metallic.

Ferguson

I don't see a matte finish shown for Loxley.

When I go directly to the Loxley print finishes page (http://www.loxleycolour.com/prints/prints-mounting/photoprints#printOptions) I see the same 3 print finishes shown on Smug's help page: lustre, gloss, and metallic.

Just in the FWIW department if not obvious, when Smugmug arranges to use a lab, they mutually select a menu of services subset from that lab to offer from Smugmug. They do not (necessarily) allow all offerings from the lab to be purchased through Smugmug. As the lab offers new services in the future, they may or may not make it to Smugmug, and the timing of that if they do may be delayed beyond when the lab offers it. The pricing of services through Smugmug, recognizing it includes their guarantees and support (which is a real benefit), may be different (higher or lower) than you can buy directly from the lab yourself.

The good/bad news in all this is you can always export and send the images yourself directly to any lab you choose, you are not limited to Smugmug.

As to why they make some of the decisions on what they offer and don't, which labs, etc. -- envision this giant dart board, and someone throwing darts? Maybe a roulette wheel? Not sure. One of the mysteries of the universe.

FlorianBaaske

Thanks for the clarification. It was not clear to me in the first place, that Loxley did not offer matte through SmugMug.

leftquark

There's a lot of thought into which products we offer through our print partners as we try to maximize sales for our Pro's and not overwhelm non-Pro's with too many options.

In this case, "Lustre" finish is similar to matte in that it does not have a glossy finish but has better color saturation than standard matte.