Information & Services

IMPORTANT CHANGES TO WEBSITE SALES

1) Due to the complexity of selling and distributing framed art works to customers I am simplifying the sales process. Firstly, all work is now being offered unframed and unmounted. Ordered articles will be produced in the same way, signed, tubed and dispatched. I am able to supply a framing and mounting service of which full details will be supplied on request.

2) All imagery on this website (with the exception of the New York & London exhibition galleries) is available as a Limited Edition fine art print with a maximum number of 500. Numbers are strictly monitored and will be withdrawn when they reach there total. Print sizes are basically offered at 2 sizes and 2 prices respectively – To fit a 60x80cm frame & mount £140.00GB. To fit a 50x70cm frame & mount £120.00GB. All prices are Inclusive of VAT. Smaller sizes will be added soon.

3) Because of this new approach prices have been drastically reduced for a limited period while I assess if there is interest in sales in this manner.

4) The ‘Buy this Item’ button is located directly underneath each image and when clicked will display the print sizes available, together with the price. There is no obligation to buy at this stage but you may find it useful to view the details. If, for example, you choose to buy two items they are added to your basket (top Right in galleries) Click this button and it will display all the details of your selections to date. Should you wish to continue with a purchase then simply proceed to the next stage - the 'Checkout' button (top right in galleries)

5) I use pay pal on this site, as most people do with these kinds of web transactions. It is used by millions of people safely and is really the only way to sell securely in this manner. If you are not comfortable with this method of payment then I am happy to take orders via email confirmation and cheque in a more conventional manner. Just email me at this address; studiof8fx@googlemail.com and I will be happy to discuss alternatives.

6) These web prices will always be significantly lower than gallery or public Exhibition prices because of gallery percentage and administration costs. Anyone wishing to purchase work from this website is buying directly from me, so there is no one else in the profit chain. Just me the photographer and you.

Digital Suite,Workflow Software & Profiling.

I run a fully equipped digital studio, utilising fast Macs, PCs and plenty of external storage space. Running a plethora of software including full Adobe creative suite, Lightroom, Capture one 4 Pro and Iview Media Pro. Raw to processed workflows are carried out methodically in all cases and where large numbers are required workflows can be adjusted to provide multiple variant files, for example, a final High –res Tiff in Adobe 1998 colour space. A Low-res in sRGB for web usage, or output in 16 bit to ProPhoto RGB (an even larger colour space than Adobe RGB)
Monitors are ’close loop’ calibrated and work is undertaken within given colour spaces; Printing with correctly tested ICC profiles on wide format printers using K3 ultrachrome inksets onto paper and canvas.

Original Artwork Reproduction

1. Rostrum digital camera capability for artwork reproduction.
Original artwork can be copied via rostrum cameras and studio lighting.

2. Colour matching
Digitally captured artwork is then carefully colour corrected for archival paper and canvas and matched to the original artwork.
These files can then either be printed 'In-house' or sent to client or printer repectively

The Print Production Process

Below is a little technical information for anyone who wishes to know more about the processes and materials I use. I understand that not everyone will be interested in this, but offer it to those who are!

The Print Process.

Personally, it's my belief that the ‘Post Production’ and subsequent printing of an image can make or break a good photograph and that it needs to be undertaken with as much care and knowledge as is to hand; if the results are to be ‘the very best’ that can be drawn out of all the latent detail within either the negative, transparency or digitally captured image.

All my digital camera files are always processed as 16 bit files. One of the reasons for this is that 16 bit production offers greater subtlety over 8 bit (which is what the image will be when it’s actually printed) Any colour changes or other enhancements that are made will be far smoother as 16vs8 obviously, has twice the bit depth (twice the amount of pixels) thus the amount of image degradation is kept to a minimum. In the case of film; images are scanned at high resolution in 16 bit and the same process applies.

My pictures are produced using ‘editable layer sets’ and run out as ‘test proofs’ these smaller ‘proofs’ help me to determine how the changes that I’m making within each image are actually going to look in the final print. The reason for editable layer sets is that I can go back to previous proofs by turning ‘sets’ on or off. A good example of this is an image could have as many as 10 test proofs and I may decide, further down the line, that I actually thought proof number ‘6’ was the best – so turn off sets 7,8,9 & 10 – simple, but effective !

Colour Management

A little concerning ICC profiles (which I use methodically in my print production)

At the foot of this article is a piece explaining exactly what an ICC profile is. My explanation is thus; Modern printers are capable of superb colour rendition and the special surface coatings of paper & canvas that are developed are, if to perform at their optimum, meant to be used in conjunction with ICC profiles. The manufacturers want their products to perform as they intended and at their best so they produce special ICC profiles to accompany different paper types. These ICC profiles are extremely important to consistently good and repeatable print production. The paper & canvas suppliers that I use have specially developed profiles for each paper & canvas type.

Materials Used.

All images are printed onto acid free, museum grade archival paper & canvas using ‘Ultra chrome’ K3 inks to ensure a museum grade archival final print. The canvas used is the most archival material available imported from the USA. A museum grade coating further protects the print from UV light & atmospheric pollutants. The finished prints are wrapped on exhibition quality frames made from finger jointed renewable pine. The frames have mitre cut expansion corners together with pegs that will keep the fabric nicely tensioned over time.

To summarize; each print is produced using the most modern technology in inkjet, paper & canvas presently available on the market.

Article Excerpt taken from the web : Concerning ICC profiles
Andy Benedek clears the confusion over the colour management components.
What are ICC profiles?
ICC profiles are components of, and are used by, colour management systems. They describe the characteristics of equipment used in the manipulation and reproduction of colour images to maintain the most accurate or most acceptable rendition of a reproduced image.
Why should they interest me?
If you acquire colour images and print them, the use of accurate ICC profiles for input and output devices, as part of a colour management system, is necessary in order to produce consistently acceptable results. Not using them means leaving results largely to chance.
What does ICC mean?
ICC stands for the International Colour Consortium, the body that drew up the specification.

The Riverside Studios, Hammersmith

The exhibition 'Reflections of London' currently showing at The Riverside Studios', Hammersmith is due to end on Sunday 12th October 2008.
Many thanks to everyone involved and to those who came along to the private viewing. My apologies to anyone whom I didn't get a chance to have a chat with. Please feel free to contact me via this website if you have any enquiries or comments.
Once again, Many thanks.

Sponsorship by fruitart

The exhibition above 'Reflections of London' held at The Riverside Studios, Hammersmith, has been kindly sponsored by Fruit-Art www.fruit-art.co.uk

'Reflections Of New York '

Following the success of 'Reflections Of London' at the RAC;I have undertaken a similar venture shot in New York - 'Reflections of New York'; currently, this new work is scheduled to be exhibited at the RAC Club in the Spring of 2009. More details will be posted as soon as they become available.

Liberty of London

I will soon have some pieces from my RAC exhibition 'Reflections Of London' placed into the 'Liberty of London' store; should any one wish to pop along and view them. I believe they are going up on the 4th floor. As soon as they are placed on display I will post details here.

SAATCHI GALLERY

There are a selection of my images on the Saatchi gallery, should you wish to view them then please go to the 'links' section on this website and click on the highlighted link bar.

'Reflections of London' RAC Exhibition.

Dear All,

My Exhibition ‘Reflections of London’ finishes this coming Saturday 24th November and has been a greater success than I imagined. This is largely thanks to such a splendid venue and great support from staff , my printers and paper suppliers (‘Links’ section on website) various colleagues and friends, but not least to the Patronage of the RAC members themselves who have shown great interest and support.

There is already speculative talk of producing a similar project on the New York Skyline early next year.

RAC members (and none members) are still able to make late exhibition purchases directly through me ("contact me" links on this site) City Skyline Triptych (foyer piece) No27 on website; sold 13 of its allotted 15 so there are still 2 limited editions left should anyone wish to own them.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved in helping to make this project a success.