User Profile
- Don Frost:
Sussex photographer, Don Frost, an electrical engineer by trade,
is fast developing a successful photographic business, which
will enable him to achieve his ambition
of becoming a full-time professional. As a hobby, he has specialised in macro
photography shooting mainly flora and fauna. Two years ago he started selling
his images, working part-time at weekends covering events, such as horse shows,
dog club shows and football tournaments in his local area, plus weddings and
family, children and pet portraits. “
After covering a two-day weekend
event, I was coming back to my studio and producing the print
orders on my Epson 1290. It was taking around two days to do
it. I needed to be able to produce high-quality prints up to
6"x9" on-site very quickly, cheaply and the quality
had to be good. Early in 2004 at “Focus on Imaging” I
looked at all the digital processing equipment on the market
within my price range, including dye sub printers,” said
Don. He eventually settled for the high-speed Mitsubishi CP9500DW
digital colour dye sublimation thermal printer (the new upgrade, CP9550DW, can print up to 10 seconds faster than the CP9550DW with no comprimise on image quality!). “ The
quality of the prints is extremely impressive and the cost
per copy is the lowest of all the dye subs I looked at. With
this machine, there is no messing about with inks and paper.
The 3-colour ink sheet roll – cyan, magenta and yellow – and
a clear covering film
come packed with every paper roll. The finished prints are completely colour-fast
and waterproof.
“ I only use the 6"x 9" paper
rolls, so that
I don’t have to keep changing to different widths. This means I can also
print two 4"x 6" prints up together and 5"x7" prints. I leave
a white border around these. 6"x 9" prints are borderless. I sell these
three sizes in almost equal amounts. Larger prints, 8”x10” and 8" x12",
I do on my Epson 1290 inkjet printer, which I have had converted to use with
the Lyson Continuous Ink System, saving me a fortune in ink. “ With on-site
printing, speed is of the essence and I produce a 6"x 9", or two 4" x6" prints
up together in 50 seconds, using the Fine setting. The quality is outstanding
for both colour and black & white. Customers love them!
“ I get 270 6" x9" prints per roll, currently costing me 41p
each.
“ In my studio, my setup comprises the Mitsubishi machine, Epson 1290 inkjet
printer and my laptop. On-site, for event work, I also include an Epson C64 inkjet
printer for producing very quick, low-resolution proofs for cutomers to be able
to choose the images they want to buy.“ This Mitsubishi machine is the
perfect complement to my Epson 1290.
For instance, I produce my own wedding albums
for customers. All the prints up to
6" x9" are printed using the Mitsubishi machine, and larger prints
are done on the Epson,” Don told us. If demand for larger sized prints
increases, he plans to purchase a Mitsubishi CP3020DE printer to do 8" x10" and
8"x 12" prints. Don is getting a name for himself in the local events
scene and expects to cover upwards of 50 events in 2005. At the bigger events,
he will have a second photographer working alongside him, with two staff dealing
with customer orders and processing the prints. More and more weddings are also
coming his way, purely by personal recommendation.He is currently using a Canon
10D digital camera with 70-200 f2.8 zoom lens for his event work, which gives
him the speed to freeze the action even on dull days.
He also uses a Canon 28-135 f3.5-5.6 lens as an all-rounder for weddings and
his studio work. Don
Frost Event photography, weddings and portraiture
“ The quality is outstanding for both colour and black & white.”
“This Mitsubishi machine
is the perfect complement to my Epson 1290." www.donfrost.co.uk
Largest capacity media rolls for lowest cost per copy.
