Tuesday, September 15, 2015

A Look Back




by Kate Dardine


As many of you know, I’ve been a part of Fine Print Imaging for a long time. I started out in 1989 as a part-time “spotter.”  These were in the days before digital printing, when we printed from negatives.  Instead of printing onto sheets of photo paper, we utilized large rolls of 11”, 20” and 30” wide paper.  After being exposed and wet processed, the rolls came through the dryer and had to be caught up on a cardboard core and rolled.  Then the individual prints had to be trimmed off the roll, counted and spotted.  When printing from negatives, sometimes dust falls onto the negative during exposure, which results in white spots on the print. The “spotters” would use Kodak photo retouch dyes to paint in the spots, making them disappear. It was painstaking, sometimes grueling – but FUN work (at least for me)!

Along with catching, trimming, counting and spotting prints, my job also entailed packaging print orders and shipping. After a few years, I moved into customer service, where I took in and scheduled orders, organized negatives and guide prints and started our monthly newsletter.  Fast forward a few more years to the late ‘90’s and my job changed again as I concentrated on bringing in new customers, following up with current customers and teaching our customers about marketing their work and about that new-fangled technology, digital printing.  At that time we started using the IRIS printer and dye-based inks.  Not long after that, we bought our first Chromira digital photo printer and the ICG drum scanner.  As the technology for ink printing improved, we up-graded to the Roland printer, and now print with Epson wide-format ink printers.  We no longer print from negatives – having closed up the last of our darkrooms a few years ago.

Even the way our customers can order has undergone metamorphosis. “Back in the day” customers could mail in orders, or phone them in. Then we got a new-fangled machine and we could accept FAXed orders! A little while later, email orders. Now fine folks can mail, phone, email, use our online order form or utilize our completely online ordering system, Fine Print Express!
 
The point to all this being, that over the years, there have been lots of changes as Fine Print grows and integrates new technologies – but one of the things that hasn’t changed is our company-wide  dedication to bringing you the very best, archival reproductions at the very best price. And to give you the very best customer service while doing it.  Many of us have been here for over 20 years.  At 26-1/2 years, I’ve been here the longest, and have probably assumed more “hats” than anyone else – with the exception of Mark Lukes – Fine Print’s Maintenance Engineer, IT Specialist and President/CEO.

And the point to THAT is…I have decided to reduce my hours at Fine Print to part time in order to pursue my other love – painting.  I am grateful for Fine Print’s support as I take this step into what will eventually be a full-time business.  I hope you will follow along with my progress in my monthly blog posts, and I hope I can impart some of what I learn to help those of you considering making the leap. (Of course, my leap is more like walking up to my belly in the waters of full-time painting!) 

Kate Dardine has been helping artists and photographers with their art businesses for over 26 years. She is now transitioning to full-time art and invites you to follow along on the journey. www.katedardine.com    www.fineprintimaging.com

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