How we Make Your Order
We treat your order with the utmost care and professionalism. Once your order is placed it's logged in our tracking system and scheduled for production. Most orders will arrive within four to six weeks if being shipped out of the country. Within Ireland we usually deliver between three to four weeks. If you need yours faster let us know by leaving a message in the 'notes' section at checkout, and we'll do our best to get it out within your timeframe.
All my prints are made on Canson Platine Fibre Rag, an archival 100% cotton rag paper with a semi-gloss finish. I've used it for years and I'm very happy with it, as are my customers. The texture of the paper is preserved while allowing rich deep blacks and vibrant colorus. It's very similar to the fibre-based papers used in traditional dark room printing, and you can reasonably expect the print to be just as colourful and vibrant in 70 years as it is now.
We inspect each print carefully for defects. If any are found the print is discarded and a new one is made. All prints are signed by me personally.
When shipping an unframed print, it's first placed face down on a sheet of acid free tissue which will protect it during the rolling and tubing process. It's then carefully rolled and inserted into the heavy duty shipping tube. We uses 4" diameter, 2mm thick cardboard tubes and they are very durable. We rarely see any damage, and if any does occur we will send a replacement print free of charge.
Don't forget that unframed prints are shipped for free, anywhere in the world! If you purchase a framed print, we pay just as much attention to detail. From the making of the frame itself, to the cutting of the backing material we strive for the highest quality possible.
For framed prints that are being shipped, we use high quality acrylic instead of glass. This is just as clear as glass and is actually a more expensive material. We offer this as a complementary service to minimize the risk of breakage en route. To date, we have never had a framed piece arrive damaged.
To keep them perfectly flat, larger photographs are dry mounted directly onto the backing board. The process is fully archival and ensures the print doesn't shift in its frame over time.
Frame assembly is the most time-consuming part of the operation. First the glass (or acrylic) is fitted into the frame after it's been thoroughly cleaned. We then add the mountboard which separates the print from the glass and provides an attractive border. Next the print on its backing board is added. We check for dust at all times and sometimes have to open everything up to remove a speck two or three (or more!) times before we're satisfied.
Once we're happy the frame is dust free, the back is pinned into place and the edges are taped to prevent dust migrating in over time. Once this is done it's time to add the string and the frame is ready to hang. The final step is to make a custom box for your photograph. This is built from scratch in the workshop and is tailored specifically to your order. It's sturdy enough to tolerate rough handling on its way to you and these boxes have an excellent track record!
Once shipped, you will be emailed to let you know it's on the way. We generally use tracked courier services for framed prints, so you'll get a tracking number as well.
When you receive your order, if it's an unframed print, we recommend not opening it at home. There's a risk you could kink or otherwise damage the print. It's best to take it instead to your local framer and open it for the first time with their help.
Thanks again for your order, and we hope you get as much enjoyment from your print as I get from making the photographs!