Not Only Looking at Screens Anymore
I took the leap into professional printing with the Canon Imageprograf Pro-G2 (Pro-310)
Earlier this year, I started learning how to do darkroom printing, and I’ve genuinely enjoyed it so much. I remember renting a darkroom to practice printing color photos, getting so absorbed in it that I completely forgot to eat lunch... and only realized it when I started feeling dizzy around dinner time.
Printing has become a meaningful part of my workflow. There’s something special about turning a photo into a physical object. Being able to touch it, looks into the details, compare versions, and most importantly, let the photo live outside a screen. And surprisingly, quite a few people have connected with those prints, some even giving them a home by purchasing them.
But for the past three months, life got busy. Between making YouTube videos, working on my second photobook, juggling a few personal projects, and my full-time job as a designer... let’s just say it’s been hard to carve out a full free day to rent a darkroom and spend 3–5 hours printing. I still dream of building my own darkroom someday, but for now, I needed a more accessible solution.
Which brings me to this:
I finally bought my first professional printer.
Why I Bought a Pro Printer
There are three main reasons why I finally made this decision:
1. To keep printing consistently.
I didn’t want my favorite photos to stay trapped on screens. I wanted to keep printing, turning digital files into something I can hold and share.
2. To keep the cycle going.
A lot of people have asked when my darkroom prints will be available again. This felt like the right moment to make that happen (and yes, keep the kitchen running too 😌).
3. To explore new possibilities.
I’m excited to try different kinds of fine art papers like Hahnemühle and washi paper, and see how they work with my photos. It opens up a whole new creative way of printing.
Why the Canon ImagePROGRAF Pro-G2 (Pro-310 for outside Japan)?
I spent about a month researching, and here’s why this model made the most sense for me:
A3+ printing: Most of my prints so far have been A4, so having the ability to go larger is a big step up.
Panorama printing: As someone who loves landscapes and wide scenes, I’m getting more and more interested in proper panorama photography, and being able to print them is great.
Cost efficiency: Pro-level printers can be ink-thirsty monsters. If you don’t print regularly, they waste ink doing cleaning cycles. Since I’m not running daily orders (yet), going with something more balanced like the Pro-G2 made sense. I originally considered the Pro-1000 or Pro-1100, but they felt like overkill for now.
High-end features: It uses the new 10-color Lucia Pro II pigment ink and includes features like a chroma optimizer, which are usually found in top-tier printers.
It’s been two weeks since the printer arrived, and I’ve done a lot of test prints.
Like... a lot of test prints.. Maybe too much? lol
I’ve tested Hahnemühle Photo Rag Matt, Ilford Washi Torinoko, and some of brandless fine art so far, big brands gave fascinating results. I’ll write separate posts reviewing each paper soon.
But what I realized again through this whole process is I really love printing.
I love nitpicking everything. From the film stock I shoot, to scanning, composition, paper choice, and tiny details. Having full control over the entire process, from start to finish, is incredibly satisfying.
If you’ve ever seen one of my photos and thought, "That might look nice on my wall",
or if you simply want to support my work (and yes, help keep the kitchen running), prints are now available again. And yes, I ship worldwide! Feel free to visit my online store page (Use: RELEASE123 in coupon code to get 25% off) or message me anytime if you have specific photo request.
This step feels like a big one in my relationship with my work. I’ve spent more hours printing than sleeping in the past two weeks (…no, really), and I love that I care about my work this much. I want to keep going. Keep crafting. Keep sharing.
And finally, I just want to say, to everyone who’s supported me, whether by buying prints or books, buying me a roll of film, or simply reading my writing and watching my videos, thank YOU. It means more than I can say.
Thank you for reading! Let’s connect through some of my social media such as Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube!
And if you want to support me on my journey, you can buy me a film roll, buy my photobook or my prints (ship worldwide)! ❤️
I’ll see you again next time!
Cheers,
