Every Deep Sky Studio print is produced in-house and prepared specifically for the physical medium it will be printed on. We do not simply send a finished screen image directly to a printer.
Astrophotography contains extremely subtle detail, faint structures, deep shadows, bright stars, and delicate colour transitions. Those elements can reproduce differently on paper than they appear on a backlit display, which is why each image is prepared individually before printing.
1. Image Review
Every image is reviewed before printing for resolution, tonal range, colour, contrast, fine detail, and overall suitability for the selected print size and finish.
For customer-submitted images through our Print Your Image service, we also check for issues such as compression, insufficient resolution, significant cropping, or other factors that could affect the finished print.
2. Print-Specific Preparation
The image is then prepared for the selected print medium.
Where necessary, we make careful adjustments to:
- brightness
- contrast
- tonal balance
- colour
- shadow detail
- highlight detail
- sharpening
- final sizing and cropping
The goal is not to change the character of the image, but to compensate for the differences between a luminous display and a physical print.
3. Choosing the Print Finish
We currently offer two photographic finishes.
Premium Luster
A refined photographic surface with a subtle sheen, rich colour, excellent detail, strong contrast, and reduced reflections. It provides a traditional fine-art photographic appearance and works exceptionally well across a wide range of astrophotography.
Metallic Gloss
A luminous, high-gloss surface designed to emphasize deep blacks, brilliant highlights, vivid colour, and fine detail. It is particularly effective for astrophotography with strong contrast, bright stars, and colourful nebular structures.
Each finish has its own characteristics, so preparation is adjusted accordingly.
4. Printed In-House
Every print is produced directly by Deep Sky Studio rather than being sent to an automated third-party print lab.
Printing in-house gives us direct control over the entire process, from the final prepared file to the finished physical print.
5. Personal Inspection
Once printed, every image is personally inspected under high-quality lighting.
We check for:
- colour and tonal consistency
- visible print defects
- banding or unwanted marks
- surface issues
- edge and border quality
- overall presentation
If a print does not meet our standard, it is not shipped.
6. Trimming and Finishing
Where applicable, prints are carefully trimmed according to the selected presentation.
For Print Your Image orders, customers can choose whether they want the print trimmed to the image edge or supplied with a white border for easier matting, framing, or handling.
7. Protective Packaging
After inspection, the print is placed in protective packaging and prepared for shipment.
Our 13 × 19 in prints are shipped flat rather than rolled, helping preserve the print surface and avoiding the curl associated with shipping tubes.
Each shipment is designed to reduce the risk of bending, moisture exposure, and handling damage during transit.
Made to Order
Every print is produced to order.
Please allow approximately 2–4 business days for preparation, printing, inspection, and packaging before shipment.
At every stage, the goal is the same: to produce a physical print that preserves the depth, colour, detail, and character of the original astrophotograph as faithfully as possible.