Rex Huang knows a thing or two about printers. Aside from owning an event photography business, he’s also director of the Photo Booth Biz Conference. His mission? To help others in the field develop their event photography businesses. The success of any photo booth business, in addition to cameras and lighting, is the ability to print—and print quickly—when lines of people are waiting in anticipation for their images. One of the first printers Huang used for his photo business was DNP’s DS-RX1HS™. Today he’s still loyal to the brand, having added the DS620A™ and the QW410™ to his printing arsenal.

We caught up with Huang to hear about how these printers have helped him both maintain consistent quality and grow his brand.

In what way do you use each of your printers?

Although each printer can be used in a variety of ways, we tend to pick a printer according to the unique situation in which we find ourselves. When we work with large crowds—trade shows and sporting events, for example—the DS-RX1HS is the right tool because of its ability to handle high-capacity rolls of paper: 700 4 x 6-inch prints per roll.

The DS620A is ideal for 4 x 6-inch media and 2 x 6-inch photo strips, and when print speed is the priority. We’ve been able to make prints in as little as 8.3 seconds, which makes this the reliable option when we have a line of 100-plus guests waiting for their images.

The QW410 is perfect for boutique events when we need something small, portable and lightweight.  

How did you first begin incorporating the printers into your business?

We initially did testing in the office. We would run the printers for 15 to 20 minutes straight throughout the day. We tried them in different weather conditions to see if they would overheat. As long as they weren’t outdoors in direct sunlight, we never had any issues, which is common for any professional photo printer.

What, in your opinion, makes the printers so unique?

What makes DNP printers unique is that they cater to a variety of needs. They are beautiful in form, reliable in function and can print in multiple sizes.  

Which DNP media is your personal favorite or the most popular among your clients?

Definitely the luxury metallic media. Our clients are always impressed when they see the media’s unique ability to make the colors pop off the page.

In what ways have using the printers allowed you to expand your offerings?

The DS620A is fast and versatile and can offer everything from a 2 x 6-inch photo strip to a 6 x 20-inch panoramic print. Not many printers can do that!

Have you noticed a direct correlation between using the printers and the growth of your business?

Absolutely. In a time and place where everything has gone digital, the print is really what sets us apart. With the rapid print speeds of dye sub printers today like the DS620A, we are able to offer on-site printing, which has increased our business tremendously. When you can hand someone a print within seconds of taking a photo, it’s an absolute marvel to them. The generation coming up now is not used to seeing prints. Taking the image from the screen to paper is like a new idea to them. The DNP photo calibration is sharp and the colors are vibrant, which makes the photos stand out. There is no longer the need for transferring or USB drives— you are literally handing them a high-quality print in a matter of seconds.

All of our inquiries for events request that we have on-site prints. They not only want copies for their guests, but also are willing to pay more to get a copy for themselves. Before, we watched digital taking over film. Now, it’s prints taking over digital.  

When we do high-capacity events, we will use the DS-RX1HS as it has a 700-print capacity and is an absolute workhorse. Whenever the client is looking for something different, we offer DNP luxury metallic or panoramic prints without having to buy new printers. The luxury metallic paper just takes it up another notch.  

Find out more at dnpphoto.com.

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