Printer Geek Here, and I’m excited: Lyve from Breathing Color

Let’s get this out of the way from the start.

1. I’m not employed by Breathing Color.
2. I’m not sponsored by them either.
3. I get no special deals beyond what’s offered on their website.
4. Personally, I like products that work.  I recommend Canon Cameras, and I don’t recommend their support staff.  B&H Photovideo provides most of my gear, and I’ve had only one bad experience with them in 7 years (they don’t sponsor me either).  I like my LowePro packs, and I really dig my Crumpler Bags as well.  Neither company sponsors me.  Actually, none of my favorite manufactures sponsor me or give me any form of price breaks.
5. I’ve done magazine reviews on tech products for a while now.  I don’t get any cool free stuff.  Maybe I should complain to someone………

With all of that said……..

I’ll be getting a roll of Breathing Color’s new Lyve Canvas in this week.  I’ve held out a special print of mine, and I’ll be using it for last month’s photo contest winner’s print as well.  Big stuff.  It better work well.

Last week I contacted my sales rep at Breathing Color.  Stephen.  He’s a good guy, helped me with a weird ordering issue recently, contacted me while in CA to tell me about a cool  place to shoot, etc.  Great customer service.  Apparently they appreciate me too.

See, my site has referred customers to Breathing Color since the inception of my business relationship with them.  I’ve shared my thoughts on their canvas, Optica One, Allure Rag, and Elegance papers.  I’m beyond impressed.  My clients are beyond impressed.  And that’s the important part.  The prints I make 75% of the time aren’t for me and my sales.  They’re for clients.  And guess what?  They’re happy.

Recently Breathing Color sent out an e-mail to current clients regarding their latest breakthrough in canvas.  Lyve.  Heck, I’m already happy with the Crhomata Canvas, and more importantly my print clients are blown away.  I’ve tested other canvases and I’ve been beyond disappointed.  Archival quality, one and all.  But they crack, edges on gallery wraps break apart.  Archival my left cheek…….

Chromata performed great day one.  No cracks, no chipping, stretches easy……  making my life easy.  Making my business partner’s life easy.  And our clients have lodged a total of ZERO complaints.  Our first tests with other canvases?  Complaints.  Cracking, chipping, lackluster imaging.  We weren’t happy.  And nobody else was either.  Those issues have never come up with the Chromata.  That leaves me to concentrate on my job, not reprints!

Now Lyve is available.  I read the specs, read the hype, and I’ve got no idea.  So I called Stephen to ask him.  And a roll is on its way.  I’ll test it out, I’ll see what the difference is.  I’ll print comparisons between Chromata and Lyve.  I’ll probably offer a special on the prints here for followers.  You know, pick the print you want at a discount because it was a 1/1 test.  Yeah, I think that will work.

My understanding on this whole new canvas?

• Lyve can portray a higher dynamic range.  For most of my work that will rock.  We’ll see about the difference.  I’ve got a print in mind.  I’ll do a 16×24 Chromata and one of Lyve.  I’ll tell you what I see.
• Same life quality as Chromata.  That’s huge.
• Same ease of use.  Stretching should be as easy as what I’m used to.  No cracking, flaking, or the rest.
• Apparently it’s even better geared for the Galmour II Veneer.  I’ll tell you what.  I don’t want to stretch a canvas that I haven’t put Glamour II on.  I’ve tried other veneers and fixatives.  Glamour II is much more work (I hate the extra work but the results rock).  I’ve got to roll it on.  I’ve got to mix up the solution for semi-gloss.  It’s work, and it adds to my expense.  But it performs!  If Lyve is even better with it, the better for me as a printer.

So, in the next two weeks I’ll give you my opinions.  Thanks to Stephen of Breathing Color for taking the time to run through the real changes.  I hate marketing hype, and he was kind enough to cut through it for me.  I’m now a loyal customer.  Can’t wait until they make an archival glossy so I can dump the HP Premium Instant Dry Gloss.  Rather shop with one competent manufacturer!