At LexJet, we like when customers send us images of all the different types of projects they’ve created using different types of LexJet materials on their wide-format inkjet printers. It is especially gratifying to see the many different ways that photographers are using LexJet materials and wide-format inkjet printers to support community events and charities.

Professional photographer John Eblen, of PhotoSolutions Co. in Akron, OH, recently sent us this photo, showing a banner he had created at the request of organizers of the “Welcome Home Cleveland” celebration that was held in August to welcome home all active-duty military personnel, Reservists and National Guard members who had served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

As a veteran himself, Eblen had offered to help with the event any way that he could.  He says that, “When they called and said they needed a last-minute banner to thank sponsors and donors, I knew it was right up my alley.

He printed the banner on LexJet TOUGHcoat Thrifty Banner media on his HP Designjet Z2100 printer. TOUGHcoat Thrifty Banner material is a 16-mil, bright-white, scrim-reinforced vinyl with a super-smooth surface and superior ink-saturation properties to help produce great-looking photos or graphics with hard-to-hit spot colors.

Eblen said he was very impressed with the quality of the material and picked up several new banner projects from others who were equally impressed.

Eblen thanked LexJet for advising him to try it out and said “It really did exceed my expectations. It not only took the detail of my printing very well, but also proved to maintain the water-resistance of my inks.”

John Eblen is relatively new to the photography business, noting that “For the past 20 years I have been preparing myself to move from my design engineering job to what I wanted to do for the next 20 years of my career—which is photography. The more active I became in photography, the more I saw a need to do my own printing. As people have noticed my print quality improving, other photographers and artists have been asking for my help with their projects.”

While he’s still exploring various shooting styles and techniques, Eblen has discovered that staying active in the community is a great way to spread the word about his availability to shoot and print images.  He recently shot a group portrait of the congregation of the biggest church in the area, which was celebrating its Bicentennial anniversary. Eblen says, “I have offered the prints in two different sizes, and they have been selling like hotcakes.”

If you’d like to learn more about how you can use a wide-format inkjet printer to help expand and diversify your photography business, call one of the account specialists at LexJet at 800-453-9538.  We would be happy to help you!